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Marco Polo: Born To The Mongol Empire

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Marco Polo (1254-1324) was a Born to a merchant family in Venice he was believed to have Travelled across Asia at the height of the Mongol Empire. His first expedition began at the age of 17 with his father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo, they travelled overland along what became known as the Silk Road. Which had led them to reaching China, Marco Polo entered the court of powerful Mongol ruler Khubilai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty, who had sent him on expeditions to help administer the realm. Marco Polo remained abroad of the Mongol empire for 24 years. He was not the first European to explore China his father and uncle, among others, had already been there. But none of them became as famous as Marco this is due to his famous travels which has been written …show more content…

At Khubilai Khan’s request, they got some holy oil from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and then withdrew to Acre to pick up gifts, papal documents and two priests from newly elected Pope Gregory X. The priests quickly abandoned the expedition, but this didn’t stop the Polos which had continued on, possibly by camel, to the Persian port city of Hormuz. They had failed to find any boats that would suit their voyage, they instead took number of overland traders routes that, in the 19th century, would become known as the Silk Road. Over the next three years they slowly travelled through deserts, high mountain passes and other rough terrain, meeting people of various religions and cultures along the way. Eventually, around 1275, they arrived at Khubilai’s extravagant summer palace at Shangdu, or Xanadu, located about 320 kilometres northwest of his winter quarters in modern Beijing …show more content…

While he was in prison he had met the Arthurian adventure writer Rustichello of Pisa, with who he would collaborate on a manuscript in 1298 called “Description of the World.” It has since become better known as “The Travels of Marco Polo” With the help of notes taken during his expedictions, Marco Polo admiringly described Khubilai Khan and his palaces, along with paper money, coal, postal service, glasses and other innovations that had not yet being developed in Europe. He also told partially untrue self-aggrandizing tales about warfare, business, geography, court intrigues and the sexual practices of the people who lived in the Mongol

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