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Marco Polo
Marco Polo (1254-1324 CE) was a Venetian merchant and explorer who travelled to China and served the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan (l. 1214-1294 CE) between c. 1275 and 1292 CE. Polo's adventures are recounted in his own writings, The Travels...
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Map of Marco Polo’s Travels, 1271 - 1295
Marco Polo’s travels (1271–1295) represent one of the most famous European journeys into Asia during the late Middle Ages. Setting out from Venice with his father Niccolò and uncle Maffeo, Polo crossed through the Middle East and Central...
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Marco Polo Statue
A sculpture depicting the Venetian explorer Marco Polo who famously travelled to China between 1271 and 1295 CE. (Villa Borghese, Rome)
Definition
Xanadu - Kublai Khan's Fabled Capital
Xanadu (aka Shangdu, Shang-tu, and Kaiping) located in Inner Mongolia, northern China, was first the capital (1263-73) and then the summer capital (1274-1364) of the Mongol Empire. It came to prominence during the reign of Kublai Khan (r...
Definition
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan (Qubilai-Qan) was the ruler of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294. His accomplishments include establishing Mongol rule in China under the name of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), thus becoming the first non-Chinese to rule the...
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Marco Polo: The World's Greatest Explorer
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Definition
Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta (l. 1304-1368/69) was a Moroccan explorer from Tangier whose expeditions took him further than any other traveler of his time and resulted in his famous work, The Rihla of Ibn Battuta. Scholar Douglas Bullis notes that “rihla”...
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The Travels of Marco Polo - Summary on a Map
In this second video about great explorers, let's retrace the Travels of Marco Polo across Asia, accompanied by his father and his uncle.
Article
Clothing in the Mongol Empire
The clothing worn by the Mongols in the 13th and 14th century CE, like most other aspects of their culture, reflected their nomadic lifestyle in the often harsh climate of the Asian steppe. Typical items included felt hats, long jackets with...
Definition
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty was established by the Mongols and ruled China from 1271 to 1368. Their first emperor was Kublai Khan (r. 1260-1294) who finally defeated the Song Dynasty which had reigned in China since 960. Stability and peace within China...