Zheng He

Zheng He was born Ma He into a Muslim family in Yunnan, in the far south-west of China, where his father and grandfather had both made the pilgrimage to Mecca. When he was about ten Ming armies conquered the province. He was captured, castrated, as was the practice with boys taken for the imperial service, and sent to serve the Prince of Yan. He grew up a soldier, distinguished himself in the prince's campaigns, and when his master seized the throne as the Yongle Emperor in 1402 was given a new name and enormous trust.

In 1405 the emperor put him in command of a fleet of more than 300 ships and nearly 28,000 men, sent to display Chinese power across the seas and bring foreign rulers into the tribute system. The largest treasure ships were far bigger than any vessel in Europe at the time. Over the next 28 years he led seven voyages, calling at Java, Sumatra, Ceylon, the Malabar coast, Hormuz, Aden and the East African coast as far as Malindi and perhaps beyond, bringing back envoys, spices, and a giraffe that was presented at court as a mythical beast.

The voyages were not always peaceful; he fought pirates and deposed a Ceylonese king. After the Yongle Emperor died the court turned inward, and the last voyage was made in 1431 to 1433. Zheng He probably died on the way home and was buried at sea. Within decades the ships had rotted and the records were largely suppressed.