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Marco Polo

This article is about the trader and explorer. For other uses, see Marco Polo (disambiguation).

Marco Polo
16th-century portrait of Marco Polo
Born1254
Venice, Republic of Venice
Died8 January 1324 (aged 69–70)
Venice, Republic of Venice
Resting placeChurch of San Lorenzo
45°26′14″N 12°20′44″E / 45.4373°N 12.3455°E / 45.4373; 12.3455
Occupation(s)Merchant, explorer, writer
Known forThe Travels of Marco Polo
Spouse
​
(m. 1300⁠–⁠1324)​
ChildrenAgnese Polo (ill.)
Fantina Polo
Belella Polo
Moreta Polo
Parent

Marco Polo (/ˈmɑːrkoʊ ˈpoʊloʊ/ ; Venetian: [ˈmaɾko ˈpolo]; Italian: [ˈmarko ˈpɔːlo] ; c. 1254 – 8 January 1324)[1] was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295.[2][3] His travels are recorded in The Travels of Marco Polo (also known as Book of the Marvels of the World and Il Milione, c. 1300), a book that described the then-mysterious culture and inner workings of the Eastern world, including the wealth and great size of the Mongol Empire and China under the Yuan dynasty, giving Europeans their first comprehensive look into China, Persia, India, Japan, and other Asian societies.[4]

Born in Venice, Marco learned the mercantile trade from his father and his uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, who travelled through Asia and met Kublai Khan. In 1269, they returned to Venice to meet Marco for the first time. The three of them embarked on an epic journey to Asia, exploring many places along the Silk Road until they reached "Cathay". They were received by the royal court of Kublai Khan, who was impressed by Marco's intelligence and humility. Marco was appointed to serve as Kublai's foreign emissary, and he was sent on many diplomatic missions throughout the empire and Southeast Asia, visiting present-day Burma, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.[5][6] As part of this appointment, Marco also travelled extensively inside China, living in the emperor's lands for 17 years and seeing many things previously unknown to Europeans.[7] Around 1291, the Polos offered to accompany the Mongol princess Kököchin to Persia; they arrived there around 1293. After leaving the princess, they travelled overland to Constantinople and then to Venice, returning home after 24 years.[7] At this time, Venice was at war with Genoa. Marco joined the war effort on behalf of Venice and was captured by the Genoans. While imprisoned, he dictated stories of his travels to Rustichello da Pisa, a cellmate. He was released in 1299, became a wealthy merchant, married, and had three children. He died in 1324 and was buried in the church of San Lorenzo in Venice.

Though he was not the first European to reach China, Marco Polo was the first to leave a detailed chronicle of his experience. His account provided the Europeans with a clear picture of the East's geography and ethnic customs, and it included the first Western record of porcelain, gunpowder, paper money, and some Asian plants and exotic animals.[citation needed] His narrative inspired Christopher Columbus[8] and many other travellers. There is substantial literature based on Polo's writings; he also influenced European cartography, leading to the introduction of the Catalan Atlas and the Fra Mauro map.[9]

  1. ^ Bergreen 2007, pp. 340–42.
  2. ^ Stephen Feinstein; (2009) Marco Polo: Amazing Adventures in China (Great Explorers of the World) p. 23–24; Enslow Pub Inc, ISBN 1-59845-103-0
  3. ^ John H. Stubbs, Robert G. Thomson; Architectural Conservation in Asia: National Experiences and Practice p. 30; Routledge, ISBN 1-138-92610-8
  4. ^ Benedetto, Luigi Foscolo (1965). "Marco Polo, Il Milione". Istituto Geografico DeAgostini (in Italian).
  5. ^ Zhao, Rongguang; Wang, Gangliu; Wang, Aimee Yiran. A History Of Food Culture In China. p. 94.
  6. ^ Kleinhenz, Christopher. Routledge Revivals: Medieval Italy (2004): An Encyclopedia – Volume II, Volume 2. p. 923.
  7. ^ a b "Marco Polo". Worldatlas.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  8. ^ Landström 1967, p. 27
  9. ^ Thomas F. Glick; Steven Livesey; Faith Wallis (2014). Medieval Science, Technology, and Medicine: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 415. ISBN 9781135459321.

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