An explorer from Venice, Marco Polo has had a life that most people today can only dream of.We all know that Marco Polo was one of the most prominent merchants, adventurers, and writers in history. Let’s dive a little deeper into his life and adventures and what made him so popular.Marco Polo was born in the year 1254 in Venice, the Republic of Venice, to the Polo family. He was a prolific adventurer who set out for his first journey at the young age of 17. Marco Polo’s mother died when he was really young, and he was raised by his uncle and aunt. Marco’s father and uncle, Niccolo and Maffeo Polo, were successful Venetian jewel merchants who set out on their voyage to Asia when Marco’s mother was still pregnant. Marco finally got to meet his father at the age of 15 when they finally returned to Venice.Everything that we know today about the great adventurer was from the book named ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’, accompanied by the help of Romantic writer, Rustichello, whom he meets while in jail. Marco Polo describes in detail everything (almost) that he encountered during his adventures. Marco Polo also mentioned in the book that he has not mentioned half of what he saw because he already knew that people would not believe him.This was quite natural given the time period of Marco Polo’s travels. Imagine being told about an animal that you have never heard or seen in a world where communications were limited and therefore unknown to the concept of endemic species. Would you have believed him?The life of Marco Polo was full of fascinating adventures. However, he was not the first explorer to set off on a journey to Asia. Then what is it that makes him so famous? Here in this article about what made Marco Polo, we are going to address all your questions and are going to learn about some of the lesser-known facts about Marco Polo that will for sure make you want to hop in on a ship and sail out looking for an adventure too.If you are curious about almost everything you come across, further reads like Marco Polo facts and why do people travel should be your next stop.Cool Facts About Marco PoloThe 17 years old Marco Polo, along with the elder Polos, Niccolo and Maffeo, embarked on his new adventure towards Asia and thus started the exciting chapters of his life.When his father and uncle finally returned to Venice from their voyage, he learned that the Pope had died and was waiting until a new Pope was chosen. Two years later, they set off on Marco’s first-ever adventure, which would go on to change his life forever. Marco Polo left his home in the year 1271 with the Polo brothers in the hopes of reaching the court of Kublai Khan, the great ruler of the Mongol Empire and the grandson of Genghis Khan. This journey to the court of Kublai Khan, however, was not the first time for Niccolo and Maffeo.They had already met and befriended the Mongol ruler, who was intrigued by European culture and Christianity and wanted to learn more. Consequently, Niccolo and Maffeo were asked to bring the holy oil from Jerusalem and hundred Christians, so he could discuss the Holy Bible the next time they visited China. However, instead of a hundred men, they only brought young Marco Polo and the oil.At the beginning of their journey, they might have traveled through Turkey and Iran and a number of desserts and finally arrived on the Persian Gulf where they decided that traveling through a sea passage through India might have been risky, so they decided to instead proceed through land towards the Mongolian capital. They even traveled through Badakhshān in Afghanistan, Kafiristan, Chitral, and Kashmir. The route that the Polos followed to cross Central Asia still remains a mystery. As their journey was coming to an end, they gradually arrived at Kashi, in China, and they finally were on the main Silk Road. After a journey of three and a half years, when Marco was almost 21 years old, they arrived at the court and met with the emperor. Impressed with his intelligence, Kublai Khan appointed them as his foreign emissary to India and China. The Polos joined Kublai Khan’s ministry and earned the emperor’s trust. The Polo brothers and Marco Polo stayed in China for almost 17 years, and when they were finally ready to return to Venice, the emperor initially refused. Later, when he finally agreed, Kublai Khan had one final task for them to complete. He wanted them to accompany the Mongol princess named Kokochin to Persia.The Polos family set out towards Persia with about 600 courtiers and sailors in 14 ships that sailed towards the South. The Polos left from Zaitun (now Quanzhou, China and went through many countries and coasts. These include Vietnam, Malay Peninsula, Island of Sumatra (in which they took shelter for almost five months to protect themselves from the monsoon storms), Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, followed by the west coast of India, and finally, the three Polo men along with the princess arrived in Persia.Marco Polo, along with his father and uncle Maffeo, had not returned home for 24 years since the age of 17. During these two decades, Marco Polo traveled 1500 mi (2414.01 km) on land through the Silk Road and through the sea. They have come across many parts of Asia and also have (controversially) visited the Alaskan coasts years before Vitus Bering, a Danish cartographer, did.When Marco returned to Venice in the year 1295, he came back to a war that had broken out between Venice and the Republic of Genoa. At this point, his fortune now turned to gemstones. Marco Polo spent his earnings and armed a galley equipped with a trebuchet and joined the war to defend his homeland. Soon, a year later, he was captured during a skirmish and was incarcerated.During his time in the prison, Marco Polo would use his storytelling skills to tell his fellow prisoners about his adventures. This was when he met Rustichello of Pisa, a Romantic writer, who would later help him become famous as we know him today. Marco Polo started dictating his story, which was published as ‘II Milione’ or ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’, in Franco-Italian, which had every detail of Marco Polo’s travels.Strange Facts About Marco PoloDid you know it was Marco Polo who introduced paper money to Europe?The Mongol Empire was very advanced and had already started circulating paper money long before the Europeans had started printing their own bills. Marco Polo’s book describes the strange currency that he learned about from the Mongols. He described that Kublai Khan was like a magician who could turn a mulberry tree into money. Although controversial, according to some legends, it was actually Marco Polo who introduced Italy to pasta.However, apart from that, throughout Polo’s journey, Marco has also encountered some rare spices and ginger. Yes, you read it correctly. Although ginger has been used for a long time, by Polo’s time, ginger became rare and expensive. One more fun fact is that Mongols used to drink milkshakes way before it was even termed ‘milkshake’. They would dry the milk so that they could add water to it while on their journeys, and the constant shaking of the flask that they would carry the powdered milk in would turn the milk into a thick syrupy consistency.According to the ‘Travels of Marco Polo’, he also met with a lot of sorcerers and magicians who, according to him, could change the weather from the summer palace rooftop and levitate flagons of wine. He was also a little superstitious and believed in evil spirits. During his adventures, Marco Polo also encountered animals like the Chow Chow dog breed, yaks, and musk deer. According to Polo’s writings, he was specifically impressed by the yak due to its soft and silky fur, which he later brought back to his hometown as a souvenir. Another fun fact: during early years, Marco Polo thought that he had encountered unicorns while they really were just rhinoceros. He described that unicorns were instead ugly and dangerous with buffalo hair, elephant feet, and wild boar heads with a black horn in the middle. Eventually, Marco Polo also had a species of sheep named after him, the Marco Polo sheep. The species of sheep named Ovis ammon polii was colloquially called the Marco Polo sheep. Did you know it was Marco Polo who inspired the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus? You read it right. Marco Polo’s account of his adventures inspired Christopher Columbus so much that he took a copy of Polo’s book with him when he set out to find the route to the Orient.Business That Made Marco Polo FamousDuring his stay in China, Marco Polo was sent on various trips to help administer the realm.When Marco Polo arrived in China in 1275, Kublai Khan was instantly impressed by the young Polo and was appointed as his foreign emissary. Throughout the years, he was sent on several missions and soon ended up earning the trust of the great emperor, Kublai Khan. Marco Polo was Kublai Khan’s favorite amongst the Polos, and the emperor was hesitant to let him go initially but was convinced later. The Polos left with a golden tablet of safe conduct from the emperor to help him find supplies during his journey and let people know that he was under the Kublai Khan’s protection.Although Marco Polo was not the first explorer to go on voyages to China and parts of Asia, he for sure was the only one to have brought so much back with him. He was a Venetian merchant and an explorer who had a keen interest in the details of everything. He observed the cultural differences that he never came across when he was in Venice, which later he would introduce in Europe and stand out among all other explorers in history.When Marco Polo was freed from jail in the year 1299 and sent back to Venice, according to a few sources, Polo had freed a ‘Tatar slave’ who might have followed him through East Asia. Marco Polo’s story has been an inspiration to many other explorers, and we all now know why. He has led a life one can only dream of.Marco later married Donata Badoer in the year 1300 and had three daughters whom he named Bellela, Fantina, and Moretta. The famed traveler died of illness in the year 1324 at the age of 69 on January 8, 1324. He was buried in the Church of San Lorenzo in Venice. We hope that we have answered all your questions about the famous and legendary explorer Marco Polo who had a life full of adventure and thrills, a life people in today’s busy and competitive world desperately needs.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for why was Marco polo famous then why not take a look at facts about Pablo Picasso, or Neptune God.
An explorer from Venice, Marco Polo has had a life that most people today can only dream of.
