Marco Poloís journey

Marco Polo's journey

In 1271, when Marco Polo was 17, he accompanied his father, Nicolo, and his uncle Maffeo to China. Nicolo and Maffeo Polo were merchants. They had visited China in the 1260's and had been well received by Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor of China. During young Polo's visit, he made such a favorable impression on Kublai Khan that the Mongol ruler sent him on official missions throughout the kingdom. After returning to Venice in 1295, Polo was taken prisoner during a conflict between Venice and Genoa. While in captivity, he dictated an account of his travels. This widely read book, called Description of the World, was the first to provide Europeans with detailed and accurate information about China's impressive civilization. Genoa and Venice made peace in 1299. Polo was freed and returned to trading in Venice.

Excerpt adapted from the "Exploration" article, The World Book Encyclopedia, © 1999