Marco

Polo

1254 — 1324

Marco Polo was an Italian merchant, explorer, and writer from the Republic of Venice who traveled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in The Travels of Marco Polo, one of the most famous travel books of all time.

Polo was born in Venice in 1254. His father, Niccolò, and uncle, Maffeo, were merchants who had traveled to Asia on several occasions. In 1271, they set out again, this time with Marco, who was 17 years old. The three men traveled overland along the Silk Road, visiting many different countries, including Persia, Afghanistan, and China.

In China, Marco Polo met Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor. Kublai Khan was impressed by Polo's intelligence and knowledge, and he appointed him as an advisor and emissary. Polo spent 17 years in China, during which time he traveled extensively and learned a great deal about the country and its people. In 1292, Polo left China and returned to Venice. He was greeted as a hero, and his stories of his travels captured the imagination of the people of Europe. He is considered one of the greatest explorers of all time.