Zhu Di (Yongle Emperor)
Seized the throne in civil war, moved the capital to Beijing and built the Forbidden City, sent Zheng He’s fleets abroad and commissioned the Yongle Encyclopedia.
| Lived | 1360 – 1424 |
| Known as | Ming emperor |
| Birthplace or main place | Beijing |
| Places on the map | Beijing, Nanjing |
BeijingSee the world of Zhu Di (Yongle Emperor) in the interactive map
Who ruled these places in his lifetime
| Place | At birth (map of 1300) | At death (map of 1400) |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Great Khanate | Ming Empire |
| Nanjing | Great Khanate | Ming Empire |
From the border maps nearest to each date; borders are approximate.
Events in his lifetime
| Year | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1368 | Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims himself emperor with his capital at Yingtian | Nanjing |
| 1405 | Zheng He's fleet sets out from Nanjing on the first of its voyages | Nanjing |
| 1421 | The Yongle Emperor formally moves the Ming capital to Beijing; the Forbidden City is completed | Beijing |
Further reading
Contemporaries
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1371 – 1433 | Zheng He | Admiral and explorer |
| 1332 – 1406 | Ibn Khaldun | Historian |
| 1336 – 1405 | Timur (Tamerlane) | Founder of the Timurid Empire |
| c. 1372 – 1415 | Jan Hus | Church reformer |
| 1328 – 1398 | Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor) | Founder of the Ming dynasty |
| c. 1315 – 1390 | Hafez | Poet |
| 1394 – 1449 | Ulugh Beg | Astronomer and ruler |
| 1394 – 1460 | Henry the Navigator | Portuguese prince |
| 1397 – 1450 | Sejong the Great | King of Joseon |
| c. 1400 – 1468 | Johannes Gutenberg | Inventor of printing |
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.