Zheng HeZheng He, originally named Ma He, had been born into a prominent family that could trace its ancestry to an early Mongol governor of the province. Zheng’s father had made a pilgrimage to Mecca and converted to Islam, and his son shared his father’s faith. Zheng’s father died when the Ming invaded Yunnan. Eleven-year-old Zheng was taken prisoner and placed in the service of the Ming prince Zhu Di (1360–1424), the fourth son of Hongwu.
"Zheng He Sails the Seas: 1405–1433." Global Events: Milestone Events Throughout History, edited by Jennifer Stock, vol. 2: Asia and Oceania, Gale, 2014. World History in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/BBJAUU594912101/WHIC?u=j071909004&sid=WHIC&xid=3b414549. Accessed 21 Aug. 2018.
