9. 1227- Death of Genghis Khan 1251-Kublai Khan becomes Governor of China 1254-Marco Polo is born 1260-first defeat of the Mongols by the Mamluks; brothers Nicolo and Maffeo Polo set sail from Constantinople for the Crimean port of Sudak in search of new markets for their wares 1268- Death of Pope Clement IV (delays the Polo brothers in fulfilling their request from the Khan of delivering a letter to the pope.) 1269-The Polo brothers return to find Nicolo’s wife has died and his son, Marco 1271- New Pope is crowned and thus begins Marco Polo’s journey with his father and uncle back to see the Khan 1275-Marco Polo arrives in Peking 1292- The Polo's settle in Kaikhatu in the Levant for seven months 1294- The Death of Kublai Khan: effectively the end of the Mongol empire despite several later attempted invasions by independent khanates. Marco Polo returns to Venice in 1295.) 1298- Marco Polo is imprisoned at Genoa following the battle of Kurzola: there, he meets a writer, Rustichello of Pisa, and together they begin a book of Marco's travels 1299- Marco Polo is released as a prisoner of war in Genoa: at about this time, Marco marries a Venetian, Donata: they have three daughters, Bellela, Fantina and Moreta: the death of Nicolo Polo 1324-Death of Marco Polo from illness at the age of 70

10. "Marco Polo and His Travels". Silkroad Foundation. December 23, 2009. http://www.silk- road.com/artl/marcopolo.shtmlhttp://www.silk- road.com/artl/marcopolo.shtml "Marco Polo ". Wikipedia. December 20, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo Adair, Jones. "In Search of...the Road in Literature". wordpress.com. December 23, 2009. "Age of Discovery". Wikipedia. December 30.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Discovery Crouch, Michael. "The Travels of Marco Polo". December 30.http://website.lineone.net/~mcrouch/marcopolo/marcopolo.htm FOR AN EXTENSIVE INDEPTH LOOK AT MARCO POLO’S LIFE VISIT : http://website.lineone.net/~mcrouch/marcopolo/marcopolo.htm