The life of Marco Polo By: Jacqueline Hernandez Marshall ¾ period HSS 7.11

The life of Marco Polo ~Born in Venice (Italy) 1254 ~Traveled From Europe to Asia in ~Remained in china for 17 years ~Trade between Europe and Asia Increased because of him

The Polo’s were great nobles originating from Dalmatia. Niccolo and Maffeo had established a trading outpost, off the coast of Dalmatia. It is not certain if Marco Polo was born there or Venice. Marco grew up in Venice which was the the center of commerce in the Mediterranean. Marco had the usual education of a young gentleman of his time…

(Continued) He had learned much of the classical author's, understood texts of the bible, and knew the basic theology of the Latin church. When his father and uncle first set out to Cathay (china) Marco was only 6 years old. When his father and uncle had returned Marco was then 15 years old and his mother had passed away. His father and uncle remained in Venice with Marco for two years and then all three of them set out to the most courageous journey the second time.

At the end of the year 1271, 17 year old Marco Polo, his uncles, and two friars set out on their journey to the east. Even after reaching a war zone (the two friars turned back) they carried on their journey. The places they went through were Armenia, Persia, and Afghanistan, over the Pamirs, all along the silk road to get to china.

Marco Polo was favored by Khan because of this Marco was appointed to a high post He was sent to a number of special missions while serving in Khan’s court such as to China, Burma, and India. He served in Khan’s court for 17 years

Marco Polo and his uncles served in Khan’s court for 17 years acquiring great wealth and jewels While coming home the Polos went on a ship to get home. It took them 2 years to get back to Venice

After 3 years of being back in Venice Marco commanded a galley in a a war against the rival city of Genoa. He was captured during the fighting and spent a year in a Genoese prison - where one of his fellow prisoners was a writer of romances named Rustichello of Pisa. While he was in captivity he dictated what his life was in China and on his travels. His book was the most popular of medieval time.

Even though Marco Polo received little recognition for his travels some of the information in his book was incorporated in some important maps of the later Middle Ages, such as the Catalan World Map of 1375.

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