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 Asia before reaching the Yuan dynasty court of Kublai Khan (r. 1260–1294), where he reportedly served in various administrative roles. His route along the Silk Road exposed him to a vast range of societies, technologies, and cultural practices, from the Islamic polities of Persia to the nomadic domains of Central Asia and the sophisticated urban centers of Yuan China.
Polo’s experiences were later compiled in Devisement du Monde (known as Il Milione or The Travels of Marco Polo), which described wonders such as paper money, coal as fuel, gunpowder, and the wealth of Cathay (China). While parts of his account remain debated by historians, the book became a defining text in European perceptions of Asia. It shaped medieval geography and inspired later explorers, including Christopher Columbus. Polo’s journey illustrates the dynamics of cross-cultural exchange in the Mongol world system, where imperial stability under the Pax Mongolica enabled unprecedented interaction between East and West.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2019, February 11). Map of Marco Polo’s Travels, 1271 - 1295. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10041/map-of-marco-polos-travels-1271---1295/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of Marco Polo’s Travels, 1271 - 1295." World History Encyclopedia, February 11, 2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10041/map-of-marco-polos-travels-1271---1295/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of Marco Polo’s Travels, 1271 - 1295." World History Encyclopedia, 11 Feb 2019, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10041/map-of-marco-polos-travels-1271---1295/.
