Zheng He
Muslim from Yunnan who between 1405 and 1433 led seven great fleets from Nanjing across the Indian Ocean as far as East Africa.
| Lived | 1371 – 1433 |
| Known as | Admiral and explorer |
| Birthplace or main place | Kunyang, Yunnan |
| Places on the map | Nanjing, Malacca, Calicut, Mogadishu |
Kunyang, YunnanSee the world of Zheng He in the interactive map
Who ruled these places in his lifetime
| Place | At birth (map of 1300) | At death (map of 1400) |
|---|---|---|
| Kunyang, Yunnan | Great Khanate | Ming Empire |
| Nanjing | Great Khanate | Ming Empire |
| Malacca | Srivijaya Empire | same |
| Calicut | minor Hindu kingdoms | Sultanate of Delhi |
| Mogadishu | Islamic city-states | same |
From the border maps nearest to each date; borders are approximate.
Events in his lifetime
| Year | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1400 | Parameswara founds the Sultanate of Malacca | Malacca |
| 1405 | Zheng He's fleet sets out from Nanjing on the first of its voyages | Nanjing |
| 1407 | Zheng He’s fleet reaches Calicut | Calicut |
| 1409 | Zheng He's fleet calls at Malacca | Malacca |
| 1417 | Zheng He’s fleet calls at Mogadishu | Mogadishu |
Further reading
Contemporaries
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1360 – 1424 | Zhu Di (Yongle Emperor) | Ming emperor |
| c. 1372 – 1415 | Jan Hus | Church reformer |
| 1394 – 1449 | Ulugh Beg | Astronomer and ruler |
| 1394 – 1460 | Henry the Navigator | Portuguese prince |
| 1397 – 1450 | Sejong the Great | King of Joseon |
| 1332 – 1406 | Ibn Khaldun | Historian |
| 1336 – 1405 | Timur (Tamerlane) | Founder of the Timurid Empire |
| c. 1400 – 1468 | Johannes Gutenberg | Inventor of printing |
| 1328 – 1398 | Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor) | Founder of the Ming dynasty |
| c. 1315 – 1390 | Hafez | Poet |
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.