Drogön Chögyal Phagpa
Yarlung kings founded the Tibetan Empire in 618. By the end of the 8th century, the empire reached its greatest extent. After a civil war, the empire broke up in 842. The royal lineage fragmented and ruled over small kingdoms such as Guge, Maryul and Nyingma. The Mongol Empire conquered Tibet in 1244 but the region was granted a degree of political autonomy. Kublai Khan later incorporated the region into his Yuan empire. The Sakya lama Drogön Chögyal Phagpa became religious teacher to Kublai, and was made the head of the region.