Marco Polo

 

Marco Polo

 

Medieval Crusaders

Medieval Crusaders

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Marco Polo

  • Famous Medieval explorer who travelled to China
  • Read books from a history book club or watch the History Channel DVDs on Medieval Times
  • History, interesting facts and information about Marco Polo during the Medieval times
  • Middle Ages era, period, life, age and times
  • Medieval people - Marco Polo
  • Famous People of the Middle Ages - Marco Polo
  • Important People of the Middle Ages - Marco Polo
  • Life Story and Biography of famous Medieval people
  • Famous People in Medieval Europe and England
  • Life and History of Marco Polo

 

Marco Polo

Short Biography, facts and interesting information about Marco Polo the life story of the famous historical
explorer of the Middle Ages
Marco Polo - Famous Medieval explorer who travelled to China

Kublai Khan

Short Biography about the life of Marco Polo
The following short biography information provides basic facts and information about the life and history of Marco Polo a famous Medieval character of historical importance who lived during the Middle Ages:

  • Country of Origin / Nationality: Italian - Marco Polo was born in Venice
  • Lifetime: 1254-1324
  • Born: Marco Polo was born on on September 15, 1254
  • Family connections : He was the son of Niccolo Polo and the nephew of Maffeo Polo
  • Died: Marco Polo died  on January 1324 in Venice. Marco Polo was almost 70 years old
  • Marco Polo was buried in the Church of San Lorenzo
  • Accomplishments and Achievements or why Marco Polo was famous: The life story and his autobiography was called 'The Travels of Marco Polo' or 'Il Milione' provided inspiration for many other explorers including Christopher Columbus

Marco Polo Biography
The story and biography of Marco Polo which contains interesting information, facts & the history about the life of this Medieval person of historical importance.

Marco Polo travels to Cathay (China)
Marco Polo lived from 1254-1324. Some years before St. Louis led his last Crusade there was born in Venice a boy named Marco Polo. The father of Marco Polo was a wealthy merchant who often went on trading journeys to distant lands. In 1271, when Marco Polo was seventeen years old, he accompanied his father and uncle on a journey through the Holy Land, Persia and Tartary, and at length to the Empire of China, then called Cathay. It took the travellers three years to reach Cathay.

Marco Polo meets Kublai Khan in Peking
The emperor of Cathay was a monarch named Kublai Khan who lived in Peking. Marco Polo's father and uncle had been in Cathay once before and had entertained Kublai Khan by telling him about the manners and customs of Europe. So when the two Venetian merchants again appeared in Peking, Kublai Khan was glad to see them. He was also greatly pleased with the young Marco Polo, whom he invited to the palace. Important positions at the Chinese court were given to Marco Polo's father and uncle, and so they and Marco Polo lived in the country for some years. Marco Polo studied the Chinese language, and it was not very long before he could speak it.

Marco Polo works as an envoy for Kublai Khan
When Marco Polo was about twenty-one Kublai Khan sent him on very important business to a distant part of China. Marco Polo did the work well and from that time was often employed as an envoy of the Chinese monarch. The travels of Marco Polo were sometimes in lands never before visited by Europeans and Marco Polo had many strange adventures among the almost unknown tribes of Asia. Step by step he was promoted. For several years he was governor of a great Chinese city. Finally Marco Polo, his father and his uncle desired to return to Venice. They had all served Kublai Khan faithfully and he had appreciated it and given them rich rewards; but he did not wish to let them go.

Marco Polo leaves China
While the matter was being talked over an embassy arrived in Peking from the king of Persia. This monarch desired to marry the daughter of Kublai Khan, the Princess Cocachin, and he had sent to ask her father for her hand. Consent was given, and Kublai Khan fitted out a fleet of fourteen ships to carry the wedding party to Persia. The Princess Cocachin was a great friend of Marco Polo, and urged her father to allow him to go with the party. Finally Kublai Khan gave his consent for Marco Polo to go. Marco Polo's father and uncle were also allowed to go, and Marco Polo and the Venetians left China.

Marco Polo escorts the daughter of the Kublai Khan to Persia
The fleet with the wedding party on board, including Marco Polo, sailed southward on the China Sea. It was a long and perilous voyage. Stops were made at Borneo, Sumatra, Ceylon and other places, until the ships entered the Persian Gulf and the princess was safely landed. After they reached the capital of Persia the party, including the three Venetians, was entertained by the Persians for weeks in a magnificent manner and costly presents were given to all. At last Marco Polo and the Venetians left their friends, went to the Black Sea and took ship for Venice.

Marco Polo returns to Venice
They had been away so long and were so much changed in appearance that none of their relations and old friends knew them when they arrived in Venice. As they were dressed in Tatar costume and sometimes spoke the Chinese language to one another, they found it hard to convince people that they were members of the Polo family. At length, on order to show that they were the men that they declared themselves to be, they gave a dinner to all their relations and old friends. When the guests arrived they were greeted by the travelers, arrayed in gorgeous Chinese robes of crimson satin. After the first course they appeared in crimson damask; after the second, they changed their costumes to crimson velvet; while at the end of the dinner they appeared in the usual garb of wealthy Venetians. "Now, my friends," said Marco Polo , "I will show you something that will please you." He then brought into the room the rough Tatar coats which he and his father and uncle had worn when they reached Venice. Cutting open the seams, he took from inside the lining packets filled with rubies, emeralds and diamonds. It was the finest collection of jewels ever seen in Venice. The guests were now persuaded that their hosts were indeed what they claimed to be.

Marco Polo is captured by the Genoese
Eight hundred years before Marco Polo's birth, some of the people of North Italy had fled before the Attila to the muddy islands of the Adriatic and founded Venice upon them. Since then the little settlement had become the most wealthy and powerful city of Europe. Venice was the queen of the Adriatic and her merchants were princes. They had vessels to bring the costly wares of the East to their wharves; they had warships to protect their rich cargoes from the pirates of the Mediterranean; they carried on wars. At the time when Marco Polo returned from Cathay they were at war with Genoa . The two cities were fighting for the trade of the world. In a great naval battle the Venetians were completely defeated. Marco Polo was in the battle and with many of his countrymen was captured by the enemy.

Marco Polo dictates an account of his travels
For a year he was confined in a Genoese prison. One of his fellow-prisoners was a skilful penman and Marco Polo dictated to him an account of his experiences in China, Japan, and other Eastern countries. This account was carefully written out. Copies of the manuscript exist to this day. One of these is in a library in Paris. It was carried into France in the year 1307. Another copy is preserved in the city of Berne. It is said that the book was translated into many languages, so that people in all parts of Europe learned about the adventures. of Marco Polo.

The Legacy of Marco Polo - The Travels of Marco Polo (Il Milione)
About a hundred and seventy-five years after the book was written, the famous Genoese, Christopher Columbus, planned his voyage across the Atlantic. It is believed that he had read the description by Marco Polo of Java, Sumatra and other East India Islands, which he thought he had reached when he discovered Haiti and Cuba. So Marco Polo may have suggested to Columbus the voyage which led to the discovery of America.  

Famous Medieval People - Marco Polo
Interesting facts and information with a short biography about the Medieval Life, Times and history of Marco Polo. Additional useful details, facts, history, biography, timeline and information about the lives of other famous people of the Dark Ages and Middle Ages, and the important events which occurred during their times, can be accessed via the Medieval Life and Times Sitemap. The content of this article on Medieval life and times provides free educational details, facts and information for reference and research for schools, colleges and homework for history courses and history coursework.

 


Medieval Times - Marco Polo

  • Famous Medieval explorer who travelled to China
  • Read books from a history book club or watch the History Channel DVDs on Medieval Times
  • History, interesting facts and information about Marco Polo during the Medieval times
  • Middle Ages era, period, life, age and times
  • Medieval people - Marco Polo
  • Famous People of the Middle Ages - Marco Polo
  • Important People of the Middle Ages - Marco Polo
  • Life Story and Biography of famous Medieval people
  • Famous People in Medieval Europe and England
  • Life and History of Marco Polo

Helpful information for history courses and history coursework - Read History Books - Medieval Society - Realms - Medival - Lives -  Medival Era and Period - Marco Polo - History - Information - Facts - Info - Medieval Period - Medieval - Middle Ages History - Dark Ages - Information about Marco Polo - Marco Polo Facts - Marco Polo Info - Marco Polo - History - Information - Facts - Info - Medieval Period - Medieval - Middle Ages History - Dark Ages - Information about Marco Polo - Marco Polo Facts - Marco Polo Info - Medieval Times - Marco Polo - Medival Era and Period - History Channel DVDs - Written By Linda Alchin