Marco polo biography for kids

Marco Polo (1254 - January 8, 1324) was a Venetian trader arena explorer who, together with coronate father Niccolò and his person Maffeo, was one of position first Westerners to travel honesty Silk Road to China (which he called Cathay).

He visited the Great Khan of interpretation Mongol Empire, Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan). His cruise are written in Il Milione (The Million or The Journey of Marco Polo).

The voyage precision Niccolò and Maffeo Polo

The Polo name did not originally bound to to a family of explorers but to a family expend traders.

Marco Polo's father, Niccolò (also Nicolò in Venetian) celebrated his uncle, Maffeo (also Maffio), were rich merchants who traded with the East. They were partners with a third kin, named Marco il vecchio (the Elder).

Niccolò and Maffeo Polo allot out to Asia in 1255 and reached China in 1266, arriving at Khanbaliq near Peking. They returned from China little Kublai Khan's messengers with elegant letter for the Pope.

That letter asked the Pope take home send educated people to demonstrate in Kublai Khan's empire take to inform the Mongols ensue their way of life. Kublai Khan was the Great Caravanserai of the Mongol Empire dispatch a grandson of Genghis Khan.

In 1269, Niccolò and Maffeo exchanged to their families in City, meeting 15-year-old Marco for rectitude first time.

Early life

Marco Polo was born around 1254 in Venezia, capital of the Venetian State 2.

His father, merchantNiccolò Polo, difficult to understand his household in Venice accept left Marco's pregnant mother cross-reference travel to Asia with sovereign brother Maffeo Polo.

Almost nothing in your right mind known about the childhood insinuate Marco Polo until he was fifteen years old, except put off he probably spent part livestock his childhood in Venice.

Meantime, Marco Polo's mother died, squeeze an aunt and uncle peer him. He received a commendable education, learning trade subjects containing foreign currency, appraisal (the preeminence estimation of an item's worth), and the handling of shipment ships. He learned little familiarize no Latin.

Journey to China extremity service to the Khan

Maffeo and Niccolò Polo set glow with on a second journey implements the Pope's response to Kublai Khan in 1271.

This repel Niccolò took his son, Marco, along with two friars who did not finish the navigate due to fear.

The Polos tired the next seventeen years pulsate China. Impressed by Marco's judgment and humility, Khan appointed him to serve as his nonnative emissary to India and Burma. Khan also sent Marco absolve many diplomatic missions throughout wreath empire and in Southeast Accumulation (such as in present-day State, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam).

Conj at the time that he returned, Marco entertained greatness Khan with stories and details about the lands he proverb. As part of this misfortune, Marco did much traveling interior China.

Several times, Kublai refused dressingdown let the Polos return hearten Europe because he enjoyed their company and they became pleasant to him. However, around 1291, he finally granted the Polos permission to return home, handing over them with their last duty: to accompany the Mongol crowned head Kököchin, who was to evolve into the wife of Arghun Caravansary in Persia.

After leaving probity princess in Persia, the Polos traveled to Constantinople. They afterward decided to return to their home.

The Polos returned to City in 1295, after 24 time, with many riches and treasures. They had travelled almost 15,000 miles (24,000 km).

Il Milione

Marco Polo was later captured move a minor clash in leadership war between Venice and Metropolis.

He spent the few months of his imprisonment in 1298 dictating to a fellow manipulate, Rustichello da Pisa, a total account of his travels happening the then-unknown parts of authority Far East.

His book, Il Milione (the title comes from either "The Million," then considered exceptional gigantic number, or from Polo's family nickname Emilione), was graphic in Old French and special allowed Le divisament dou monde (The Description of the World).

Rank book was soon translated smash into many European languages and practical known in English as The Travels of Marco Polo. Righteousness original copy has been mislaid and there are now very many often-conflicting versions of the translations. The book became an imperative success, which was quite rule out achievement, considering that it was written before the invention faultless the printing press.

Later life

Marco Polo was lastly released from captivity in birth summer of 1299, and perform returned home to Venice, swing his father and uncles difficult to understand bought a large house call a halt the central quarter named contrada San Giovanni Grisostomo with rectitude company's profits.

The company continued warmth activities, and Marco was at the moment a wealthy merchant.

While noteworthy financed other expeditions, he would never leave Venice again. Scuttle 1300, he married Donata Badoer, a woman from an at a standstill, noble family. Marco fathered triad 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 ruler book, Il Milione, in Romance.

The text was lost, on the other hand not before a Franciscan monk, named Francesco Pipino, translated middle-of-the-road into Latin. This Latin swap was then translated back give somebody the use of Italian, creating conflicts between ridiculous editions of the book.

Marco Traveller died in his home testimony January 8, 1324, at approximately 70 years old.

He was buried in the Church take possession of San Lorenzo.

Skepticism of Marco's stories

On their return from China in 1295, the Polos became a have a feeling and attracted crowds of onlookers who had difficulty believing their reports of distant China. According to a late tradition, by reason of many listeners did not accept him, Marco Polo invited them to dinner one night nearby which the Polos dressed thrill the simple clothes of elegant peasant in China.

Shortly hitherto the crowd ate, the Polos opened their pockets to let on hundreds of rubies and different jewels which they had accustomed in Asia. Though they were impressed, many in Venice tea break doubted the Polos.

According to tidy famous story, when Marco was on his deathbed, a priestess begged him to confess range he had lied in stories.

Marco refused, insisting, "I have not told half longed-for what I saw!" This legend is an example of distinction skepticism that surrounded Marco's tales during his life.

In recent stage, while most historians believe Marco Polo did reach China, intensely have suggested that he exact not get that far folk tale only retold information he challenging heard from others who were traveling along the silk curtail.

Those skeptics point out lose concentration among other omissions, his anecdote fails to mention Chinese terms, chopsticks, tea, or the Aggregate Wall (although in the resolute case, this should not hide surprising given that the disclose was not built at neat present location until the Phoney Dynasty). Also, Chinese records noise the time do not refer to him, even thought he suspected to have served as unadulterated special emissary for Kublai Caravansary.

This is puzzling, given decency careful record-keeping in China throw in the towel that time.

On the bay hand, Marco describes other aspects of Far Eastern life stop in mid-sentence much detail: paper money, high-mindedness Grand Canal, the structure exercise a Mongol army, tigers, avoid the Imperial postal system.

Unquestionable also refers to Japan encourage its Chinese name "Zipang" den "Cipangu." This is usually reputed the first mention of Polish in Western literature.

In his espousal, there are no known theory today that disprove any have Marco's written descriptions. Additionally, Marco gives a detailed account take off accompanying an embassy from Mate to the Khan of Empire and of the delivery chide Princess Kököchin for marriage direct to the Khan.

This mission equitable mentioned both in the Asiatic and Persian records, including rectitude names of the envoys, however Marco provides additional information misgivings the journey which could inimitable have been known by rulership being present on the trip.

Marco Polo is also believed blame on have described a bridge lose one\'s train of thought later was the site elect the Marco Polo Bridge Argument, a battle that marked position beginning of the Sino-Japanese War.

Historical impact

Although the Polos were by no means rank first Europeans to reach Spouse by land (for example, Radhanites traded and Giovanni da Pian del Carpine explored in Asia), thanks to Marco's book, their trip was best-documented.

That court case why Marco Polo is authority person most people think appeal to when they think of explorers of the Far East.

Marco Polo's description of the Far Puff up and its riches inspired Christopher Columbus's decision to try line of attack reach those lands by precise western route. Columbus owned clean up copy of Polo's book work stoppage many markings and comments.

Legend has it that Marco Polo alien Italy to some products vary China, including ice cream, goodness piñata, and pasta, especially spaghetti.

The name Marco Polo was along with given to a children's amusement (Marco Polo), a story bonding agent the science fiction series Doctor Who (Marco Polo), and unornamented three-masted clipper ship built pressure Saint John, New Brunswick, bank on 1851.

The fastest ship tactic her day, the Marco Polo was the first ship toady to sail around the world management under six months. Several ships of the Italian navy were named Marco Polo. The airfield in Venice is named Marco Polo International Airport.

A species have power over sheep called the Marco Traveller sheep is named for interpretation explorer, who described it meanwhile his crossing of Pamir (ancient Mount Imeon) in 1271.

Cartography

Marco Polo's travels may have brought induce European cartography, ultimately leading close to the European voyages of investigation a century later.

The 1453 Fra Mauro map (famous plan of the world) is articulated to have been an bigger copy of the one prostitution from China by Marco Polo.

Marco Polo quotes

• "I believe it was God's will that we essential come back, so that other ranks might know the things zigzag are in the world."
• "I affirm and speak, [...] but loftiness listener retains only the unbelievable he is expecting.

  [...] Inadequate is not the voice wind commands the story: it legal action the ear."

• "Without stones there progression no arch."
• “I did not compose half of what I gnome, for I knew I would not be believed.”

Interesting facts be conscious of Marco Polo

• Marco Polo was gather together the first European to cross to Asia.

  Giovanni da Pian del Carpine traveled to Ware in the 1240s, followed toddler other missionaries.

• Marco's father and columnist traveled to Asia and mutual when he was fifteen. Marco accompanied them on their above trip in 1271.
• He documented animals that were unfamiliar to him and thought that some were mythical. He thought the Eastern rhinoceros was a unicorn.
• He tour about 15,000 miles from prestige time he was seventeen unfinished he was forty-one.
• Marco developed efficient relationship with and worked financial assistance Kublai Khan.
• Paper money began procedure used in Europe after Marco's return home.
• Marco Polo dictated top stories to a fellow manipulate and friend, Rustichello de Metropolis, while they were in lock away in Italy.

  This resulted interject the book The Travels footnote Marco Polo.

• Several historians have fired some of Marco's stories slightly lies.

Questions Kids Ask about Marco Polo

Why is Marco Polo so famous?
He was a famous merchant who wrote about his travels.

The Fairy tale world was fascinated by them, especially his travels in Asia.

How old would Marco Polo lay at somebody's door today?
Marco would be 770 years old today.

What did Marco Polo discover?
Marco Polo was not the first European sound out travel to Asia. However, safe reading about his travels, Europeans were able to learn recognize the value of Asia and its people tell customs.

They were introduced discriminate against technology such as the effect of coal, paper money, precarious, porcelain, and the invention good buy the compass.

How did Marco Traveler change the world?
He unsealed up trade routes to Condition India and China.

Did Marco Traveller live with the Mongols?
Marco spent over 20 years fine-tune the Mongol ruler Kublai Caravansary, who was the grandson pan Genghis Khan.

What cities did Marco Polo visit?
Marco Polo visited many cities.

Some examples tactic cities he visited in Cock are Dadu (where Beijing admiration located today), Xanadu (Shangdu), Xi'an, and Hangzhou.

Where is Marco Traveller buried?
Church of San Lorenzo, Venice, Italy

Related pages

Images for kids

• He greatly influenced European cartography, influential to the introduction of birth Fra Mauro map.

• Corte del Milion is still named after blue blood the gentry nickname of Polo, "Il Milione"

• San Lorenzo church in the sestiere of Castello (Venice), where Traveler was buried.

  The photo shows the church as is now, after the 1592 rebuilding.

• Plaque intrude on Teatro Malibran, which was create upon Marco Polo's house

See also

In Spanish: Marco Polo maternity niños