Marco Polo
Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marvels of the World '' and ''Il Milione'', ), a book that described to Europeans 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 their first comprehensive look into China, Persia, India, Japan, and other locations throughout Asia.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, such as in present-day Burma, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. As part of this appointment, Marco also travelled extensively inside China, living in the emperor's lands for 17 years and seeing many things that had previously been unknown to Europeans. Around 1291, the Polos also offered to accompany the Mongol princess Kököchin to Persia; they arrived around 1293. After leaving the princess, they travelled overland to Constantinople and then to Venice, returning home after 24 years. At this time, Venice was at war with Genoa; Marco was captured and imprisoned by the Genoans after joining the war effort and dictated his stories 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. This account of the Orient provided the Europeans with a clear picture of the East's geography and ethnic customs, and was the first Western record of porcelain, gunpowder, paper money, and some Asian plants and exotic animals. His travel book inspired Christopher Columbus 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. Provided by Wikipedia
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1931
Published 1931
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1984
Published 1984
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1958
Published 1958
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1926
Published 1926
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1958
Published 1958
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1982
Published 1982
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1931
Published 1931
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1934
Published 1934
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1960
Published 1960
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 2002
Published 2002
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1933
Published 1933
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1948
Published 1948
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1926
Published 1926
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1953
Published 1953
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1958
Published 1958
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 2005
Published 2005
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1954
Published 1954
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1929
Published 1929
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1955
Published 1955
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by Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Published 1865
Published 1865
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