Marco polo brief biography of sir

One of the most well-known Europeans to travel the silk road in Medieval times was Marco Polo (), a merchant, explorer and writer who recorded his travels in the book &#;Livres des merveilles du monde&#; (Book of the world&#;s marvels), published around the year In English, this book is also known as The Travels of Marco Polo, and it describes – among other things – Polo&#;s travels along the Silk Road and the various Asian regions and cities that he traverses, including China.

A citizen of the Republic of Venice, Polo grew up in a family where both his father Niccoló and uncle Maffeo were merchants. Even before Marco was born, the brothers had travelled extensively, setting up trading posts in Constantinople, Sudak, Crimea, and the western part of the Mongolian Empire. They even visited China.

Later, the Polo brother&#;s embarked on a new journey, and this time they brought Marco with them. This trip, which would end up taking 24 years since they stayed for very long in China, is the one chronicled by Marco Polo in his book. It has been assumed that the Polos travelled along the Northern Silk Road, although the possibility of a southern route has also been advanced by some scholars.

When the three Polo&#;s finally returned to Venice, the city state was at war with neighbooring Genoa. Marco particpated in the war and was eventually imprisoned, spending his time in jail dictating travel stories to a cellmate. After being released from prison in , Marco Polo went back to being a merchant and ammassed considerable wealth. He also married and had three children. He is buried in the San Lorenzo church in Venize.

The Polos weren&#;t the first Europeans to visit China, but Marco Polo was the first European to publish a detailed account of it, and his book went on to become very important for future generations of explorers – including a 15th century navigator named Christopher Columbus (Cristòffa Cómbo). Marco Polo&#;s book also influenced European carto

Marco Polo in China ()

  from China: A Teaching Workbook, East Asian Curriculum Project, Columbia University  

Introduction: Teaching about Marco Polo

Background Reading: Marco Polo in China

Primary Source Readings: From The Travels of Marco Polo
&#; Khubilai Khan's Palace: "Concerning The Palace of the Great Khan"
&#; Cambaluc (Beijing): "Concerning The City of Cambaluc"
&#; Lifestyle: "The Fashion of The Great Khan's Table at His High Feasts"
&#; System of Governing: "Twelve Barons Who Are Set Over All the Affairs of The Great Khan"
&#; Taxes: "The Great Yearly Revenue The Great Khan Receives From Hangchow"
&#; Suzhou (Soochow): "On the Noble City of Soochow"
&#; Hangzhou: "Description of the Great City of Kinsay (Hangchow)"

Current Events Reading: "Kublai Khan's Fleet Reported Found by Japanese" [The New York Times]

Map: Marco Polo's Journey

Discussion Questions

Related Web Sites

Below are readings and primary source material on Marco Polo and his travels in China during the Yuan dynasty.

This unit aims to:
&#; Expose students to the impressive developments within traditional Chinese civilization and to compare these advances in China with those of other countries, as seen by a contemporary observer.
&#; Provide details on China's population, products and centralized system of government.
&#; Make Marco Polo's actual writings accessible to students as primary source readings.

The following readings and primary source materials might best be assigned individually to different members of the class.

&#; The first reading, "Marco Polo in China," provides historical background on Europe and China.
&#; The primary source, "Beijing," (Peking) is Marco Polo's detailed description of the size, organization and splendor of the city. (Suggestion: Refer to a contemporary travel guide on China for a des

Venetian merchant (–)

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

Marco Polo (; Venetian:[ˈmaɾkoˈpolo]; Italian:[ˈmarkoˈpɔːlo]; c.&#;&#;&#; 8 January ) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between and His travels are recorded in The Travels of Marco Polo (also known as Book of the Marvels of the World and Il Milione, c.&#;), 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.

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 , 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. 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. Around , the Polos offered to accompany the Mongol princess Kököchin to Persia; they arrived there around 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 joined the war

Key Figures in Mongol History

  Marco Polo (  

The Venetian merchant and adventurer was in China from to and returned to Europe with extraordinary accounts of his travels in Persia, China, Central Asia, Armenia, and Southeast Asia among other places.

A map of Marco Polo's journey

Read the following excerpts of Marco Polo's account of life at Khubilai Khan's court. The text is from The Book of Ser Marco Polo: The Venetian Concerning Kingdoms and Marvels of the East, Volume 1, translated and edited by Colonel Sir Henry Yule.

BOOK FIRST

• Chapter XLVI: Of the City of Caracoron [PDF]
About the foundation of the city of Caracoron (Khara Khorum), the first Mongol capital, and Marco Polo's own theory about the rise of the Tartars (the Mongols)

BOOK SECOND, PART I

• Chapter VIII: Concerning the Person of the Great Kaan [PDF]
A physical description of Khubilai Khan, and general descriptions of his family, his court, and his concubines

• Chapter IX: Concerning the Great Kaan's Sons [PDF]
Descriptions of Khubilai Khan's twenty-two sons

• Chapter X: Concerning the Palace of the Great Kaan [PDF]
Description of Khubilai's palace at Cambaluc (Daidu/Beijing)

• Chapter XI: Concerning the City of Cambaluc [PDF]
Detailed description of the layout of the city of Cambaluc (Daidu/Beijing)

• Chapter XXII: Concerning the City of Cambaluc, and Its Great Traffic and Population [PDF]
Detailed description of the population and life in the city of Cambaluc (Daidu/Beijing)

• Chapter XXIII: Concerning the Oppressions of Achmath the Bailo, and the Plot That Was Formed against Him [PDF]
Account of a plot against Achmath, upon whom Khubilai Khan entrusted much, until he learned of his corrupt ways

• Chapter XXIV: How the Great Kaan Causeth the Bark of Trees, Made into Something Like Paper, to Pass for Money over All His Country [PDF]
Description of paper money, as it was made and circulated in Mongol China

• Chapter XXVI: How the Kaan's Posts and Runn