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Table of Contents
Between 1275 to 1292 CE, the Venetian adventurer and trader Marco Polo traveled to China on behalf of Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor. “The Travels”, which Polo wrote himself, describes the people, settings, and traditions of the East, including the opulent Khan court, and recounts Polo’s exploits. This created a sensation and was a major contributor to the idea that China was a beautiful country of luxury and exotica that was almost too fantastic to be believed in the imaginations of Europeans. Marco Polo continues to be regarded as one of history’s greatest explorers, even if there are questions about where he went and what he saw firsthand. His writings offer priceless insights into Mongol power and Asia in general in the late 13th century CE.
See the fact file below for more information on Marco Polo, or you can download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Facts & Information
Early Years
- People in Venice, Italy, thought in the 13th century that the Sun rotated around the Earth and that creation occurred precisely 4,484 years before Rome was created. As Christians believed Jerusalem, the site of Jesus‘ crucifixion, to be the world’s so-called navel, and their maps reflected this.
- In 1254, Marco Polo was likely born in Croatia or Venice. During this period of expanding trade, Venice, which is located on Italy’s eastern shore, served as a gateway to the riches of Asia. The city was filled with goods flowing like water. At its port, vessels from all over the eastern Mediterranean anchored. To transport commodities from Russia and from traders who traveled the Silk Roads, a network of trade routes to and from China that traversed the mountains and deserts of Central Asia, merchants and dealers set ships from Venice for Constantinople and the Black Sea.
- Although nothing is known about Marco’s early years, he probably spent most of those years in Venice. When Marco Polo was a little child, his mother passed away, so his aunt and uncle raised him. As business partners, Niccolo Polo’s father and Maffeo, Polo’s uncle, conducted trade with various nations, particularly those in the Near East. The two men experienced extensive travel, amassed an enormous fortune, and attained tremendous status. Although none of them were there when Marco Polo was a toddler, they did teach him about the mercantile trade once they returned to Venice in 1269. Marco heard from Niccolo and Maffeo about all the ships, journeys, and chances for adventure.
- The three men set off on a historic and groundbreaking journey to Asia in 1269 when Marco was just 15 years old. They traveled to numerous Asian nations and were astounded by their size and richness. Nearly 24 years and over 15,000 miles were traveled along the journey. The lads learned a lot and gained a lot of experience on tour. Marco picked up at least four new languages during the journey, which was incredibly helpful while the men were doing business in other countries.
- They were supposed to be touring Black Sea towns, but their exploits had carried them to China’s Mongol capital, Khanbaliq. They were given an audience with Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, the most powerful monarch of the day. When the three Polo men returned to Venice after a 16-year absence, Niccolo discovered that his wife had died and he had a 15-year-old son, Marco, whom he had never met.
Marco Polo’s Travel
- Marco Polo was a Venetian trader who traveled across Asia during the Mongol Empire’s peak. At 17, he left with his father and uncle, going overland over what became known as the Silk Road.
- Niccolo Polo and his brother, Maffeo, went off again two years later, in 1271, bringing the 17-year-old Marco with them. This time, they went straight to Kublai Khan’s palace, bringing him papal papers and holy oil from Jerusalem, as he had asked. Even with a gold passport from Kublai Khan, which allowed them to utilize lodges and horses provided by the Mongols along the Silk Road routes, the passengers arrived three and a half years later. When Niccolo arrived at Kublai Khan’s summer residence in 1275, he brought his son and offered him in service to the emperor.
- Marco, a gifted young man, was fluent in four written alphabets and had acquired several languages along the road, including Mongolian but not Chinese. Two years before Marco’s arrival, Kublai Khan had finished conquering all of China and required non-Mongol administrators in regions that resisted being governed by the Mongols. From his stronghold in Dadu, which Kublai Khan constructed near Khanbaliq, Marco performed various diplomatic and administrative tasks for the emperor. Dadu and Khanbaliq were both positioned at the current Beijing.
- The Polos arrived in Beijing and visited Kublai Khan in Xanadu, the summer palace, a splendid marble and gold construction that delighted young Marco. Khan was glad to get the Polos, and he encouraged them to remain and invited Niccolo and Maffeo to join his court. Marco immersed himself in Chinese culture, learning the language and observing traditions. Khan was pleased and named Marco as a special envoy.
- Due to his position, Marco was able to visit parts of Asia that had never before been seen by Europeans, including Tibet, Burma, and India. Marco received promotions throughout the years, becoming the governor of a significant Chinese city, the tax inspector in Yaznhou, and a representative on the Khan’s Privy Council.
- A “paiza”—a gold tablet that gave Marco and his family permission to use a massive network of imperial horses and lodgings—was given to them by Khan. This amounted to an official passport that made the Polos the emperor’s favored guests and permitted them to travel freely across Asia.
Return to Venice
- The Polo family had been in China for more than 16 years when they requested permission to return to Venice from Kublai Khan. The khan did not want them to depart because they had been so helpful to him. They eventually got his approval to accompany Cogatin, a princess of Mongolia, back to Iran to marry a Persian khan, and they set out for the west.
- After a 24-year absence, the Polo family returned to Venice in 1295. When they returned, they were reportedly dressed in Mongolian garb and scarcely remembered their home tongue, according to their ardent biographer, who may have been speculating. Their family members believed they were long deceased. However, when they revealed a small number of gems—rubies, sapphires, garnets, diamonds, and emeralds—that had been sewed into the hems of their Mongolian clothing, they were greeted with open arms.
- They discovered that Genoa and Venice were at war, and they were unable to go back to their former lives. It’s possible that Marco Polo got into a battle with the Geneons, which led to his detention and imprisonment.
- In jail, Marco Polo entertained himself by regaling his cellmate with tales of his journeys around Asia. The inmate recorded the tales and added his own tales as well. One of the first descriptions of Asia, “The Travels of Marco Polo,” described the enormous size and riches of China and other Asian nations. It spread in written form across Europe.
- Although there is some question over how much of the book was fiction and how much was true, the book that chronicled Marco Polo’s journeys inspired many other travelers, including Christopher Columbus, leading to countless notable discoveries. Marco Polo also impacted European cartography, helping to fill in gaps in previous maps.
Death & Legacy
- Marco Polo was able to go back home in 1299 because of a Genoese-Venetian peace deal. He most likely never again ventured outside of Venice. He wed Donata Badoer the following year, and the two would go on to produce three children. Little is known about his latter years other than the fact that he continued dealing and engaged in legal disputes with a cousin after serving as an inspiration to explorers of a subsequent age.
- Marco Polo passed away in January 1324. Asian sources never mentioned him; whatever we know about him comes from his own writing and a few Venetian papers.
- A tiny minority of doubters have questioned whether Marco Polo made it to China due to the absence of concrete proof. They cite mistakes in “The Travels,” as well as his inability to include customs like chopstick use and foot binding, as evidence to support their argument. However, most academics are persuaded by Marco Polo’s account’s level of detail, which, in their opinion, mostly corroborates with existing archaeological, historical, and geographic data.
- Although the Polos were not the first Europeans to go to China by land, their journey was the first to be publicly publicized and chronicled, thanks to Marco’s book. Christopher Columbus was motivated by Marco Polo’s portrayal of the Far East and its wealth to attempt to reach those regions by a western path. Among Columbus’ possessions was an extensively annotated copy of Polo’s book.
- Marco Polo is renowned for traveling by land from Venice to China in the last quarter of the thirteenth century, spending time in Kublai Khan’s Mongol court before returning home, and chronicling his adventures in a book.
- Marco Polo’s travelogue is credited with introducing China and Central Asia to Europeans. Although he was not the first European to visit China, he was the first to document his impressions and it was his writings that served as the foundation for early European understanding of the nation.
- According to legend, Marco Polo brought items from China to Italy, including ice cream, the piata, and pasta, particularly spaghetti. These myths, however, are unfounded in reality; decorations discovered on an Etruscan tomb date pasta consumption on the Italian peninsula to 400 B.C.E.
- A three-masted clipper ship constructed in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 1851 was given the name Marco Polo. It was the first ship to complete a circumnavigation in less than six months and was the fastest ship of its day.
- The airport in Venice is named in honor of Marco Polo, who had several ships in the Italian navy bear his name. Both Gary Jennings’ 1984 book, The Journeyer and Messer Marco Polo by Irish author Donn Byrne give the journeys of Marco Polo a thorough fantasy treatment. Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino features him as a key figure as well.
- An American drama series called “Marco Polo” is available to stream on Netflix. It is based on Marco Polo’s formative years at the court of Kublai Khan, the Khagan of the Mongol Empire and the forefather of the Yuan dynasty. On December 12, 2014, Netflix introduced the program. The Weinstein Company produced the John Fusco-written television series, which features Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan and Lorenzo Richelmy in the title role. Marco Polo received a 10-episode second season renewal from Netflix on January 7, 2015, and debuted on July 1, 2016. Netflix formally discontinued Marco Polo after two seasons on December 12th, 2016. According to sources, the two seasons cost Netflix $200 million in lost revenue, and Netflix and The Weinstein Company decided to terminate the show together.
- Historians from Mongolia claim that the storyline frequently distorts the truth. According to Batsukh Otgonsereenen, who spent ten years studying his book The History of Kublai Khan, just 20% of the movie was based on real events.
Marco Polo Worksheets
This bundle includes 11 ready-to-use Marco Polo worksheets that are perfect for students to learn about Marco Polo, who was a Venetian adventurer and merchant who traveled West and Central Asia from 1271 to 1295.
This download includes the following worksheets:
- Marco Polo Facts
- Marco Il Milione
- Travels of Marco Polo
- Marco Polo’s Log
- Flags and Countries
- Polo’s Travelogue
- KKK: Know Kublai Khan
- In or Out
- Pin Marco Polo!
- Adventurer’s Nook
- Real or Not Real?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Marco Polo best known for?
Marco Polo is renowned for traveling by land from Venice to China in the last quarter of the thirteenth century, spending time in Kublai Khan’s Mongol court before returning home, and chronicling his adventures in a book.
Why was Marco Polo important?
Marco Polo’s travelogue is credited with introducing China and Central Asia to Europeans. Although he was not the first European to visit China, but he was the first to document his impressions and it was his writings that served as the foundation for early European understanding of the nation.
What is the true story of Marco Polo?
Marco Polo was a Venetian trader who traveled across Asia during the Mongol Empire’s peak. At 17, he left with his father and uncle, going overland over what became known as the Silk Road.
How true is Marco Polo on Netflix?
Historians from Mongolia claim that the storyline frequently distorts the truth. According to Batsukh Otgonsereenen, who spent ten years studying his book The History of Kublai Khan, just 20% of the movie was based on real events.
Why was Marco Polo Cancelled?
Netflix formally discontinued Marco Polo after two seasons on December 12th, 2016. According to sources, the two seasons cost Netflix $200 million in lost revenue, and Netflix and The Weinstein Company decided to terminate the show together.
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Link will appear as Marco Polo Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 18, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.