Travels in the Land of Kubilai Khan

Marco Polo

Aug 2005 · Penguin UK

About this ebook

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A profound influence on medieval Europe's view of the wider world, this thirteenth-century account of a Venetian merchant's amazing experiences in the court of the great Mongol leader, Kubilai Khan, remains one of the most fascinating tales of exploration ever written.

About the author

Marco Polo was born in 1254, the son of a Venetian Merchant, and made his first visit to China with his father and uncle in 1271. They spent the next 20 years in the service of the Kubilai Khan, travelling throughout the Mongolian empire. They returned home to Venice in 1292 and towards the end of the century, Marco Polo was taken prisoner in Genoa during the Civil War. It was probably while in prison that he met Rustichello of Pisa, a romance writer, with whom he wrote The Travels. He died in 1324, leaving the possessions he had amassed on his travels to be divided by his three daughters.