Marco Polo

Marco polo

Marco polo was born on September 15th, 1524, in Venice Italy. He was an Italian trader and explorer along with his father niccolo, and his uncle maffeo. He was the one of first Europeans to travel to china and Asia. Maffeo and NiccolÐ"І Polo set out on a second journey in 1271. This time NiccolÐ"І took his son Marco. When Marco Polo arrived at Kublai Khan's court he became a favorite of the Khan and was stayed there for 17 years. In 1293 or 1294 the Polos reached Iran, ruled by Gaykhatu after the death of Arghun, then moved to Trabzon and from that city sailed to Venice.

On their return from China in 1295, the family settled in Venice where they became a sensation and attracted crowds of listeners. According to a late tradition, since they did not believe him, Marco Polo invited them all to dinner one night during which the Polos dressed in the simple clothes of a peasant in China. Shortly before the crowds ate, the Polos opened their pockets to reveal hundreds of rubies and other jewels which they had received in Asia. Though they were much impressed, the people of Venice still doubted the Polos.

Marco Polo was later captured and taken to jail in a minor clash of the war between Venice and Genoa, he stayed in jail for one year, from 1298 to 1299.when Marco had been released from jail his family's company had bought a big house. The company continued its activities, and Marco was now a wealthy merchant. While he personally financed other expeditions, he would never leave Venice again. In 1300, he married Donata Badoer, a woman from an old, respected patrician family. Marco would have three children with her: Fantina, Bellela and Moreta. All of them later married into noble families.

Between 1310 and 1320, he wrote a new version of his book, Il Milione, in Italian. The text was lost, but not before a Franciscan friar, named Francesco Pipino, translated it into Latin. This Latin version was then translated back into the Italian, creating conflicts between different editions of the book.

Marco Polo died in his home on January 1324, at almost 70 years old.

He was buried in the Church of San Lorenzo. Marco Polo's description of the Far East and its riches inspired Christopher Columbus's decision to try to reach those lands by a western route. A heavily annotated copy of Polo's book was