Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant and explorer who is best known for his travels to Asia and the Middle East during the 13th century. He is credited with opening up the Silk Road and introducing Europe to many exotic goods and cultures from the East.
Polo was born in Venice, Italy in 1254, the son of a wealthy merchant named Niccolò Polo. From a young age, Marco was exposed to the world of trade and travel through his father's business. When he was 17 years old, he accompanied his father and uncle on a journey to the court of the Mongol ruler, Kublai Khan. The Polo family traveled through present-day Turkey, Iraq, and Afghanistan, eventually reaching the Khan's palace in China.
During their time in the East, Marco Polo learned the Mongolian language and became a trusted advisor to the Khan. He also traveled extensively throughout the region, visiting many different countries and observing the customs and cultures of the people he encountered.
Upon returning to Europe in 1295, Marco Polo wrote a book about his travels, titled "The Travels of Marco Polo." The book was an immediate success and became one of the most widely read works of the time. It provided Europeans with their first detailed accounts of life in the East and introduced them to many exotic goods and products, such as silk, porcelain, and spices.
Despite his many accomplishments, Marco Polo was not always well-respected in his own time. Some people accused him of exaggerating his adventures and making up stories about the East. However, modern historians have largely dismissed these claims and recognize Marco Polo as one of the greatest explorers of all time.
In conclusion, Marco Polo was a remarkable figure who made significant contributions to the field of exploration and trade. His travels opened up new avenues of communication and exchange between Europe and Asia, and his book continues to be a fascinating and valuable resource for understanding the world of the 13th century.
Marco Polo Biography
The sinologist It may seem unlikely that a European could hold a position of power in the Mongolian empire. . Allegations of exaggeration Some scholars believe that Marco Polo exaggerated his importance in China. Polo also described coal—not widely used in Europe until the 18th century—and may even have introduced eyeglasses to the West. Elvin concludes that "those who doubted, although mistaken, were not always being casual or foolish", but "the case as a whole had now been closed": the book is, "in essence, authentic, and, when used with care, in broad terms to be trusted as a serious though obviously not always final, witness. In 1305 he is mentioned in a Venetian document among local sea captains regarding the payment of taxes.
Marco Polo summary
Storia e cultura di un cibo universale, VII. The Polos had left Venice to travel all the way to Peking, China, and back when Marco was only six years old. Narrative Il Milione, from a manuscript believed to date between 1298 and 1299 Role of Rustichello The British scholar The Book of Marvels was, in fact, a collaboration written in 1298—1299 between Polo and a professional writer of romances, Rustichello of Pisa. Polo ended up serving Kublai Khan for nearly two decades. The Polos remained in China for about 17 years, and the Mongol emperor sent Marco on several fact-finding missions to distant lands. Thanks to this official passport, the Polos traveled through Asia not merely as wandering merchants, but as honored guests of the Great Kahn himself.
Mandeville & Marco Polo: Terra Incognita & World of the Imagination
His literary endeavors dealt greatly with the political compositions and the description of the peoples under Mongol-controlled territory. To their surprise, the Polo brothers were greeted excitedly by the Kahn, who gave them honorary positions in his empire. Leaving the khan Although the Polos enjoyed the profits of their enterprise, they longed to return to Venice to enjoy their wealth. In 1298 Marco served as a gentleman-commander of a ship in the Venetian navy. The book, Il milione, was an instant success, though most medieval readers considered it an extravagant romance rather than a true story.
Marco Polo
On his return, he arrived in Venice in 1296, where he was captured by the Genoese. Readers had some reason to be skeptical: Polo and his ghostwriter, Rustichello, were prone to exaggeration and flights of fancy. In his partnership with his Genoese acquaintance, Polo tried to adapt the work to the literary trends of the times. Despite their failure to bring back the one hundred Europeans from Rome, Kublai Khan welcomed the Polos back and again took them into his service. The Polos were merchants who dealt in rare items like silk, gems and spices, but their extensive travels were more than just a trading mission. The Polos impressed Kublai Khan with their intelligence and their knowledge of the world. The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.
The Life of Marco Polo
However, the sea route proved inaccessible, and as a result, young Marco found himself slowly trekking through the winding mountain trade routes that we know today as the The difficulty of taking this route cannot be understated, and it really is remarkable that the young Venetian undertook such an arduous journey as a first-timer, even though he was accompanied by his elders. The pope whom they had been charged with addressing And so, planning to collect the lamp oil and priests en route, the Polos began their journey back to Khan — with the young Marco alongside them. After he became a trusted courtier to Khan, the Mongol emperor decided to employ the young Polo as an envoy in the governance of his sprawling empire. By his own account, Polo was well-received by Khan, who enjoyed the young Venetian's charm, learning, and skills as a storyteller. Indeed, The Travels of Marco Polo have shown a resilience that few other pieces of literature have. His description of the marvels he encounters is matter-of-fact, without flairs in his language or exaggeration. Encyclopedia of Play in Today's Society.
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