Marco Polo Research Paper

Marco Polo (1254-1324) was an Italian born adventurer commonly remembered for his extensive stay in China, at the palace of Kublai Khan. Born to a wealthy Venetian merchant family, Marco Polo was born with a love for adventure coursing in his veins. This dauntless desire was reflected throughout Marco Polo’s life as he continued to make an impact on exploring throughout his later years. Exploring the empire of Kublai Khan, and surrounding areas similar to the empire, Marco Polo has made vast discoveries in trade, economics, and culture that even notable historical figures (Christopher Columbus) have recognized and appreciated through the ages. Born in Venice, Italy in the year 1254 Marco Polo was introduced to commerce at an early age with
Starting his central journey in the Persian port city of Hormuz, the Polo’s took an overland route that would later be known as the silk road. Following this, the Polo’s then crossed over mountains, deserts, rivers and other rough terrain meeting other cultures and religion along the way. Finally, around 1275, the group arrived at Khan's lavish summer palace at Shangdu, or Xanadu, located about 200 miles northwest of his winter quarters in present day
Marco in particular was acclaimed among those settled there, and was believed to be very friendly with Khan. While unable to Chinese, he did speak some of the many languages then used in East Asia. While not completely sure scholars believe that Polo most probably spoke Turkish as spoken among the Mongols, Arabized Persian, and the Uyghur people. He was noticed to be respected and esteemed by Khan, who greatly enjoyed hearing Marco’s tales of foreign countries, and continuously sent him on informative missions to distant parts of the empire. One such journey took Polo to Yunnan in southwestern China and possibly as far as Tagaung in Myanmar. On another occasion he visited southeastern China, later enthusiastically describing the city of Quinsay (now Hangzhou). Separate from the missions he undertook for the emperor, Polo may have held other administrative responsibilities, including inspection of the customs duties and revenues collected from the trade in salt and other commodities. According to some versions of Il milione, he governed the city of Yangzhou for three years sometime between 1282 and 1287; but this conjecture and not all facts regarding this situation are known. There is moreover, does have plenty of evidence in proving that Marco was considered an adoptive son of this new country. In the year 1292, a Mongol princess was to be sent to Persia to marry Arghun