Marco Polo Background

Marco Polo was born in 1254 in Venice, Italy. His uncle Maffeo and his father Nicolo were both famous merchants. Marco Polo was educated in literacy skills and arithmetic. He also had a good knowledge of Italian and French. Marco became famous because of his journey to Cathay and his worked with Kublai Khan and also his splendid book called "The travels of Marco Polo". In 1260, when Marco was six years old Nicolo and Maffeo begen their first trip going east to the other side of the Black Sea. They had to change their route because a war had began. Nicolo and his brother reached Bukhara where they stayed for three years. Kublai Khan the great Mongol Emperor heard about them and invited them to visit him. So, Nicolo and Maffeo crossed the Gobi
Kublai Khan was becoming old and if the Khan died Marco thought he would not be able to take his fortune with him to Venice. Khan was very reluctant to let the Polo's return to Venice because Marco had became very important to him. Finally in 1292, Khan agreed to let Marco leave but, he made one last request. This was to accompany his daughter the princess Kokachin to Persia for her wedding. In 1294, Marco arrived in Persia and heard that Khan had died. When Marco Polo arrived in Venice in 1295 there was a war between Genoa and Venice. Marco joined the war as Commander of a galley. His ship was defeated and he was taken a prisoner by the Genoese in 1298. In prison he became friends with Rustichello of Pisa who was in the same cell. Marco talked about his adventures and Rustichello wrote all this down. In 1299, the war ended and Marco was set free his book "The travel of Marco Polo" was published and became popular.

"The travels of Marco Polo" made him famous. Marco opened new markets for Italy and introduce the east to the west. Marco travels encouraged other European explorers for example, Christopher Columbus. Marco's detailed description of the lands, his measurements and distances had a great impact on geography and also influenced map