What were the factors in the rise and downfall of the Ming Dynasty of China?

The Mongol Empire (set up by the Khans) went into disarray and collapsed into anarchy following a civil war among the factions wanting to take complete control. The Ming Empire quite basically came into power by filling a leadership vacuum. Eventually wars between the Mongols and the Japanese, along with weak emperors and a return to rival factions within the government led to the decline of the Ming Empire in 1644.