What kind of man was marco polo

As the travelers passed through the kingdom of Trebizond, in modern-day Turkey, the local government robbed them of some 4, Byzantine gold coins. Despite this significant loss, the Polos retained enough of their cargo to arrive home in as wealthy men. According to one account, the Venetians concealed most of their gems by sewing the precious stones into the linings of their coats.

Readers had some reason to be skeptical: Polo and his ghostwriter, Rustichello, were prone to exaggeration and flights of fancy. For instance, the famous traveler often fictitiously inserted himself into battle scenes and court intrigues. While most modern historians still believe the bulk of his book to be factual, others have dismissed it as an outright fabrication and claim that Polo never even made it to China. For his part, Marco never admitted to a single lie. Tribal groups had soon reclaimed land along the once-prosperous trading route known as the Silk Road , effectively cutting off a vital artery connecting East and West.

With the land route to China growing increasingly dangerous, few travelers dared set out on wide-ranging journeys for several years. In fact, Polo reportedly never left Venetian territory for the last two decades of his life. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! On the other hand, the majority of historians are prone to believe the Marco did indeed make it to China and work in the service of Kublai Kahn, especially because of the preponderance of cultural information in the book.

Plus, there are those who have used his journal to retrace his footsteps, and they declare the geography to be so accurate, they believe the trip happened. On his deathbed, Marco was encouraged to admit that The Travels of Marco Polo was a work of fiction, but to his dying breath he declared, "I did not tell half of what I saw. From Christopher Columbus to Marco Polo, take a look at these celebrated — and controversial — explorers who made groundbreaking discoveries across the globe. Learn these tidbits about 'Wheel of Fortune's' letter-turn leading lady.

From the famous kiss between Kevin and Winnie to the unconventional way the show was filmed, here are some facts about the coming-of-age drama starring Fred Savage. Learn about the formidable Hollywood legend's fascinating life and career.

The real estate heir has been behind bars since March for murdering Susan Berman - — and possibly others. Learn about the man and the legend that go well beyond his fruitful name. Learn the saint's real heritage and other information about the man we celebrate every year on March Marco Polo did not bring pasta back to Venice from China It is one of the most famous legends out there about the adventurer, but truth be told, pasta had made its way into the cuisine of Italy prior to Polo's birth.

He was influential in Christopher Columbus' decision to strike out for unknown territory Columbus is said to have been inspired by Polo's adventures and took a copy of The Travels of Marco Polo on his Westward sail two centuries after Polo's journey to China. He has a species of sheep named after him Many of us have spent a summer's afternoon in a swimming pool playing the tag game of Marco Polo, but did you know that the Venetian merchant also has a species of sheep named after him?

Polo knew four languages In addition to his native tongue, Polo wrote that he knew four languages. Marco Polo remained abroad for 24 years. Though not the first European to explore China—his father and uncle, among others, had already been there—he became famous for his travels thanks to a popular book he co-authored while languishing in a Genoese prison.

Marco Polo was born around into a prosperous merchant family in the Italian city-state of Venice. The two brothers then went to the port city of Soldaia now Sudak, Ukraine , where they owned a house.

The Byzantine re-conquest of Constantinople in , along with upheavals in the Mongol Empire, may have blocked their way home. After spending three years in Bukhara in present-day Uzbekistan, they were encouraged by a Mongolian embassy to visit Kublai Khan , grandson of Genghis Khan , who controlled a huge swath of Asia. Kublai quizzed them on European affairs and decided to send them on a goodwill mission to the pope. At the request of Kublai Khan, they secured some holy oil from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and then backtracked to Acre to pick up gifts, papal documents and two friars from newly elected Pope Gregory X.

The friars quickly abandoned the expedition, but the Polos continued on, possibly by camel, to the Persian port city of Hormuz. Over the next three years they slowly trekked through deserts, high mountain passes and other rough terrain, meeting people of various religions and cultures along the way.

Kublai, who generally relied on foreigners to administer his empire, took Marco Polo into his court, possibly as a tax collector. At one point, the Venetian was sent on official business to the port city of Hangzhou then called Quinsai , which, like Venice, was built around a series of canals. Marco Polo also purportedly journeyed across inland China and into present-day Myanmar. Yet his knowledge of the culture and its customs are hard to dismiss.

His later account told of Khan's extensive communication system, which served as the foundation for his rule. Polo's book, in fact, devotes five pages to the elaborate structure, describing how the empire's information highway efficiently and economically covered millions of square miles.

Khan's acceptance of the Polos offered the foreigners unparalleled access to his empire. Niccolo and Maffeo were granted important positions in the leader's Court. Polo, too, impressed Khan, who thought highly of the young man's abilities as a merchant. Polo's immersion into the Chinese culture resulted in him mastering four languages. Kublai Khan eventually employed Polo as a special envoy he sent to far-flung areas of Asia never before explored by Europeans, including Burma, India and Tibet.

With Polo, as always, was a stamped metal packet from Khan himself that served as his official credentials from the powerful leader. As the years wore on, Polo was promoted for his work. He served as governor of a Chinese city. Later, Khan appointed him as an official of the Privy Council. At one point, he was the tax inspector in the city of Yanzhou.

From his travels, Polo amassed not only great knowledge about the Mongol empire but incredible wonder. He marveled at the empire's use of paper money, an idea that had failed to reach Europe, and was in awe of its economy and scale of production. Polo's later stories showed him to be an early anthropologist and ethnographer. His reporting offers little about himself or his own thoughts, but instead gives the reader a dispassionate reporting about a culture he had clearly grown fond of.

Finally, after 17 years in Khan's court, the Polos decided it was time to return to Venice. Their decision was not one that pleased Khan, who'd grown to depend on the men. In the end, he acquiesced to their request with one condition: They escort a Mongol princess to Persia, where she was to marry a Persian prince. Traveling by sea, the Polos left with a caravan of several hundred passengers and sailors.

The journey proved harrowing, and many perished as a result of storms and disease.