Why did the Ming dynasty overthrow the Yuan dynasty in 1368?

The Ming dynasty overthrew the Yuan dynasty in 1368 due to a combination of internal government collapse and widespread popular unrest. By the 1340s, the Yuan administration was severely weakened by inept leadership, bureaucratic factionalism, and rivalries among Mongol generals.12

The situation reached a breaking point in 1351 when catastrophic flooding of the Huang He (Yellow River) and Huai River basins devastated the countryside. The peasantry, already burdened by excessive taxation and forced labor, rose in rebellion. These movements, such as the Red Turbans, capitalized on the breakdown of central authority.134

Amid this chaos, Zhu Yuanzhang—a former peasant and monk—emerged as the most capable leader. He consolidated power in the Yangtze valley, eliminated rival rebel factions, and eventually drove the Mongols out of their capital, Dadu (Beijing), in 1368 to establish the Ming dynasty. The collapse was further accelerated by economic failure, as the government's reliance on paper currency led to runaway inflation once the economy disintegrated.456