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Marco Polo Timeline

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Timeline of Marco PoloTimeline of Marco Polo

Life and Major Accomplishments of Marco Polo, the Renowned Venetian Explorer and Merchant

READ ALSO: Most Famous Rulers of the Mongol Empire

Major Accomplishments

Detail of the Catalan Atlas depicting Marco Polo travelling to the East during the Pax Mongolica

Marco Polo, a Venetian explorer, journeyed extensively across Asia, serving Kublai Khan and penning “The Travels of Marco Polo”, bridging cultural understanding between the East and West.

  1. Detailed Exploration of Asia: Marco traveled further than any of his European predecessors during his time in Asia.

    Marco Polo arrives in the capital and his father and uncle renew their friendly acquaintance with the Kublai Khan and present him with papal letters. His adventures were famously chronicled in his work “Il Milione,” known in English as “The Travels of Marco Polo,” which played a crucial role in shaping European understanding of Asian geography, culture, and politics.

    How did Marco Polo’s family background influence his travels?

    Marco Polo’s journey was influenced by his father, Niccolò, and his uncle, Maffeo, who had been involved in trade with the Middle East for many years, amassing significant wealth and influence.

    Following the Silk Road, they passed through various oases before arriving in Shazhou (Dunhuang) on the borders of China.

    What roles did Marco Polo and his family play in the Mongol Empire?

    For the next 16 or 17 years, the Polos lived in the dominions of Kublai Khan. This fostered a greater understanding and curiosity about the East in Europe.

Marco Polo traveled to Asia in 1271 and returned to Venice in 1295.

They traveled eastward to Bukhara and eventually reached the summer residence of Kublai Khan, the grand khan, in Shangdu (Xanadu). They decided against a sea passage from Hormuz to India, opting to travel overland to the Mongol capital. He met Kublai Khan, the ruler of China, and he studied the Chinese language and learned to speak it well. 1275Marco Polo's first mission

Kublai Khan sent Marco on a mission for him.

They crossed the deserts of Khorasan in eastern Iran, then moved northward to the more hospitable Badakhshan region in Afghanistan. Marco Polo studied the Chinese language which he learnt to speak        1275Marco Polo is appointed as an envoy for the Kublai Khan and travels through China on his missions        1280'sMarco Polo travels through Asia working for the Kublai Khan and is eventually appointed as a governor of one of his cities        1292A marriage is arranged for the daughter of Kublai Khan, the Princess Cocachin, and the Polo's accompany the wedding party, consisting of a fleet of fourteen ships, to Persia.

Stops were made at Borneo, Sumatra, Ceylon and other places until the ships reach Persia        1293The Polo's stay in Persia to celebrate the wedding and then head towards the Black Sea to make their way back to Venice        1294The Death of Kublai Khan        1295Marco Polo arrives in Venice with the finest collection of jewels ever seen

Venice is at war with Genoa        1298Marco Polo was made a "gentlemen commander" of a Venetian galley

His ship joins in the battle of Kurzola and he is taken as a prisoner of war by the Genoese.

Whilst he is in prison he meets a writer called Rustichello of Pisa and dictated to him an account of his travels and experiences in China, Japan, and other Eastern countries        1299Marco Polo is released as a prisoner of war in Genoa: at about this time,         1300Marco marries a Venetian lady called Donata and together they have three daughters called Belela, Fantina and Moreta        1307A copy of his book reaches France and Switzerland and Marco Polo becomes internationally famous        1324January: Marco Polo dies in Venice, he was almost 70 years old

Marco Polo was buried in the Church of San Lorenzo      

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Marco Polo was released from prison, but was still a prisoner of war.

Marco Polo Timeline
History Timelines of People provide fast facts and information about famous people in history, such as those detailed in the Marco Polo Timeline, who precipitated a significant change in World history.

He is most famous for his travels from Europe to Asia between 1271 and 1295, and for spending 17 years in China. It was the first ship to sail around the world in under 6 months.

1300Marco gets married

At the age of 46 Marco Polo got married and began having children.

His travels and explorations inspired other explorers like Christopher Columbus, and the tales he brought back from China got the people interested in other cultures.

1453Marco's journey is copied

More than a hundred years after Marco Polo's journey to China, other explorers traveled the same path.

In prison, he narrated his experiences to a fellow inmate, Rustichello da Pisa, who penned them down. Image: 16th-century portrait of Marco Polo

Who was Marco Polo and what is he most famous for?

Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant and adventurer, born around 1254 in Venice and died on January 8, 1324, in Venice.

This foresight and their successful business dealings with Berke Khan in the Mongol Empire laid the groundwork for Marco’s later travels.

What initiated the Polos’ journey to Asia and how did it begin?

The Polos’ journey to Asia began after political events prevented their return to Venice. This account, known as “The Travels of Marco Polo”, or “Il Milione”, became a sensation in Europe.

He ventured as far as Mongolia and China, exploring places Europeans had never been.

  • Service to Kublai Khan: Marco Polo wasn’t just a passive traveler; he served the Yuan Dynasty’s Kublai Khan in various capacities, including as a special envoy.
  • “The Travels of Marco Polo”: After returning to Venice, Marco was captured during a conflict with the rival city of Genoa.

    The lives of many historical people and figures, such as the life biography detailed in the Marco Polo timeline, occurred during times of crisis or evolution or change.

    marco polo biography timeline with pictures

    He had three daughters.

  • 1307Marco becomes famous

    When a book of his stories reached people around Europe, the fame of Marco Polo's travels spread quickly. The timeline of Marco Polo details each important life event with related historical events and arranged in chronological, or date, order providing an actual sequence of the past major and important events in their life.

    In prison he met a writer, and he told the writer about his travels; the writer wrote Marco's stories down.

    1299Free!