Marco Polo
(1254 - 1324)
“I did not tell half of what I saw”
Who was he? Where did he sail from?
Marco Polo was an Italian trader and explorer who lived during the Italian Renaissance from the year 1271 to 1295. His father Niccolo, and his uncle Maffeo were both merchants who traded with the East. They established trading posts in Constantinople, Sudak in the Crimea, and in the western part of the Mongol Empire. Later, at the age of 17, Marco sailed with these two on a trip West into Asia. Here, they made history and helped to reopen the Silk Road which linked Europe with Asia. The three sailed from Venice, Italy in 1271 and spent the next 17 years in China.
Where did he go to?
What dangers did they have to face?
The Polo’s went through the Northern Silk Road as well as a southern route and reached places such as: India, China, Mongolia, and the Middle East. They had to go through the Gobi Desert, cold climate, and dangerous and unknown creatures. Even at one point, the young Marco Polo became ill and they had to postpone the voyage until he was strong enough to go on. Then, they were on their way.
What people did they encounter?
What were they like?
As they continued to explore the wonders of Asia, they met many different people and merchants. For instance, Kublai Khan who was an emperor of China was very fond of Marco. This was maybe because he Marco Polo was a great storyteller. In addition, he carried assignments for the emperor throughout his entire empire. At times he would also entertain the Khan with his magnificent stories. Most importantly, he made him governor of one of the largest commercial cities in China; Yangzhou.
What did they find?
Some of the items found and exchanged between Europe and Asia were silk, jewels, and spices. Also, on his voyage these three found jewelry, gold, silver, and jade. There were also unusual animals such as the cheetah, the lion, the crocodile, the tiger and the antelope; as well as many more. However, what really left the young explorer in awe was the sight of these grand cities. He saw big places with beautiful, wealthy cities and empires with great gigantic walls; built for protection. In other words, Asia at that time was the paradise that you never had.
When he returned, what was the result?
As a result of the voyage, the Polo family became much more wealthy and powerful. By selling silk, jewels, and spices for way more than what it was worth in Asia, they got a very good profit out of it. He also influenced European merchants to trade with
Asia through the Silk Road. However, about 150 years after Marco Polo’s discovery, the Silk Roads closed due to the opening of sea routes and the power of the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately, Marco Polo was later captured and imprisoned in 1298 during a clash in a war between Venice and Genoa. He was finally released from captivity during the summer of 1299 and returned home to Venice where he became a wealthy merchant.
Then, when his father Niccolo and his uncle Maffeo died, he received their fortune; causing him to be even more wealthier. He even wrote a book about his voyage overland to Asia, but claimed that these tales were not true. Marco Polo died in his home on January 1364 at the age of 70 still believing that everything he wrote down was true.
