3. - Wrote book Il Milione describing travels
“Marco” – “Polo”
- Born in Venice, Italy (1254)
- Wrote book Il Milione describing travels
Traveled extensively from Europe to Asia along the famous Silk Road
17 years traveling across China – as envoy of Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan
Influenced later adventurers – including Christopher Columbus

4. Marco Polo & Great Khan
Traveled inward areas of Asia never before explored by Europeans … even during The Crusades
Amassed great knowledge – including use of paper money … economies & scale of production

5. Il Milione
After returning, Marco took command of naval ship in war against Genoa … eventually captured & sentenced to prison where he met Rustichello – who he told about the Orient
Stories were soon committed to paper and published as … The Description of the World: The Travels of Marco Polo

6. Introduced Europe to the Orient
Asian Empires were largely a mystery to those living in Europe during Middle Ages
Sophisticated culture – including advanced medicine, engineering & economies
Provided western world with ideas of Asia's geography and mathematics