Marco PoloMarco Polo

by Luke N. by Luke N. BrownBrown

A man in the right place at the right time

A man in the right place at the right time

The setting: VeniceThe setting: Venice•largest trading port of Europe.•largest trading port of Europe.

•Center of European trade •Center of European trade •markets had international goods•markets had international goods

The Silk The Silk Road Road •trade routes that connected china and Europe

•trade routes that connected china and Europe•trade system functioned as a chain•trade system functioned as a chain

ChinaChina•divided between Jin dynasty, Song dynasty, and nomadic peoples •divided between Jin dynasty, Song dynasty, and nomadic peoples •Genghis Khan came to power by uniting nomad tribes •Genghis Khan came to power by uniting nomad tribes

•empire covered all of china and most of asia; largest contiguous empire

•empire covered all of china and most of asia; largest contiguous empire

Polo brothersPolo brothers

1253 left Venice extened trading

1253 left Venice extened trading

•Maffeo, uncle•Maffeo, uncle

Nicolo, Marco’s father

Nicolo, Marco’s father

one year in Barka khan (Iraq)

one year in Barka khan (Iraq)

three years in Bukahra (Uzbekistan)

three years in Bukahra (Uzbekistan)

traveled for one year to reach Cambulac (Beijing)

traveled for one year to reach Cambulac (Beijing)

six year spent Constantinople

six year spent Constantinople

met Mongol emperor Kublai Khan

met Mongol emperor Kublai Khan

•sent off with a letter to the pope •sent off with a letter to the pope

spent two years in Cambulac

spent two years in Cambulac

Polo brothers in Polo brothers in ChinaChina

talk with Kublai about christianity, european rulers, and conduct in warfare

talk with Kublai about christianity, european rulers, and conduct in warfare

“as many as a hundred wise men of learning in the Christian religion and doctrine, and who should know also the seven arts and be fitted to teach his people and who know well how to argue.”

- Kublai Khan in letter to pope

“as many as a hundred wise men of learning in the Christian religion and doctrine, and who should know also the seven arts and be fitted to teach his people and who know well how to argue.”

- Kublai Khan in letter to pope

•also received a golden paiza •also received a golden paiza

took three years to return to Venice from China; arrived in 1269

took three years to return to Venice from China; arrived in 1269Niccolo had a son who was 15Niccolo had a son who was 15

Pope Clement IV was deadPope Clement IV was dead

Some Surprises in Some Surprises in VeniceVeniceSome Surprises in Some Surprises in VeniceVenice

Marco’s journey beginsMarco’s journey begins

went to Jerusalem to get the oil from the church of the Holy Sepulcher

went to Jerusalem to get the oil from the church of the Holy Sepulcher

the polo brothers Niccolo and Maffeo polo set out in 1271 this time with Marco

the polo brothers Niccolo and Maffeo polo set out in 1271 this time with Marco

In Acre the new pope Gregory X gave the Polo 2 priests to take with them

In Acre the new pope Gregory X gave the Polo 2 priests to take with them

Onto Hormuz:Onto Hormuz:The Plan• that the Polos would cross Persia then sail to china from the port city of Hormuz

The Plan• that the Polos would cross Persia then sail to china from the port city of Hormuz

What went wrong

• the Priests turned back due to the difficultly of traveling

•The ships in Hormuz were described by Marco as “wretched affairs”

•Polos viewed the ships as unseaworthy vessels and choose to travel via the overland routes

What went wrong

• the Priests turned back due to the difficultly of traveling

•The ships in Hormuz were described by Marco as “wretched affairs”

•Polos viewed the ships as unseaworthy vessels and choose to travel via the overland routes Marco’s experience

• Familiar territory to many traders, but new to young and inexperienced Marco

Sees new products and new centers of trade “Merchants come thither from India, with ships loaded with spice and precious stones, pearls, cloths of silk and gold, elephants’ teeth, and may other wares … In fact ‘tis a city of immense trade.”•Marco Became exposed to other religions and races

Marco’s experience

• Familiar territory to many traders, but new to young and inexperienced Marco

Sees new products and new centers of trade “Merchants come thither from India, with ships loaded with spice and precious stones, pearls, cloths of silk and gold, elephants’ teeth, and may other wares … In fact ‘tis a city of immense trade.”•Marco Became exposed to other religions and races

The Treacherous The Treacherous JourneyJourneyThe Treacherous The Treacherous JourneyJourneyPamir Mountains - called roof of the world“you still have forty days to travel in the same direction, over

mountains and throught valleys, in perpetural succession.” -Marco Polo250 miles Every provision for man and animal must be carried with youTook the Polos nearly two monthsNo bird sat that extreme heightFire does not give the same heat in this cold

Pamir Mountains - called roof of the world“you still have forty days to travel in the same direction, over

mountains and throught valleys, in perpetural succession.” -Marco Polo250 miles Every provision for man and animal must be carried with youTook the Polos nearly two monthsNo bird sat that extreme heightFire does not give the same heat in this cold

Taklimakan desert - called “The sea of Death” Almost the size of GermanyTook 1monthFierce windstormsSinging sands

Taklimakan desert - called “The sea of Death” Almost the size of GermanyTook 1monthFierce windstormsSinging sands

Arriving in China Arriving in China Arriving in China Arriving in China

Escorted to Kublai Khan’s summer home in Shangdu / XanaduThe palace and court were luxurious

took over 3 yearsTraveled about 8,000 milesSpring 1275While still a distance away, Kublai Khan sent escorts to meet the Polo trio

Kublai Kublai KhanKhan

“the most powerful ruler, in subjects and in land and in treasure, that the world has ever known”

-Marco Polo

“the most powerful ruler, in subjects and in land and in treasure, that the world has ever known”

-Marco Polo

“Upon their arrival they were honourably and graciously received by the grand khan, in a full assembly of his principal officers.”

-Marco Polo

“Upon their arrival they were honourably and graciously received by the grand khan, in a full assembly of his principal officers.”

-Marco Polo

“This is your servant, and my son.”

-Nicclo Polo

“This is your servant, and my son.”

-Nicclo Polo

happy to see the Polos and there was much celebrating

Marco is introduced to kublai as

Working under the Working under the KhanKhan

Marco went into service for Kublai Khan traveling and overseeing population counts and tax collecting

Was very curious and good observerremembered information that Kublai was curious aboutWas held in great esteem by Kublai was provisional governor of Yang-cheu-fu / Yan-Gui/Yangzhou for 3 years

The Heavenly The Heavenly City City The Heavenly The Heavenly City City Kin-sai / Hang-cheu / now Hangzhou “… the noble and magnificent city of Kin-sai, a name that signifies “the celestial city” and which it merits from its preeminence to all others in the world, in point of grandeur and beauty, as well as from its abundant delights, which might lead an inhabitant to imagine himself in paradise.”

-Marco PoloMuch bigger city than Venice, 10 times bigger

Population of over 1 millionVery detailed information

about buildings, streets, bridges,lakes, celebrations, government etc

Marco visited there many times

Descriptions are a highlight of Marco’s book

Amazing SightsAmazing SightsMail system –

Ordinary messages carried by foot runners three miles apart

Could deliver a message in a day and a night compared to usual several days journey

Coal – burns like logs and even longer

Bathing – with cold water 3 times a week

Kublai Khan’s tolerance of different religions

Important messages carried by horse with new riders spaced about 25 miles apart

Could deliver a message over 250 miles in just one day

Khan was able to oversee entire large empire

Incredible Money

used paper money throughout the empireKublai had exchanged coin money for paperMuch lighter and easier to carry seemed to defy common sense“you might say he hath the secret of alchemy

in perfection, and you would be right !” “And the Khan causes every year to be made such a vast amount of this mone, which costs him nothing, that it must equal in amount all the treasure in the world.”

-Marco Polo

Tall TalesTall Tales

Vokhan (Afghanistan) - sheep with unusual size and long curling horns

used for carrying food and constructing fences

actually are Ovis ammon sheep that do have the longest horns of any sheep in the world

in Yunnan Province - giant “snakes and serpants” that crawled on short legs

actually crocodiles

Kublai Khan didn’t want to let the Polo’s goProvide safe passage for a princessChoose to Hormuz in 14 boats provided by KublaiGot stuck in SumatraMany people died only 18 survived out of 600

3 Years to get back

weren’t recognized

Return to VeniceReturn to Venice

Captured & ImprisonedCaptured & Imprisoned

Venice fighting Genoa

Marco commanded a galley

Captured by Genoese and sent to prison

fellow-prisoner was Rustichello of Pisa

Marco Polo dictated the story of his travels to Rustichello

A best sellerA best seller

also known as Il Milione, The Million Lies

few believed that his stories were true

most Europeans dismissed the book as mere fable

The Description of the World or The Travels of Marco Polo

wealth of Cathay (China)the might of the Mongol empirethe exotic customs of India and Africa

book a must read bestsellertranslated into several languagesover 150 copies still remain

Later in LifeLater in Lifereleased from prison in 1299 returned to Venice married Donata Badoerhad three daughters remained in Venice for rest of his life

died 1324, agd 70On deathbed, priest asked if wanted to confess

any lies he told and he responded "I have only told the half of what I saw!"

Marco Polo

his will mentions that he still owned some of the items mentioned in his book

a quantity of cloths, brocades of silk and gold, other precious objects "golden tablet of command"

Did Marco Polo REALLY go to China?Did Marco Polo REALLY go to China?his book does not mention drinking teacalligraphyChop sticksFeet bindingThe great wall

his book does mention but incorrectly number of bridges in Kin-saiwhen the Mongols tried to invaded

Japan

WORK CITEDWORK CITEDMarco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu By Laurence Bergreen

Marco Polo: Marco Polo and the Silk Road to China By Michael Burgan

Marco Polo’s Journey to China by Diana Childress

Marco Polo by Bob Italia

The Adventures of Marco Polo by Russell Freedman

The World in the Time of Marco Polo by Fiona Macdonald

In the Footsteps of Marco Polo http://www.wliw.org/marcopolo/

The book of Ser Marco Polo: the Venetian, Volume 1 By Marco Polo http://books.google.com/books?id=VxMEAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marco+polo&lr=&as_brr=4&source=gbs_similarbooks_s&cad=1#v=onepage&q=alchemy&f=false

The travels of Marco Polo: the Venetian By Marco Polo, Thomas Wright, William Marsden

http://books.google.com/books?id=HBUIAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marco+polo&lr=&as_brr=4#v=onepage&q=noodle&f=false

http://www.lookandlearn.com/cgi-bin/if.cgi?search=kublai

http://en.wikipedia.org/

http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Marco/index.html

http://www2.moneymuseum.com/frontend/library/pictures/tour.jsp?lang=en&id=4638004&ix=0

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/polo-kinsay.html

http://rspas.anu.edu.au/eah/Marcopolo.html

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/doubleissue/mysteries/marco.htm

http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/143Arts4308.html

http://www.ultimateitaly.com/culture-antropology/marco-polo.html

WORK CITED continuedWORK CITED continuedhttp://books.google.com/books?id=HBUIAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marco+polo&lr=&as_brr=4#v=onepage&q=noodle&f=false

http://www.lookandlearn.com/cgi-bin/if.cgi?search=kublai

http://en.wikipedia.org/

http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Marco/index.html

http://www2.moneymuseum.com/frontend/library/pictures/tour.jsp?lang=en&id=4638004&ix=0

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/polo-kinsay.html

http://rspas.anu.edu.au/eah/Marcopolo.html

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/doubleissue/mysteries/marco.htm

http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/143Arts4308.html

http://www.ultimateitaly.com/culture-antropology/marco-polo.html