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Marco Polo
The Travels of Marco Polo
"The Travels of Marco Polo" is one of the most famous and influential travelogues in history, a foundational text that introduced medieval Europe to the civilizations of Central Asia and China. The book recounts the remarkable twenty-four-year journey of the Venetian merchant Marco Polo, who, in the 13th century, traveled with his father and uncle along the Silk Road to the court of the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan. Dictated to a romance writer named Rustichello da Pisa while both were prisoners of war, the book describes the vast wealth, immense size, and advanced culture of the Khan's empire, which was virtually unknown to Europeans. Polo details the geography, customs, and commerce of the regions he passed through—from the Middle East and the steppes of Central Asia to the fabulously rich cities of Cathay (China) and the court at Khanbaliq (modern Beijing). He describes the Khan's postal system, the use of paper money, the burning of coal, and incredible cities like Kinsay (Hangzhou). His accounts of Japan, Java, Sumatra, and other lands, some of which he only heard of by report, blended factual observation with legend and hearsay, creating a vision of the "Orient" as a place of almost unimaginable splendor and strangeness. While its accuracy was sometimes questioned, "The Travels" served as a crucial geographical source for centuries, inspiring explorers like Christopher Columbus and leaving an indelible mark on the European imagination.
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