Marco Polo’s book, The Travels of Marco Polo, is one of the most influential books ever written. It details his journey through parts of Asia previously uncharted by the West and served as the primary basis for Europe’s knowledge of Asian geography, culture, and resources until the 19th century. However, the book’s influence spans far beyond its inception. It inspired the journeys of many prominent explorations such as those of Christopher Columbus and the European Age of Exploration. Marco Polo was born in Venice in the late 13th century and lived during a pivotal period in history. The Dark Ages were coming to a close and international trade was becoming more stable under the Mongols. Additionally, thanks to his merchant father’s frequent …show more content…
Marco Polo, because of his exploration and reports, created a lasting impact on global trade, and inter collaboration between the East and West, making him a turning point in history. Marco Polo’s exploration and recording of the Silk Road and Indian Ocean Maritime System inspired a new age of Western involvement with the East. Marco’s exploration in the East resulted in expensive ports such as the port of Alexandria. Most Asian goods traveled through this Egyptian port which was expensive, heavily taxed, and predominantly used by Muslim merchants. This was troublesome as Muslim merchants were often reluctant to trade with Christians as a result of the Crusades. The route Marco took was an attempt around these expensive Mediterranean ports and was one of many routes that would become known as the Silk Road. This discovery turned out to be quite the turning point, as his journey dawned a greater direct European participation in Eastern trade and an increased cosmopolitanism with the …show more content…
This, Marco would soon learn, was false when he became an emissary in the court of Kublai Khan and would help to correct it. As far-fetched as it may seem to have a young Marco be an emissary in a foreign court, this was a rather common occurrence as the Khan often had foreigners rule over conquered land in an attempt to appease its people. This combined with Marco’s eagerness and knowledge of 4 languages made him a very suitable candidate for the position. This position also aided in his book's influence as he was sent on many expeditions under Kublai with orders to report on the customs, cultures, and trade of the area. This allowed for his book to contain notes of the riches that unheard of lands contained and as a result inspired subsequent journeys and trade. His reporting on the Khan and his many riches and advancements changed the European perspective on him. Marco Polo’s record of foreign riches in his book increased European trade with Asia. As a result of the condescending European view on foreign and non-Christian ideas, before Marco Polo the West would often turn a blind eye to the riches of the
1) Explain the debate regarding the accuracy of Marco Polo's account. What are the problems with Marco Polo's account? How was it been redeemed as an accurate historical account? Marco Polo was known as “the Fabricator”. His friends and family believed him to be a compulsive liar. However, he did tell the truth at some points. For example, he claimed to see a unicorn (though not as elegant as he expected). In reality, it was a rhinoceros, and this adds to the assumption that he is a “Fabricator”
have the chance to explore the world, and only some have the chance to leave a tremendous impact and change the world.Explorers Marco Polo and Zheng He came from two different worlds with differences for the motivation for their explorations, but both created successful works of writings about their travels. Also, they had different forms of transportation;however they both became close with the king or emperor. Also, they both opened China up to the rest of the world, but there is a difference in
By following this definition, it is obvious that Marco Polo had a successful journey. Not only was he able to document his journey to China, but he was also able to spread his experience throughout Europe, thereby immortalizing his name. Marco Polo took the long journey to China with his father and his uncle which changed his life forever. From becoming an ambassador of the Chinese Empire to telling his story while a prisoner of war, Marco Polo’s journey was incredible. Though this seems undisputable
China after the Dark Ages from Europe and write about it was Marco Polo. Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant and trader who was one of the first Europeans to travel into the east and write about his accounts. His book, The Travels of Marco Polo, introduced the west to new places, cultures, animals and more. Many question the accuracy of his accounts since it was written, but many of the facts have been proved.
Marco Polo Research Paper Marco Polo is inarguably one of the most famous Venice travelers and merchants in the 13th century in Europe. Driven by his curiosity, Marco Polo headed to the east to find the truth about the east for the Europeans. He wrote the famous book, a relatively comprehensive introduction of his trip to Asia, The Travels of Marco Polo despite some argument still struggles about whether Marco Polo had been to China because of some small details and over-exaggerated stories. In
travelling was not that easy. Yet, two men, the Italian tradesman Marco Polo and the Moroccan Jurist Ibn Battuta became famous for having managed to perform extremely long distance journeys away from their home country. At the end of their long travels, both men shared their experiences with the world via the books, The Travels of Marco Polo and The Travels of Ibn Battuta. An analysis of those two texts reveals two things. On one hand, Marco Polo remained a cultural outsider to the people he met during his
Moral influence stimulates one's thoughts and direction within their interest. This changes within generations, for the reason that society is continuously evolving. The chronicles of two best sellers - The Travels of Marco Polo by Marco Polo and The Strange Stones: Dispatches from the East to West by Peter Hessler - gives a great example on how foreigners enter the Eastern world with mentality/behaviourism. From a merchant's perspective, to a journalist who immerses himself into the society, both
the great unknown, only to come out basked in glory as some of the great heroes of their day. Among the grandest are Marco Polo, who provided little known information about the Far East to Europeans, and Hernan Cortes, the great Spanish conquistador who is given credit for the defeat of the Mexica Empire. These two famous explorers are also ideal case studies to analyze the influence of expectations, interests, and of reality on the accounts of the places and people that these men encountered during
One of the world’s greatest explorers was Marco Polo. Known for his travels to China, the book he wrote about his expeditions, The Travels of Marco Polo, and his sharing of Asian spices, marked him as a great influence in the 13th century and beyond. Italy was not tranquil in the 13th century. Famine spread across Europe because of poor harvests. Crops failed because of seasonal floods. In the winter of 1315-1316, the peasants ate the seeds before they could sell them because they were so hungry
inner aspirations to venture; Marco Polo. Written in the Thirteenth century, it was published by Giulio Einaudi, in 1972 then translated into English by William Weaver in 1974. Calvino was inspired by the travel diary, ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ that documented all of the voyagers’ discoveries that followed his journey throughout Asia within Yuan Dynasty China. The book revolves around Marco Polo and that era’s Emperor of China, Kublai Khan who actively seeks Polo out, to present to him the foundations
pope to the emperor of the Tatars. This shows that by converting a powerful leader to your faith, such as an emperor, it is easier for others to follow said faith. Documents 2 and 4 also emphasize how travel can be accountable for the exchange of ideas between cultures. Both Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo traveled extensive distances, stopping in various cities. Throughout their journeys, they carried their ideas with them, but were also introduced to the ideas of the people in the places they were visiting
always traveled, moving from place to place, taking with them goods, which they found they could exchange with others as they traversed. They learned to exchange goods, but they also exchanged skills and ideas (SILK ROAD Dialogue). But how could these exchanges influence literature? According to Dictionary.com, literature refers to “writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history,
facilitated by the introduction of paper. Modernization is the process by which something is changed to meet modern practices or tendencies, civilizations in this case. Although many rulers did not adopt the use of paper right away, once they did, they found it particularly useful. Many Christian Europeans did not initially accept paper because it was introduced to them by Muslims. As a matter of fact, in 1221, Holy Roman Emperor
information about the religious effects of the Mongolian conquests in Russia. At the same time, this book had a Russian bias because they felt the Mongols had done more harm than good, but they did agree that the Mongols effectively helped the Russian Orthodox Church. Jones, Archer. The Art of War in the Western World. Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 2001. A great military history of the Mongols was given in this book, especially during their campaigns in Poland. Also, this book provided information
rather than the discovery of the ‘New World’. Since most of his ventures landed him and his followers to lands that were inhabited by people, who were favorable to trade, where culture, politics, and religion had been established, his discoveries were really a way of supporting his model for self-good. I will analyze the paper by Beatriz Bodmer “Christopher Columbus and the Definition of America as Booty”, to argue that despite Columbus’s quest for discovery, he did so with preconceived ideas that