What polo explored. Marco Polo - biography of a traveler

…If Marco Polo's travels did not create a permanent connection with the Far East,
they were crowned with a different kind of success: their result was the most amazing
is the only travel book ever written that has retained its value forever.

J. Baker. "History of Geographical Discoveries and Explorations"

Who is Marco Polo? What did you open?

Marco Polo (born September 15, 1254 - death January 8, 1324) - the largest Venetian traveler before the Age of Discovery, merchant and writer, wandered around the lands of Central Asia and the Far East for about 17 years, describing his journey in the famous " A book about the diversity of the world." The book was subsequently used by sailors, cartographers, travelers, writers... First of all, Marco Polo is known for having discovered such a mysterious East Asia for Europeans. Thanks to his travels, Europeans discovered the country of China, the richest Japan, the islands of Sumatra and Java, the fabulously rich Ceylon and the island of Madagascar. The traveler discovered paper money, sago palm, coal and spices for Europe, which at that time were worth their weight in gold.

For the journey, unparalleled for its era in terms of duration and coverage of territory, for the accuracy of observations and conclusions, the legendary Italian traveler Marco Polo is sometimes called the “Herodotus of the Middle Ages.” His book, the first direct account of India and China by a Christian, played a very important role in the history of geographical discoveries and for several centuries became an encyclopedia of the life of the peoples of Central Asia and the Far East.

Origin

Apparently Marco Polo was born in Venice. At least his grandfather, Andrea Polo, lived there in the parish of the Church of San Felice. But it is known that the Polo family, which was not particularly distinguished, but quite rich, came from the island of Korcula in Dalmatia.

As you can see, the desire to wander is a family trait in the Marco Polo family. My uncle, Marco il Vecchio, was traveling on trade business. Niccolo's father and another uncle, Matteo, lived for several years in Constantinople, where they were engaged in trade, traveled the lands from the Black Sea to the Volga and Bukhara, and as part of a diplomatic mission visited the possessions of the Mongol Khan Kublai Khan.

Marco Polo in China

1271 - taking 17-year-old Marco with them, the Polo brothers again went to Asia as merchants and envoys of the pope. They were carrying a letter from the head of the Roman church to the khan. Most likely, this journey would have become one of many lost in the annals of history, if not for the bright talent, observation and thirst for the unknown of the youngest member of the expedition.

The Venetians began their journey in Acre, from where they headed north through Armenia, rounded the northern tip of the lake. Van and via Tabriz and Yazd reached Hormuz, hoping to travel east by sea. However, there were no reliable ships in the port, and the travelers turned back to travel through Persia and Balkh. Their further journey passed through the Pamirs to Kashgar, then through the cities located at the foot of Kunlun.

Life in China

Beyond Yarkand and Khotan they turned east and passed south of the lake. Lop Nor and were eventually able to reach the destination of their journey - Beijing. But their travels did not end there. The Venetians were destined to live there for 17 years. The Polo brothers took up trade, and Marco entered the service of Kublai Khan and traveled a lot throughout the empire. He was able to get acquainted with part of the Great Chinese Plain, pass through the modern provinces of Shanxi and Sichuan, all the way to distant Yunnan and even to Burma.

He probably visited the northern region of Indochina, in the Red River basin. Marco saw the old residence of the Mongol khans of Karakorum, India and Tibet. With his lively mind, sharpness and ability to easily master local dialects, the young Italian fell in love with the khan. 1277 - he became a commissioner of the imperial council, was the government ambassador with special missions in Onnan and Yanzhou. And in 1280, Polo was appointed ruler of the city of Yangtcha and 27 other cities subordinate to him. Marco held this post for three years.

Finally, life in a foreign land began to weigh heavily on the Venetians. But the khan was offended by any request from Mark to let him go home. Then the Polos decided to use a trick. 1292 - they, including Marco, were entrusted with accompanying the daughter of Kublai Khan, Kogathra, to her fiancé, Prince Arghun, who reigned in Persia. Khan ordered to equip an entire fleet of 14 ships and supplied the crews with supplies for 2 years. This was a convenient opportunity to return to Venice after completing the assignment.

Marco Polo with the Mongol Khan Kublai Khan

Way home

During this journey, Marco Polo was able to see the islands of the Malay Archipelago, Ceylon, the Indian coast, Arabia, Madagascar, Zanzibar, and Abyssinia. The voyage ended in Hormuz, already familiar to him. Moreover, the travel route was not always chosen based on considerations of choosing the shortest route. The desire to see new countries forced Marco to deviate more than 1.5 thousand miles to the side to explore the African coast.

As a result, the voyage lasted 18 months, and when the flotilla arrived in Persia, Arghun had already died. Leaving Kogatra in the care of his son Hassan, the Venetians set out for their homeland via Trebizond and Constantinople.

Return to Venice

1295 - after a 24-year absence, the Polo family returned to Venice. Even close relatives, who by that time had occupied Niccolo’s house, did not recognize the wanderers. They had long been considered dead. A few days later, at a feast where Polo invited the most noble citizens of Venice, Marco, Niccolò and Matteo, in front of those present, tore open their Tatar clothes, which turned into rags, and poured out a pile of precious stones. Nothing else was taken from Polo's trip.

In Trebizond, expensive silks stored in China were confiscated. And the story with the jewelry may be a legend. At least they weren't swimming in gold. The nickname “Millionaire”, which Marco was given by his fellow citizens, is most likely due to the fact that during stories about his adventures he often repeated this word in relation to the wealth of eastern rulers.

1296 - war began between the Venetian Republic and Genoa. In a naval battle, the commander of one of the ships, Marco, was seriously wounded, captured and imprisoned. There he met a fellow prisoner, the Pisan Rusticiano, to whom he dictated his memories, which brought him immortality.

Personal life

After his release from captivity in 1299, Polo lived quietly until 1324 in Venice and died on January 8 at the age of 69. At the end of his life he conducted trading business in the city. Upon returning, the traveler married Donata Badoer from a rich and noble family. They had three daughters - Fantine, Bellela and Moretta. According to the will, both his wife and daughters were denied more than modest sums.

Map of the route of Marco Polo's journey

Book. The meaning of Marco Polo's journey

The memoirs of Marco Polo, recorded by Rusticiano in French and called “The Book of Sir Marco Polo Concerning the Kingdoms and Wonders of the East,” were destined to survive centuries. In them, the wanderer appears not so much as a merchant or a khan's official, but as a person passionate about the romance of travel, the diversity of the world, and the variety of impressions. Maybe it became like this thanks to Rusticiano, who sought to create a fairy tale about the wonders of the East. But most likely Marco is behind this. Otherwise, the narrator simply would not have any material. And the fate of the traveler himself, who did not find wealth overseas, makes him look not like a merchant thirsty for profit, but also like a merchant who went on a journey “across three seas” and brought back only a book.

The manuscript was read with interest. Very soon it was translated into Latin and other European languages ​​and, after the spread of printing, it was reprinted many times (the first printed edition was published in 1477). Until the second half of the 17th century, the book was used as a guide for establishing trade routes to India, China and Central Asia. It acquired a particularly important role during the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries, becoming a reference book for Henry the Navigator and everyone who sought to find a sea route to India and the Far East.

Memoirs are read with great interest even today. They have been published in Russian in several translations. One of the best is considered to be the translation of Professor I.P. Minaev, first published in 1940.

Doubts. Reliability of information

Unfortunately, during Marco’s lifetime, the Venetians questioned his stories, considering them to be fiction. In this sense, he shared the fate of other famous travelers, such as Pytheas and Ibn Battuta. The book, in which Rusticiano, in an effort to make it entertaining, included not only the narrator's direct observations, but also legends, as well as stories about countries that Polo had not seen, only made the situation worse. Rumors, conjectures, and ill will, despite the obvious facts, have happily survived to this day and, having found themselves in the fertile soil of the desire for sensations, they have blossomed magnificently.

A book by historian Francis Wood was published in the West under the eloquent title “Did Marco Polo Visit China?” In his work he questioned this. 1999 - Gullible Internet fans went even further. They organized a discussion to determine the degree of reliability of the information contained in Marco's memories. Participants virtually, on a computer screen, repeated his route, which was more than 3.5 thousand km long. At each stage, they got acquainted with documentary historical and geographical data about the area, compared them and even voted to find out their collective opinion. Most concluded that Polo had not actually been to China. If, in their opinion, he visited the Celestial Empire, it was for a very short time. However, the question remains unanswered: where did he spend those 17 years?

However, it is not only the book of memories that preserves the memory of Marco Polo’s journey. He was such an extraordinary person that in China he was even awarded something resembling religious veneration. In Europe this became known only at the beginning of the 20th century. The Italian Geographical Society has a letter from one of its members, dated April 12, 1910. He writes that in 1902 in Canton, in the Temple of Five Hundred Buddhas, in a long row of statues, he saw one with energetic facial features of a clearly non-Mongolian type. He was told that it was a statue of Marco Polo. It is unlikely that a random trader who visited the country in passing could have received such attention.

Marco Polo was born on September 15, 1254 in the city of Venice. He grew up in a noble family. His mother died during childbirth, so the upbringing of the future traveler was taken over by his own aunt and father Nicolo, who, like many residents of a large trading city, was engaged in the sale of spices and jewelry. Due to his profession, he traveled a lot around the world, visiting Central Asia, Mongolia and the Crimea. In 1260, together with his brother Matthew, they came to Sudak, after which they proceeded to Bukhara and further to Beijing, where the Mongols then ruled.

The older relatives returned to Venice in 1269 and enthusiastically talked about their travels. They managed to reach the court of Kublai Khan, where they were received with great honor and were even given Mongol titles. Before leaving, the khan asked the Venetians to contact the Pope so that he would send him scientists who mastered the mastery of the seven arts. However, upon arrival at home, it became clear that the previous head of the Catholic Church, Clement IV, had died, and a new one had not yet been elected.

It is not known for certain whether Marco received any education, but during his travels he managed to learn several languages. In his book, Polo indirectly confirms his literacy by writing “he wrote a few notes in his notebook.” In one of the chapters, he notes that he tried to be more attentive to all the events taking place in order to record in more detail everything new and unusual.

Only in 1271 a new Pope was elected. He became Teobaldo Visconti, who received the name Gregory X. This prudent politician appointed the Polo family - Nicolo, Morfeo and Marco - as his official envoys to the Mongol Khan. So the brave merchants set off on their long journey to China. The first stop on their way was the port of Layas, located on the Mediterranean coast. It was a kind of transit point where East and West met. It was here that goods were brought from Asian countries, which were then bought and taken to Europe by the Venetians and Genoese.

From here the Polos proceeded to Asia Minor, which Marco called “Turkomania,” after which they passed through Armenia. The traveler will mention this country in connection with Noah’s Ark, which is supposedly located at the very top of Ararat. Further, their path ran through Mesopotamia, where they visited Mosul and Baghdad, where “the caliph with untold riches lives.” After living here for some time, the Polos rush to Persian Tabriz, where the largest pearl market was located. In his book, Marco described in detail the process of buying and selling this jewelry, which resembled some kind of sacred ritual. They also visited the city of Kerman, after which a high mountain and a rich valley with unusually well-fed bulls and sheep awaited them.

While moving across Persia, the caravan was attacked by robbers who killed some of the accompanying people, but the Polo family miraculously managed to survive. Being on the verge of life and death from extreme thirst that tormented travelers in the sultry desert, the Italians were lucky enough to reach the once prosperous Afghan city of Balkh, where they found their salvation. Further to the east began endless fertile lands that abounded in fruit and game. The next region visited by the Europeans was Badakhshan. There was active mining of precious stones here, carried out by numerous slaves.

The further path ran through the Pamirs, overcoming the spurs of which the travelers ended up in Kashmir. Polo was struck by local sorcerers who “change the weather with conspiracies and unleash great darkness.” The Italian also noted the beauty of local women. Then they found themselves in the Southern Tien Shan, where no Europeans had ever set foot. Polo notes obvious signs of high altitude: the fire flares up with difficulty and glows with an unusual flame.

The subsequent movement of the caravan went in a north-easterly direction through oases along the edge of the Taklamakan desert. After some time, they reached the first Chinese city of Shangzhou, where Marco was able to witness with his own eyes local rituals, among which he especially highlighted the funeral. Afterwards they passed through Guangzhou and Lanzhou. In the latter he was struck by yaks and a small musk deer, the dried head of which he later took home.

After three and a half years of long wanderings, the travelers finally reached the Khan’s possessions. The cavalry detachment that met them accompanied them with great honor to the summer residence of Kublai Khan Shandu. Polo does not describe in detail the solemn ceremony of meeting the ruler, limiting himself to the general words “received with honor, fun and feasting.” But it is known that Kublai spoke for a long time with Europeans in an informal setting. They presented the gifts they had brought, including a vessel with sacred oil from the Jerusalem Church of the Holy Sepulcher, as well as letters from Gregory X. After this, Marco Polo became one of the khan’s courtiers.

To gain Kublai's favor, the clever Italian told him in great detail about the population of the territories under his control, their customs and moods. He always tried to please the ruler with additional information that might interest him. One day, Marco was sent to the distant city of Karanjan, a trip to which took six months. As a result, the young man brought a lot of important information that made him talk about the divine mind and wisdom of the Venetian.

In total, Polo served as Ambassador-at-Large for 17 years. During this time he traveled all over China. By the end of this period, the khan had aged greatly, and the process of decentralization began in his state. It became increasingly difficult for him to maintain power over the provinces. All this, as well as a long separation from home, forced the Polo family to think about returning to their homeland. And then a convenient excuse was found to leave China. In 1292, envoys arrived to Kublai from one of his governors, who lived in Persia, who asked to find him a bride. After the girl was found, the Venetians volunteered to accompany her.

As M. Polo wrote: “If it weren’t for this happy accident, we would never have left there.” The route of the flotilla, which consisted of 14 ships, lay by sea from Zaiton. Marco left a description of the route, where he indicated that they sailed past the island of Java, landed on Sumatra, crossed the Singapore and Malacca Straits, walked past the Nicobar Islands, about the inhabitants of which the traveler wrote that they walked completely naked.

At this time, the team was thinned to 18 people, but Polo does not specify where the rest of the 600 who sailed went. But he became the first European to leave information about Madagascar, although some of it turned out to be incorrect. As a result, the ship managed to reach the Persian Hormuz, from where the princess was taken to her destination in Tabriz. Then the road was well known - through Trebizond to Constantinople. In the winter of 1295, after 24 years of long journeys, Marco Polo returned to his homeland.

Two years later, the war between Venice and Genoa will begin, in which Polo took part. During one of the battles, he was captured and imprisoned. Here he shared his memories with his cellmate Rusticiano, who wrote down his vivid stories, which were included in the “Book of the Diversity of the World.” Over 140 versions of the work have been preserved, written in 12 languages, which give certain ideas about the life of the countries of Asia and Africa.

Despite the presence of obvious speculation, it was from Polo that Europeans learned about coal, paper money, the sago palm, and where spices grew. His book served as a guide for cartographers, although over time Marco's errors in calculating distances were proven. In addition, the work contains rich ethnographic material telling about the rituals and traditions of Asian peoples.

After returning to his homeland, fate will allow Marco Polo another 25 years of life. At this time, like a true Venetian, he will engage in trade, start a family, three children. Thanks to his book, translated into Latin and Italian, the traveler will become a real celebrity. In his declining years, he showed excessive stinginess, which became the reason for litigation with his wife and children.

Marco Polo lived to be almost 70 years old and died in his native Venice. Today, only a small house reminds us of the great countryman. Despite this, in the memory of many people he will remain as a man who discovered an amazing and unknown world, full of secrets, riddles and adventures.

Is Marco Polo a real character or a secret travel hoax?

", BGCOLOR, "#ffffff", FONTCOLOR, "#333333", BORDERCOLOR, "Silver", WIDTH, "100%", FADEIN, 100, FADEOUT, 100)"> Marco Polo is the first great traveler, whose name opens the list of great travelers of all times and peoples. Marco Polo was the first European at the end of the thirteenth century to make such a long and long journey to the East, spent a long time at the court of the Great Khan in Mongolia and China, visited Japan, Southeast Asia, and Persia. He published all his memories and impressions in written form under the title “Books about the diversity of the world.” This book was first circulated in lists, and then became one of the first most popular books in the history of printing.

It is known that the further a historical character is from us in time, the less reliable information there is about him. This directly relates to Marco Polo - a man whose exact date of birth is unknown and whose place of last refuge is also unknown. No portraits of him survived either. All that is known is what he told about himself.

A detailed biography of Marco Polo was written in the 16th century by John Baptist Ramusio (1485–1557). According to this biography, he was born in Venice around 1254.

How Marco Polo became a traveler

Marco Polo came from a family of Venetian merchants that traded with the East. In 1260, Nicolo, Marco's father, together with his brother Matteo, made another trip to Sudak (Crimea), where their third brother had his own trading house. Then they moved east with the goal of penetrating as far as possible and exploring as much as possible about the possibilities of trade with China and other countries of the East. We reached Bukhara, which is not surprising - after all, all merchants at all times went on long journeys and established connections with their trading partners. Having stayed in Bukhara for quite a long time, the brothers joined a trade caravan traveling from Persia to Khanbalik - the then name of modern Beijing.

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In the winter of 1266, the caravan reached Beijing and the brothers were received by the Mongol Khan Kublai Khan, who by that time had seized power over the Middle Kingdom. Khan personally received merchants from Europe, showed interest in establishing contacts and asked them to convey their message to the Pope with a request to send him oils from the tomb of Christ in Jerusalem. This version has not been confirmed in any way, but given that the Mongols were quite tolerant of any religion, it is quite likely.

The brothers returned to Venice in 1269. A couple of years later they headed East again for another commercial venture. In addition to its own commercial interests, the Polo delegation also served as a diplomatic mission to establish contacts between Venice and China. The brothers paved their way through Jerusalem, in which they had to stock up on life-giving oil from the tomb of Christ in Jerusalem for their Far Eastern benefactor. Nicolo took his son Marco, who was 17 years old at that time, on a hike. This is how Marco Polo became a traveler.

Marco Polo in China

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most likely these were well-trodden caravan routes of that time. In 1275 they reached the residence of Kublai Khan. (Why did it take so long? Obviously, the Polo merchants carried out trade along the way and stopped in different places.) If you believe the story of Marco Polo, the ruler of the Celestial Empire was fascinated by the young man, brought him closer to him, and trusted him with certain matters and various important assignments of state importance.

To be honest, it’s hard to believe this, because the young man was only twenty years old. Although, on the other hand, he was, as it were, a member of the European embassy, ​​an outsider, did not belong to any local clan - a rather convenient figure for carrying out the khan’s orders. A sort of Arab of Peter the Great. According to the memoirs of Marco, Hibulai even kept him as governor of the city of Yangzhou for three years. Here it is simply impossible to resist quoting our great classic:

Khlestakov:

… Once I even managed a department. And it’s strange: the director left, it’s unknown where he went. Well, naturally, rumors began: how, what, who should take the place? Many of the generals were hunters and took on, but it happened that they would approach - no, it was tricky. It seems easy to look at, but when you look at it, it’s just damn! After they see, there is nothing to do - come to me.

...What is the situation? - I'm asking. “Ivan Alexandrovich, go manage the department!” I admit, I was a little embarrassed, I came out in a dressing gown: I wanted to refuse, but I think: it will reach the sovereign, well, and the track record too... “If you please, gentlemen, I accept the position, I accept, I say, so be it, I say, I accept, only for me: no, no, no!.. I have a keen ear! I already..."

One way or another, the position of “a person close to the emperor” gave the Polo family the opportunity to visit many places in China with trade and other matters. In total they stayed there for 17 years. The Khan did not want to let them go, but then the opportunity came to marry the Khan’s daughter, and not to anyone, but to the Persian Shah, or Prince Arghun. It was unsafe to transport such a treasure by land, and the khan equipped a flotilla of 14 ships, which included the Polo family, apparently as special representatives.

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On the way to Hormuz, the ships visited Japan, many other points in Southeast Asia, and visited Sumatra and Ceylon. Already in Persia, the Polos received information about the death of the Great Khan. As they say, there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped. The Polo family considered themselves free from obligations and moved back to their homeland. They returned to Venice in 1295.

If all this is true, then it becomes clear where Marco Polo got detailed descriptions of these territories far from China and

And then our adventurer is captured. In the ongoing war between Genoa and Venice in 1297, the warship, which he supposedly equipped at his own expense, along with the entire crew was captured by the Genoese, and Marco Polo himself was taken into a casemate.

Marco Polo. A book about the diversity of the world

And in a prison cell, a lucky chance brings him together with a man from Pisa named Rusticeanu, who made his living by writing novels about (or for) kings. And Marco Polo dictates to Rustici his memories of life in China and the East. The work was called “The Book about the Diversity of the World.”

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The fate of Marco Polo himself later turned out very well. He was, presumably, ransomed from captivity, and spent the rest of his life in Venice, in his house in ", BGCOLOR, "#ffffff", FONTCOLOR, "#333333", BORDERCOLOR, "Silver", WIDTH, "100%", FADEIN, 100, FADEOUT, 100)"> prosperity and prosperity. Moved to a better world in 1324.

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The fate of his creation turned out even better. Few books could have been so in demand for several centuries, both as reference material and as exciting educational reading. Many pioneers of the era of Great Geographical Discoveries, who were looking for the paths of “India,” relied on information from it. It was translated into many languages, published and reprinted as a book, and then became in demand as a historical value. What other work has been talked about, argued about and simply mentioned for 800 years!

Some covers of the "Book about the diversity of the world"

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N This is not the only thing that makes the book interesting. As a historical object, “The Book on the Diversity of the World” has aroused and continues to arouse keen interest among researchers. The fact is that there are a lot of inconsistencies and inexplicable moments in Marco Polo’s narrative. In 1995, Frances Wood, an employee of the Chinese department of the British Museum, published a book questioning the very fact of Marco Polo’s journey. It is very suspicious, she claims, that in the description of China of that time the author never mentioned the Great Wall of China, did not say anything about Chinese porcelain, did not describe not only the tea ceremony, but did not even mention tea at all.

There is also a version that Marco Polo himself did not go to any China, but compiled a kind of compilation of information about different countries and places in the East based on the stories of Persian, Bukhara and other merchants with whom the Polo trading house dealt. Well, even if this is so, Marco still did a huge job that no one had done before. As for the inaccuracies in the book, of which experts count quite a few, we must take into account that he dictated it from memory. He did not make any notes during his stay in the Middle Kingdom, because he had neither a pencil nor a notebook. Paper, which was already made in China back then, apparently was not yet as accessible and cheap as it is now.

What is Marco Polo's contribution to European civilization?

Marco Polo’s merit also lies in the fact that his work aroused great interest among Europeans in China, India and Southeast Asia, in the real, and not fabulous existence of which in medieval Europe, probably, not everyone even believed. This book not only aroused interest, but also pushed many to search for ways to the places described in it, and became a reference book for many pioneers. Suffice it to say that

Historical reference

Marco Polo was born on September 15, 1254 in the large Italian trading city of Venice. He came from a merchant family, which partly determined his future fate. Medieval trade was based on trips to other countries for valuable goods, which can partly be considered travel. Father Marco, returning in 1269 from Mongolia, Crimea and the lands of modern Uzbekistan, spoke about large and little-explored countries that are rich in strange goods. The commercial orientation became the basis of a new campaign that lasted 24 years, on which young Marco Polo set out in 1271.

Life in China, where the merchants arrived in 1275, was successful, except for the excessive guardianship of Kublai Khan over them. According to historians, the older Polo brothers were good advisers on the technical re-equipment of the Chinese army. Marco was also quite smart, and the khan entrusted him with diplomatic work. With instructions from Kublai Kublai, Marco Polo traveled almost all of China, becoming acquainted with the history of the country and its culture. Foreigners were probably beneficial to the khan, so until 1292 they lived as if in a golden cage.

Only chance helped them leave China. To escort princesses to Persia, who were given as wives to the ruler of this country, the khan needed especially trusted persons. There were no better candidates than the Polo brothers. The travelers decided to go by sea: by land it was quite dangerous due to the strife between the princes within the country. The sea voyage ended successfully both for the future wives in the harem of the Persian ruler, and for Marco Polo, the traveler and writer. The road home did not only pass through Persia, where the fleet with the royals was actually heading. Along the way, Marco Polo described the new lands he saw. Sumatra, Ceylon, Madagascar, Malaysia and a number of other islands, the African coast, India and many other lands were included in the stories of Marco Polo.

Significance for modern times

Arriving home, Marco Polo was imprisoned as a participant in the civil war, but was soon released. Death overtook him in 1324, when he was known and respected for the book he wrote and the stories of his own adventures. Despite many inaccuracies in his narrative, it was from the pages of the initially handwritten (and from 1477 printed) edition that Europeans first learned about Japan, Indonesia, and Indochina. Today, this campaign of Marco Polo, his story about what he saw, makes it possible to spend a vacation in Bali, travel to Sumatra, Java, Borneo and many other islands. These places are loved by many lovers of beach holidays, diving, and surfing. The nature of the region is untouched by civilization, and fans of ecotourism will appreciate the pristine flora of the Indonesian islands.

The description of Chipingu Island opened up Japan to readers, and modern tourists the opportunity to visit this island country. Although this island is one of the 3922 that make up Japan, the information received about it then has turned into a powerful tourism industry today, offering tours to the most technologically advanced state in the world. Traveling in the spring, during the cherry blossom period, is most popular among Russian tourists. Also favorite places for vacationers in Japan are thermal springs and various natural parks. And, of course, the culture that is unusual for Europeans attracts people.

Despite the fame of China at the time of Polo, his popularization of this country, the abundance of information received during his 17 years in China attracted many Europeans to these places. Today, tours to China are becoming increasingly popular, and the Chinese themselves, as a sign of gratitude to Marco Polo for his achievements in the development of their country, erected a monument to him.

Conclusion

Christopher Columbus used The Diversity of the World as an authoritative reference in his search for India. Despite the apparent fame of Columbus's biography, many facts from his fate will be of interest to readers.

After an absence of 24 years, three men stepped from the galley onto the pier. However, no one was in a hurry to meet them. If not for their strange appearance, no one would have paid attention to them. According to one description, in their worn Mongol robes made of once rich silk fabric, in their entire appearance, “in their manners and accent there was a certain elusive resemblance to the Tatars. There is almost no trace left of their native Venetian speech.” These three travelers were Marco Polo, his father and uncle. The year was 1295.

The stories of the Polo family about their journey to distant China seemed incredible to their contemporaries. Marco's memoirs, originally titled "A Description of the World" and later "The Book of the Varieties of the World," told of unknown, rich civilizations that produced goods that Western traders only dreamed of.

The book made a strong impression on readers. Within 25 years of Marco's return to his homeland, manuscripts of this book circulated in Franco-Italian, French, Latin, and possibly German, as well as in Tuscan and Venetian dialects. Marco's book became one of the most famous works of the Middle Ages.

For two centuries it was copied by hand, and since 1477 it has not ceased to be printed in many languages. Marco Polo appears to have been the most famous European to ever travel along the Silk Road to China. Why did he go on this journey? And can everything he claims to have seen and done be believed?

Venetian merchants

In XIII century, many Venetian merchants settled in Constantinople (now Istanbul), where they made their fortune. Among them were Niccolo, Marco's father, and Maffeo, his uncle. Around 1260, the brothers sold their estate, invested in jewelry and went to Sarai, on the Volga, the capital of the western khanate of the Mongol Empire. Trade was successful and they doubled their wealth. Since the war prevented them from returning to their homeland, they apparently traveled further East on horseback to the large trading city of Bukhara (now in Uzbekistan).

Due to popular unrest, they had to stay in Bukhara for three years. At that time, ambassadors were passing through this city on their way to the Great Khan of all the Mongols, Kublai, whose possessions extended from Korea to Poland. The ambassadors invited Niccolo and Maffeo to jointo them, since, according to Marco’s stories, the Great Khan had never seen the “Latins” (apparently the inhabitants of the southern part of Europe) and would be glad to talk with them. After traveling for about a year, the Polo brothers arrived at the court of Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire.

The Great Khan warmly greeted the Polo brothers and asked them with interest about Western countries. As a security certificate, he presented them with a “golden plate”, or tile, as well as a letter to the Pope asking him to send “about a hundred Christians, intelligent, versed in the seven arts, skilled in debate” so that they could preach to the people of Kublai.

Marco first saw his father only at the age of 15, in 1269. Returning to the “Christian” lands, Niccolo and Maffeo learned that Pope Clement IV died. They hoped that his successor would appear. However, the wait for a new pope lasted three years - longer than at any time in history. After two years of waiting, in 1271, they went to the Great Khan, taking 17-year-old Marco with them.

The Journey of Marco Polo

In Acre (Palestine), the famous representative of the pope, Teobaldo Visconti, presented the Polo brothers with letters to the Great Khan, which explained why the Polos could not fulfill his request to send a hundred educated men. Arriving in Asia Minor, they heard that Visconti himself had been elected pope, so they returned to Acre.

Instead of a hundred wise men, the new Pope Gregory X sent only two monks authorized to appoint priests and bishops, and presented them with credentials and gifts to the khan. The travelers set off again, however, fearing the wars going on in those areas, the monks soon returned back. The polos continued on their way.

The three of them visited the lands today known as Turkey and Iran, then moved to the Persian Gulf, hoping to further sail by sea, but considered the ships there unreliable, “bad... because they were not nailed together with iron nails, but sewn together with ropes made of bark Indian nuts." Therefore, they decided to continue their journey overland.

Heading north and also east, they crossed vast expanses of desert, majestic mountains, green plateaus, and lush Afghan and Pamir pastures before arriving in Kashgar (now in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China).

Then, following the ancient caravan route south of the Tarim River basin and the Gobi Desert, they reached Khanbalik (now Beijing). The whole journey they had to go throughsevere weather conditions and during which Marco fell ill with some disease unknown to us, lasted three and a half years.

On Marco’s path he encountered many amazing things: the mountain on which, as we know, Noah’s Ark stopped in Armenia, the supposed burial place of the Magi in Persia, as well as lands in the far north, where it is unusually cold and eternal darkness reigns. Marco was the first European to mention oil. He explained that the “salamander” was not the fire-resistant fur of some animal, as many then believed, but a mineral—asbestos—discovered in the Xinjiang Uyghur region.

Black stones that burn, that is, coal, in Chinathere was plenty, so you could take hot baths there every day. Marco writes about jewelry, food and drink (especially the Mongolian fermented drink made from mare's milk), religious and magical rituals, trade, and goods sold in the places he visited. He was also amazed by the unprecedented paper money used in the domains of the Great Khan.

Marco does not share his thoughts. Without any special emotions, he only describes what he saw and heard. We can only guess how he felt when he was attacked by robbers, who captured some of his companions and killed some.