3. Marco Polo About this soundlisten Venetian maɾko ˈpolo], Italian:
[ˈmarko (About this soundlisten; September 15, 1254 – January 8, 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, c. 1300), 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 in the Yuan Dynasty, giving their first comprehensive look into
China, Persia, India, Japan and other Asian cities and countries.[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 (China). They
were received by the royal court of Kublai Khan, who was impressed by
Marco's intelligence and humility.
4. Marco Polo was born in 1254 in Venice, capital of the Venetian
Republic. His father, Niccolò Polo, had his household in Venice
and left Marco's pregnant mother in order to travel to Asia with
his brother Maffeo Polo. Their return to Italy in order to "go to
Venice and visit their household" is described in The Travels of
Marco Polo as follows: "...they departed from Acre and went to
Negropont, and from Negropont they continued their voyage to
Venice. On their arrival there, Messer Nicolas found that his wife
was dead and that she had left behind her a son of fifteen years
of age, whose name was Marco".
His first known ancestor was a great uncle, Marco Polo (the
older) from Venice, who lent some money and commanded a
ship in Constantinople. Andrea, Marco's grandfather, lived in
Venice in "contrada San Felice", he had three sons: Marco "the
older", Maffeo and Niccolò (Marco's father).[14][15] Some old
Venetian historical sources considered Polo's ancestors to be of
far Dalmatian origin.
5. Marco Polo (1254-1324) was a Venetian
merchant believed to have journeyed across
Asia at the height of the Mongol Empire. He
first set out at age 17 with his father and
uncle, traveling overland along what later
became known as the Silk Road. ... Marco
Polo remained abroad for 24 years.
6. Works written: The Travels of Marco Polo.
Professions: Merchant.
Place of birth: Venice.
Nationality: Republic of Venice.
7. Europe was not the only one that positively
affected by Marco Polo's travels.
Unsurprisingly, China, too, was affected in a
positive manner. Marco Polo had introduced
gunpowder to the Chinese. ... With trade
between Europe and China, the Europeans
were introduced to citrus fruits, spices, and
other newly seen goods.