Zheng He's family served the **Mongol Yuan Dynasty**. According to various sources, Zheng He was born in Yunnan Province in 1371 under the name Ma He. His father and grandfather were Muslim leaders of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. However, when the Ming Dynasty took over, Chinese soldiers captured young Ma He and took him as a slave to one of the Emperor's sons, Prince Zhu Di. Ma He later served Prince Zhu Di well and rose in the ranks of the servants, eventually becoming one of the prince's closest advisors. For his loyalty and service, the prince changed his name to Zheng He and later, when Zhu Di became the Emperor of China as the Yongle Emperor, Zheng He was appointed as his Chief Envoy and entrusted with leading expeditions to explore the world and establish trade and diplomatic relations with other nations. These details show that Zheng He's family had initially served the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, but he himself went on to serve the Ming Dynasty and became a prominent figure in its maritime expeditions.
