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Historical Figure

Zheng He

Also Known As Ma He
Explorers and Navigators

Zheng He (1371-1433) was a Chinese admiral, diplomat and explorer of the early Ming dynasty. Born into a Muslim family in Yunnan and captured as a boy to serve as a court eunuch, he rose to become a trusted commander under the Yongle Emperor, who placed him in charge of a series of seven massive maritime expeditions between 1405 and 1433. His fleets, vastly larger than any in Europe at the time, sailed across the Indian Ocean as far as East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, extending China's political and commercial influence and collecting tribute from dozens of states. The voyages ended after his death amid a shift in Ming court policy away from overseas expansion.

Facts
Birth Year
1371 1
Death Year
1433 1
Role
Admiral, diplomat and explorer of the early Ming dynasty 1
Birthplace
Kunyang, Kunming, Yunnan 1
Death Place
Calicut, India 1
Role
Role (category)
Military Leader 1
Role (category)
Explorer 1
Classification
Gender
Male 1
Connections

Associated With

The Ming Dynasty Period, Eras

Zheng He's voyages took place under the Ming

In Era

The Post-Classical and Medieval Period, Eras
Source Wikipedia: Zheng He
In the Other Atlases

Originated In

Kunming

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Ming dynasty

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Zheng He
Wikipedia
  • Lead paragraph, opening sentence (birth year)
    Zheng He (Wade-Giles: Chêng Ho; 1371-1433/1435) was a Chinese admiral and diplomat from the early Ming dynasty.
  • Death section (final voyage)
    Admiral Zheng He died in 1433, during (probably in Calicut), or shortly after his seventh voyage
  • Lead paragraph, opening sentence (role)
    was a Chinese admiral and diplomat from the early Ming dynasty
  • Early life section, birthplace
    born Ma He to a Muslim (Hui) family of Kunyang, Kunming, Yunnan, then under the rule of the Principality of Liang loyal to the Northern Yuan dynasty
  • Death section, final voyage (place)
    Admiral Zheng He died in 1433, during (probably in Calicut), or shortly after his seventh voyage
  • Early life section, name origin
    born into a Muslim family as Ma He and later adopted the surname Zheng conferred onto him by the Yongle Emperor
  • Zheng He: Gender
    Zheng He (Wade-Giles: Chêng Ho; 1371-1433/1435) was a Chinese admiral and diplomat from the early Ming dynasty.
  • In Era: The Post-Classical and Medieval Period, lead paragraph, lifespan
    Zheng He (Wade-Giles: Chêng Ho; 1371-1433/1435) was a Chinese admiral and diplomat from the early Ming dynasty.
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