Marco Polo could have been the most famous person to travel the Silk Road. His name is renowned and known all over the world. His determination and influence were two of his strongest characteristics that make him so known and respected. People, however, frequently question what exactly motivated and inspired Marco Polo to set out on his exploration. His motives came from his past and the influences he had in his life before he set off to make one of history's greatest explorations.
Finley Page 1
Kristin Finley
Dr. Silbey
March 30, 2006
The Background and Journey of Marco Polo
Marco Polo could have been the most famous person to travel the Silk Road. His name is renowned and known all over the world. His determination and influence were two of his strongest characteristics that make him so known and respected. People, however, frequently question what exactly motivated and inspired Marco Polo to set out on his exploration. His motives came from his past and the influences he had in his life before he set off to make one of history's greatest explorations.
Marco Polo was born in the year 1254 in Venice, Italy. His father, Nicolo, was a merchant. He had an uncle named Maffeo who was in business with Nicolo. When Marco was six years old his father and uncle left for their first voyage to (China). They were gone for about 9 years and in the meantime Marco's mother had passed away. While Marco was home in Italy awaiting his father's return, it is said that he learned four Asian languages. This may have been in some type of preparation to go on his own adventure to China. Perhaps Marco Polo knew that as soon as his father went to China, that he would like to do the same thing.
Finley Page 2
Marco, his father, and his uncle spent two more years in Italy before they set out again on another trip to Cathay. One of the main reasons that the Polos decided to go on this trip was because they were receiving many letters and gifts for the Great Khan from
the new Pop Tedaldo. Marco's father did not want to take the same route that he and his brother had ten years earlier. They hit many landmarks and areas such as the kingdom of Georgia, Tabriz, and the Persian Gulf. Their goal was to take a route on water to get to a Chinese port.
This journey was very hard for Marco Polo, being that he was so young in age. He even had to stay is Badakhshan because he became very ill. They also crossed the Gobi desert. Marco Polo seemed to be intrigued by the Mongols. He acted as a historian as he offered their background. He developed a very detailed account of Mongol and Great Khan's life.
When the journey came near to its end the Great Khan was informed. He went as far as to royally escort them to him. It was May of 1275 that they finally arrived to the capital of Kublai Khan. It had taken them about three and a half years for them to reach their destination. The trip was probably about 5600 miles or so.
Marco became greatly respected in Khan's court. He was sent on missions and trips in China. He recorded many of his experiences and eventually fell in love with it there. They later began to call the capital Cambaluc and it became part of Bejing. It seemed that he had fallen so in love with everything in China. He began to travel as
Finley Page 3
much as he could throughout anywhere in China. He was so amazed by everything about it, to their way of life, communication, wealth, etc.
He had stayed in Khan's court for about seventeen years and left to go home with much wealth, gold, and jewels. Some people say that they left when they did because they feared the death of Kublai and would not receive the fortunes that they did.
Their journey home was said to have been tedious. The trip took 2 years by way of water. About 600 passengers and crew died. Marco Polo did not record much of the trip home so there is not much idea of what could have gone wrong on the trip. There are, however, many possibilities such as scurvy, drowning, and so on.
When Marco got back to Venice he returned to his home to find that relatives had moved in as if it were their own homes. They had been gone for so long that people were in disbelief that it was them. They say that their faces and presences had completely changed.
Looking back on what could have inspired Marco Polo to go on this adventure with his father and uncle, there seems to be only one or two things. He wanted to become part of his fathers life and wanted to be with the father whose life he had missed out on so much. He had also lost his mother and would have no parental role in his life.
It also seems that Marco Polo had developed an early infatuation with China after his father had departed for the first time. He seemed to learn what he could about the country as well as learn quite a few of its languages. Marco Polo was said to be an
Finley Page 4
incredibly intelligent and curious young boy. His curiosity may have sparked an urge to find out what his father had been doing for the many years he was gone.
Marco Polo obviously had an adventurous side to him. He was in no way hesitant to embark on this journey with his father and uncle. He was willing to face the dangers that were going to work against him especially being that he was so young and inexperienced.
His father and uncle brought home so many tales of strange lands that they had encountered and all of the foreign people they came in touch with. They had so many experiences to share with the eager young boy. After being home for two years, Nicolo and his brother seemed to find it pretty hard to settle back down at home after being gone for so long. They had grown accustomed to the new lifestyle and were not sure that they wanted to go back to the old life style.
They decided that they would let the eager young boy come with them on their next journey. He was seventeen years old and in their day that was considered an adult. They also felt that he could probably be of some aid to them on their trip. Marco Polo seemed to be ecstatic about this because it probably made him one of the most fortunate people of his time.
Marco Polo, at such a young age, got to embark on a journey to one of the biggest empires. He got to experience travel and exploration beyond explanation. He received so much wealth and fortune. Beyond all of it, though, he gained respect and honor as one of the most famous and amazing explorers of all time.