by Siri and Alex, January 13, 1408
When you think of Marco Polo, you probably think about that game you play with your friend in the lake. Well, did you know that Marco Polo was an actual human being, living in the 1200’s and 1300’s? You can continue reading to find out.
This was Marco Polo's ship, when sailing from Italy to Asia.
Marco Alvis Polo was born in Venice, (present day Italy), in 1254. His mother died when he was 15, so he was stuck with his father and uncle. When Marco was 17, he, his father, and his uncle set off for Asia. When the threesome got to the Yuan dynasty, the emperor, Kublai Khan, ordered them to travel around Asia and bring diamonds and other valuable artifacts back to him. While traveling through Asia, they had to go on camel back across Turkey and Iran, but once they were attacked by bandits they decided traveling by sea would be safer. Once they got back to the Yuan dynasty, they had nothing but holy oil. However, the Khan still gave them a warm welcome, even throwing a party.
After Marco Polo, his dad, and his uncle returned to Yuan dynasty, Marco Polo became a spy for Khan. He traveled around different parts of Asia and sometimes brought back goods for Khan. When Mr. Polo was traveling around, he wrote about his travels in his journal. As a result of all his travels, he became the most famous traveler in his time. Luckily, he didn’t die in the middle of his explorations.
Marco was put in Genoa jail when he was captured by the Genoese in the naval battle of Curzola. While he was in jail, he had a cellmate who was an author named Rustichello. He thought Marco’s stories about his travels were interesting and offered to turn the tales into a book. The two men began writing. Marco Polo’s book was printed in about every language in Europe! Marco Polo’s book helped many other European explorers find their way around Asia. It also made Asia very popular. Nothing was named after Marco Polo except for the water game. After Marco died, most people found out about him because of his book. Most people thought of Marco as trustworthy, obedient, courageous, and honest. Kublai Khan probably also thought this, considering Marco worked for him. Polo’s book inspired many European explorers and helped them find their way around Europe. He died due to illness in 1323 when he was 69 years old.
Exploration Map
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