Zheng He was born in 1371 in Kunming. A Chinese admiral and diplomat of the Ming dynasty, Zheng He was born into a Muslim family in Yunnan and entered the service of the Prince of Yan, the future Yongle Emperor, as a eunuch. Between 1405 and 1433 he commanded seven great naval expeditions with fleets of large ships and many thousands of men. They sailed to Southeast Asia, India, the Persian Gulf, Arabia and the east coast of Africa, establishing diplomatic and trade ties and displaying Ming power. The voyages were halted after the reign of the Xuande Emperor, and the exact circumstances of his death, around 1433 to 1435, are uncertain. He is remembered across Southeast Asia and in China as a symbol of peaceful maritime contact.
Before and after
- from 1370 to 1789Construction of Bastille
- 1370Rise of Timurid dynasty
- from 1370 to 1507Timurid Empire
- 1371Rise of House of Stuart
- 1371Birth of Zheng He
- from 1373 to 1379Byzantine civil war of 1373–1379
- 1373Construction of Leaning Tower of Pisa
- 19 July 1374Death of Petrarch
- from 1375 to 1378War of the Eight Saints
More in Exploration & discovery
- 24 February 1304Birth of Ibn Battuta
- 1368Death of Ibn Battuta
- c. 1435Death of Zheng He
- 9 March 1454Birth of Amerigo Vespucci
- 1485Birth of Hernán Cortés
- 31 December 1491Birth of Jacques Cartier
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 14th century.