Overview
The Mongol Empire was the biggest land empire in history. Its territory extended from the Yellow Sea in eastern Asia to the borders of eastern Europe. Although the Mongols had a reputation as savage conquerors, they had a significant impact on the culture and economy of the time. Kublai Khan encouraged commerce and cultural exchange with other civilized peoples. As a result of his enlightened policies, printing, gunpowder, and other Chinese innovations probably first made their way to the West during Mongol times.
The events described on the fictitious Mongol News Network actually happened in the 1200's. The Mongols did invade Japan a second time in 1281, but the weather interfered with the invasion, as it had in the 1274 attempt. The powerful winds of a typhoon smashed the Mongol fleets on the coast, dealing a crushing blow to Kublai Khan.
The report from Marco Polo contains excerpts from Polo's 1298 book about his travels, Description of the World. Polo stayed at the court of Kublai Khan in Cambaluc-now Beijing, China-for 17 years in the late 1200's.