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How many voyages did Zheng He lead during the Yongle emperor’s reign?
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Yongle
The Yongle emperor, detail of a portrait; in the National Palace Museum, Taipei.
During the reign of the Yongle emperor, Zheng He led six of his seven major maritime expeditions.1
While Zheng He is famous for commanding seven total voyages between 1405 and 1433, the first six occurred under the Yongle emperor’s administration (1402–1424). Following the death of the Yongle emperor in 1424, his successor suspended the naval expeditions, and the seventh and final voyage did not take place until 1431.21