Marco Polo Age Of Exploration

The age of exploration was a time of interest in other countries and cultures. Marco Polo was an explorer who was inspired to travel to different parts of the world in search of these distinct cultures. Marco Polo was an Italian traveler who was inspired to travel, visited China, and wrote a book entitled The Travels of Marco Polo. Marco Polo was born in Venice, Italy in 1254. He was born into a noble family and received a quality education. While Polo was young, his father, Niccolò Polo, and his uncle, Maffeo Polo traveled to China during the Yuan Dynasty and established proper relations there. Niccolò and Maffeo had been traveling for many years before Marco was born. As Marco Polo grew older, his interest in travel increased. When Polo was 17, he traveled with his father and uncle to China for the first time. The three men traveled on the Silk Road on their way to Western Asia. Along the way, Polo took notes on his observations at each place he visited. This journey was Polo’s most famous and was the first of many travels. Marco Polo’s greatest journey was when he visited the Yuan Empire and spent 25 years in Asia.

In 1298, Polo was captured and put into prison by the Genoans for a year. While in prison, Polo met a romance writer named Rustichello and told him of his travels in Asia. Rustichello later wrote down these stories and they became what is known as The Travels of Marco Polo. The Travels of Marco Polo was copied many times by hand because there were no printing presses or inventions of the sort at this time period. There is no original copy of the book known because the many authors had the freedom to rework the stories. This document inspired many individuals to travel the world including Christopher Columbus. These individuals were looking to experience the wonders and wealth of China that Polo described in his stories for