Sharon Kinoshita, a distinguished professor and author of "Marco Polo and His World," dives deep into the legendary travels of Marco Polo, the 13th-century Venetian merchant. The conversation highlights Polo's time at Kublai Khan's court and his transformative journeys along the Silk Road. Kinoshita uncovers the vibrant cultures and wealth of cities Polo encountered, contrasts his firsthand experiences with misconceptions during his time, and examines the lasting legacy of his adventures in promoting cross-cultural exchanges in the medieval world.
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insights INSIGHT
Limited Historical Records on Marco Polo
We know very little about Marco Polo's personal life and writings outside his famous travel account.
This gap has allowed novelists and filmmakers to create romanticized versions of his travels.
insights INSIGHT
Marco Polo’s Book as Geographic Account
Marco Polo's book is mostly a detailed description of kingdoms, cities, and commodities, not an adventure narrative.
It follows the tradition of Arab-Islamic geography texts rather than Western European travelogues.
insights INSIGHT
Mongol Empire Enabled Polo’s Travels
The vast Mongol Empire facilitated Marco Polo's travels due to its size and administrative order.
The Mongols' conquests unified a massive territory that connected East Asia to Europe.
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Frances Woods Buch "Did Marco Polo go to China?" untersucht kritisch die Authentizität von Marco Polos Reisebericht. Wood argumentiert, dass Polo viele Aspekte Chinas nicht erwähnt, die ihm aufgefallen wären, wenn er tatsächlich dort gewesen wäre. Sie präsentiert Beweise, die darauf hindeuten, dass Polos Wissen aus zweiter Hand stammt. Das Buch löste eine breite Debatte unter Historikern aus und bleibt ein wichtiger Beitrag zur Diskussion um Marco Polos Reisen. Woods Arbeit regt zum kritischen Hinterfragen historischer Quellen an und betont die Bedeutung von Kontextualisierung und Quellenkritik. Die Kontroverse um Woods Buch verdeutlicht die Herausforderungen bei der Interpretation historischer Berichte.
The travels of Marco Polo
Marco Polo
The book, also known as *Il Milione* or *Book of the Marvels of the World*, describes Marco Polo's travels from Venice to China and his time serving Kublai Khan. It provides a comprehensive look into the culture, politics, and geography of the Eastern world during the 13th century. The narrative includes descriptions of various regions such as China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia, and offers insights into the Mongol Empire and its operations. The book was written by Rustichello da Pisa based on Marco Polo's accounts while they were imprisoned together in Genoa.
You may be familiar with the name of Marco Polo – the 13th-century Venetian merchant who travelled along the Silk Road, journeyed through Asia and spent time at the court of Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Famously, he documented his experiences in a detailed account that has inspired many travellers since. Emily Briffett and Sharon Kinoshita follow in Polo's footsteps, exploring the medieval world through his eyes.
(Ad) Sharon Kinoshita is the author of Marco Polo and His World (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmarco-polo-and-his-world%2Fsharon-kinoshita%2F%2F9781789149371.
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