Marco Polo

Marco Polo ( 1254-1324)

Marco Polo was a great traveler. He traveled for 24 years. He started the big journey with his father and uncle when he was only 17 years old. He traveled throughout China, India and Southeast Asia as emissary for Mongol Emperor Kublia Khan.

He was 41 years old when he came back from the journey.

It wasn’t easy to travel at that time. Marco Polo and his people traveled first by sea t hen by land. Along the way they were attacked by pirates and bandits. Some of them got terribly sick and died during the trip. It required from them a lot of courage and bravery to travel 15,000 miles.

In 1275 the Polo’s were greeted by Kublai Khan. Marco Polo knew 4 languages so the Khan sent him on important government missions for 17 years.

For these years Marco Polo visited many interesting and new to him places throughout the Mongol Empire.

Marco Polo learned so many great things that the people in Asia had at that time. He found out in Asia people used coal, printing and paper money. He was very impressed with the mail system of the Empire.

Marco Polo returned home with many riches. He got a nickname “Marco Millions” because he came back home with lots of riches and millions of stories to tell. Many people didn’t believe his stories.

His great achievement was that he dictated the story to a writer while he was in a jail. The book about his explore was called “ A Description of the World”.

Polo’s book was copied by hand. His book inspired many great travelers.

Christopher Columbus read his book and explored America.

Jan 27, 2005
By Onyuka Chinbat