You're Dead to Me Marco Polo (Radio Edit)
Marco Polo's Venetian Origins
- Marco Polo was born in 1254 into a merchant family in Venice. - Venice was a major maritime republic, thriving on trade and seafaring commerce in the 13th century.
How Marco Polo's 24-Year Journey Changed His World and Ours
Marco Polo, born into a Venetian merchant family in 1254, embarked on a 24-year journey to the Mongol Empire with his father and uncle starting in 1271.
He lived through a critical era as Kublai Khan united northern and southern China. Polo’s famous book, "Description of the World," was written while imprisoned in Genoa and is notable not just as a travelogue but as an insightful account of Asian customs, trade routes, and innovations such as the Mongol imperial postal system and paper money.
Much of his observations, like his description of the rhinoceros (not a unicorn), challenged European misconceptions of the era. His work was a bestseller and profoundly influenced European knowledge of Asia and world geography, bridging cultures through detailed descriptions of places, peoples, and exotic goods including diamonds, musk, and ambergris.
Mongol Empire Context
- The Polos first traveled to the Mongol court before Marco Polo joined them. - They journeyed through the Mongol Empire, not specifically to "China" as we now call it.
