(Chinese) Ming Dynasty naval expeditions launch under the aegis of Emperor Zhu Di, and under the over–all command of Fleet Admiral Zheng, the voyages spanning 1405 CE – 1433 CE.
Fleet Admiral Zheng’s seven expeditions (he personally was not on all of them) traverse a good portion of the globe, but the exact extent is not known for sure. The first armada in 1405 carried 28,000 men, and was composed of 300+ vessels, including 62 super–sized Treasure Ships. Fleet Admiral Zheng’s multi–decked Treasure Ships could carry up to 500 troops each when configured for military use.
The Ming Dynasty spans 1369 CE – 1644 CE, following the collapse of the Mongol–led Yuan Dynasty.
Founder of the Ming is Emperor Hongwu, known for super–scale construction projects, including renovation of the Grand Canal, renovation–expansion of the Great Wall of China, and the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The Ming is ruled by the Hans, the largest Chinese ethnic group, and eventually succumbs to a rebellion led by Li Zicheng.
See 1421 CE for more focus on Zheng in the 1421–1423 period.