- United Empire (1206-1260): From Genghis Khan's proclamation as "Universal Ruler" to the death of Möngke Khan, the empire was a relatively unified, expanding force.
- Civil War and Fragmentation (1260-1294): A succession war after Möngke's death led to the empire splitting into four main, semi-autonomous khanates: the Golden Horde, the Chagatai Khanate, the Ilkhanate, and the Yuan Dynasty.
- Successor States (post-1294): These individual khanates persisted as distinct empires for varying durations:
- The Yuan Dynasty in China was ousted by the Ming Dynasty in 1368.
- The Ilkhanate in Persia disintegrated by the mid-14th century.
- The Golden Horde in Eastern Europe and Russia broke into smaller khanates by the end of the 15th century.
- The Chagatai Khanate in Central Asia lasted until the late 17th century.
The Mongol legacy also led to the later establishment of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent, which survived until the 19th century.
