Marco Polo

Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant and explorer who travelled through Asia and reached the court of the Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. His account of his travels introduced the Europeans to the wealth and the culture of the East.

Early Life and Education

Marco Polo was born in Venice in about 1254 into a family of merchants. His father Niccolò and his uncle Maffeo were the traders who travelled to the East.

He was educated in the commercial matters and the languages. He joined his father and his uncle on their second journey to Asia in 1271.

The party travelled through the Middle East and the Central Asia. They reached the court of Kublai Khan in about 1275.

The Travels in Asia

Marco Polo entered the service of Kublai Khan and travelled throughout the empire. He was sent on the missions to the distant provinces.

He visited the cities of China and the regions of the south. He described the wealth and the organisation of the Mongol administration.

He claimed to have served the khan for seventeen years. He returned to Venice in 1295 with the great wealth and the stories of the East.

He was captured in the war with Genoa and dictated the account of his travels to the writer Rustichello da Pisa. The book became known as The Travels of Marco Polo.

The Book and the Accounts

The Travels of Marco Polo describes the geography and the customs of Asia. The book was widely read and was translated into many languages.

The account describes the paper money and the postal system of the Mongols. It also describes the coal and the other wonders of the East.

The book was influential in shaping the European image of Asia. It inspired the later explorers, including Christopher Columbus.

The accuracy of the account has been debated because of the omission of the Great Wall and the other details. The scholars disagree on the extent of his travels.

The Legacy

Marco Polo is regarded as one of the greatest of the travellers. His book is a landmark of the travel literature.

He established the image of the East as a land of the wealth and the marvels. The image motivated the European trade and the exploration.

His name is associated with the Silk Road and with the cultural exchange. The Marco Polo Bridge and the airport are named in his honour.

He died in 1324 in Venice. The account of his travels remains one of the most famous of the medieval books.

The Journey to the East

The Polos travelled through the Middle East and the Central Asia. They crossed the deserts and the mountains of the route.

They reached the court of Kublai Khan in about 1275. The khan received them with the honour and the hospitality.

Marco entered the service of the khan and travelled on the missions. The experience gave him the knowledge of the empire and the peoples.

The Return and the Prison

The Polos left the court of the khan in about 1291. They escorted the princess to Persia on the behalf of the khan.

They returned to Venice in 1295 after the long absence. The family was not recognised at first because of their appearance.

Marco was captured in the war with Genoa and dictated the account in the prison. The book was written with the writer Rustichello da Pisa.

The Description of Asia

The Travels of Marco Polo describes the geography and the customs of Asia. The book covers the lands from the Middle East to China.

It describes the wealth and the organisation of the Mongol Empire. It recounts the paper money and the postal system and the coal.

The book was dictated to the writer Rustichello da Pisa in the prison. The account became one of the most widely read books of the Middle Ages.

The Influence and the Debate

The book inspired the later explorers, including Christopher Columbus. It shaped the European image of the East as the land of the wealth.

The accuracy of the account has been questioned by the scholars. The omission of the Great Wall and the other details raised the doubts.

The defenders of Marco Polo argue that the omissions are explained by the circumstances. The debate over the extent of his travels continues.

The Last Years

Marco Polo returned to Venice and lived as a wealthy merchant. He married and had three daughters.

He died in 1324 and left a will that mentions the book. He was buried in the church of San Lorenzo in Venice.

He is regarded as one of the greatest of the travellers. The account of his travels remains one of the most famous of the medieval books.

The Reception and the Legacy

The book was received with the scepticism by the readers. The fantastic details led some to call it the book of the million lies.

The account was nevertheless a source of the information about the East. It was copied and translated and circulated widely in the manuscript form.

The book contributed to the geographical knowledge of the period. It is one of the most important of the medieval travel accounts.

See also

• Silk Road
• Kublai Khan
• Age of Discovery
• Travel literature