On 9 th january 24, polo fell ill and died, leaving behind a farflung legacy on the world. Historpedia marco polos effects on the east and the west. Marco polo in tartar costume, wikipedia public domain the travels of marco polo c. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the travels of marco polo. Marco polo and the wonders of the east explorers of the. Polian east citation needed, in english commonly called the travels of marco polo, is a thcentury travelogue written down by rustichello da pisa from stories told by italian explorer marco polo, describing polos travels through.
Marco polo september 15, 1254 january 9, 24 was a venetian merchant traveler whose travels are recorded in il milione the millions, now known as the travels of marco polo, a book which did much to introduce europeans to central. Marco polo and the discovery of the world yale university press. Book of the marvels of the world on art and aesthetics. Marco polo travelling, miniature from the book the travels of marco polo il milione, originally published during polos lifetime c. The book of wonders originates from 15th century france and tells the story of the pioneer and commercial traveler marco polo.
Great princes, emperors, and kings, dukes and marquises, counts, knights, and burgesses. The most famous travel story of the middle ages has never. Marco polos travels was one of the worlds first best. It was perhaps the first book to achieve bestseller status before the invention of the printing pressit was certainly the most controversial. This is not merely another adventure story, it is the adventure story of all time.
See all books authored by marco polo, including il milione, and the travels of marco polo volume 1, and more on. A few years later, while imprisoned, he related tales of these amazing travels to a fellow inmate who put pen to paper and published them. The travels of marco polobook 2chapter 9 wikisource, the. Cor hendriks, september 2017 the book of marco polo. Later it was part of the library of the french book collector alexandre petau. Marco polo also revealed the wonders of xanadu, the summer capital of mongol emperor kublai khan. This description of his travels and stays in the orient, including asia, persia, china and indonesia, between 1271 and 1298 is also known as oriente poliano or. After all, polo s book has ornamented libraries the world over for centuries and is regarded, despite its flaws, as one of the world s greatest travel accounts. The first third is introductory material, and there are 23 pages of gloss for every page of polo s actual text. The polos traveled thousands of miles through unknown and hostile territory in order to reach lands hitherto only vaguely rumored to exist. His writings about china and the mongol empire in the travels of marco polo had a significant impact on european beliefs about and behavior toward the east and inspired the travels of christopher columbus.
The book of marco polo, wherein is recounted the wonders of the world becomes so popular that numerous manuscript copies of it are made in several languages. In 1271, at the tender age of 17, marco polo set off with his father on a 24year tour of asia. Larners handsome and beautifully illustrated marco polo and the discovery of the world does justice to the book that inspired it. Marco polo and the discovery of the world by john larner. The journal got to the prison cell and they finally got to work on the book. Almost 750 years later, acclaimed author john man traveled in marco polo s footsteps to xanadu then on to beijing and through modern china in search of the history behind the legend. The account of marco polos travels through asia dictated to another while he was in prison in venice.
Jul 14, 2008 the travels of marco polobook 2chapter 10. Polo made reference to much of asia, including the arab world, persia, japan, sumatra, and the andaman islands, and to. Marco polo and the wonders of the east explorers of the new world marcovitz, hal on. List of books and articles about marco polo online research. This book was just as influential in invoking peoples curiosity of. Marco polo and the wonders of the east explorers of the new. The life and adventures of marco polo ancient origins. More than seven hundred years ago, marco polo traveled from the medieval city of venice to the fabled kingdom of the great kublai khan, seeing new sights and riches that no westerner had ever before witnessed. The description of the world and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle.
Originally the book s name was a description of the world now the book is called the travels of marco polo. The document recounts the story of the commercial traveler marco polo in 192 pages and 84 magnificent, large scale illustrations with gold inlay. Marco polo was born around 1254 in venice, capital of the venetian republic. During a winter of enforced idleness, marco tells him the story of his adventures. Jan 01, 2000 marco polo and the wonders of the east explorers of the new world marcovitz, hal on.
Through his thorough research and skillful prose, larner has placed marco polo and polos book in their proper complex contexts, and his commentary rest on a series of reasonable and convincing interpretations. Marco polo and the wonders of the east explorers of the new world. The travels of marco polo ebook written by marco polo. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read travels of marco polo. In italian, the book of marco polos travels is titled il milione. A fellow captive is an author of romances, by the name of rustichello. The first third is introductory material, and there are 23 pages of gloss for every page of polos actual text. The travels of marco polo volume 1 by marco polo and rustichello of pisa free ebook project gutenberg. Book of marco polo or the wonders of the world fine. Following in marco polos footsteps through asia leads our intrepid author to some. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The travels of marco polobook 2chapter 10 wikisource, the. Marco polo was seventeen when he set out for china, and fortyone when he came back.
Marco polo september 15, 1254 january 8, 24 was a venetian trader and explorer who, together with his father niccolo and his uncle maffeo, was one of the first westerners to travel the silk road to china which he called cathay and visited the great khan of the mongol empire, kublai khan grandson of genghis khan. The book was written by romance writer rustichello da pisa, who worked from accounts which he had heard from marco polo when they were imprisoned together in genoa. The travels of marco polo by marco polo librarything. Did venetian trader and explorer marco polo 125424 actually reach the court of kublai khan, serve the emperor as his emissary, and journey the distant lands of cathay for 17 years, as he relates in his travels of marco polo. The book of ser marco polo, the venetian, concerning the kingdoms and marvels of the east. Jul 14, 2008 the travels of marco polobook 2chapter 9. Oct 06, 2016 marco polo in tartar costume, wikipedia public domain the travels of marco polo c. The travels of marco polo is one of a handful of books that can truly be said to have changed the world.
Wonders and whoppers following in marco polos footsteps through asia leads our intrepid author to some surprising conclusions. After being imprisoned during the venetiangenoese war, marco polo told his stories to his cellmate, who later documented polos accounts of his travels into a book, later entitled the travels of marco polo. Nov 11, 2014 marco polo also revealed the wonders of xanadu, the summer capital of mongol emperor kublai khan. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Almost 750 years later, acclaimed author john man traveled in marco polos footsteps to xanadu then on to beijing and through modern china in search of the history behind the legend. Marco polos account was not just a simple record of the journey, but a description of the worlda mixture of a travel report, legend, hearsay, and practical information. Polos book has ornamented libraries the world over for. Marco polo and the wonders of the east explorers of the new world library binding january 1, 2000. Marco polo the book of wonders facsimile edition the illuminated manuscript on marco polo s fascinating and adventurous travels ranks among the most famous manuscripts of the middle ages and is considered a highlight of french book decoration. The million, deriving from polo s nickname emilione citation needed, or oriente poliano, lit. Polian east citation needed, in english commonly called the travels of marco polo, is a thcentury travelogue written down by rustichello da pisa from stories told by italian explorer marco polo, describing polo s travels through.
But, if he dramatizes here, can we take any of his descriptions as truth. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on. Originally the books name was a description of the world now the book is called the travels of marco polo. Rarely have secular topics had such an intensive echo. After all, polos book has ornamented libraries the world over for centuries. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. For the rest of that year in the prison cell marco would tell the 24 year story and rustichello would write it all down.
The account of marco polo s travels through asia dictated to another while he was in prison in venice. Marco polo was the frst western traveller to speak of burma mien. Marco polo books list of books by author marco polo. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Marco polo by laurence bergreen books the guardian.
The travels of marco polo is the usual english title of marco polos travel book, nicknamed il milione the million, see below or le livre des merveilles the book of wonders. They spent the next 20 years in the service of the kubilai khan, travelling throughout the mongolian empire. Many people say marco polo was the greatest explorer that ever lived, traveling 33, miles by land and sea from venice, italy, to modernday beijing, china. His father, niccolo polo, had his household in venice and left marcos mother pregnant in order to travel to asia with his brother maffeo polo.
His famous book, the travels of marco polo, indicates that he was a man of extraordinary bravery, brilliance, and. The description of the world translated and annotated by a. Once ramusios edition became a printed book, the book of marco polo became the most wellknown record of its time. Marco polos reports offered the ideal background for illustration, as people in europe had always been curious to know about the marvels. His late thirteenth century account has been translated numerous times, one of the most popular editions being henry yules tr. The travels of marco polo by marco polo, alex struik. The million, deriving from polos nickname emilione citation needed, or oriente poliano, lit. Rustichello wrote it in francoitalian francovenetian, a lingua franca of crusaders and western merchants in the orient. 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. Book of marco polo or the wonders of the world fine facsimile edition of 15th c.
The most gifted book painters of the time depicted the adventures his journey in the most farflung regions of the world in a captivating variety of colors and gold inlay. The travels of marco polo the venetian by william marsden. Jan 01, 2004 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Marco polo is the last of the illustrious polo family left in venice, after his father and uncles moved abroad, leaving him and his mother behind. Read the world of marco polo adventures in mommydom.
In class we agreed with the original title, but perhaps the french gave a more apt one with the book of the wonders of the world. Polo made reference to much of asia, including the arab world, persia, japan, sumatra, and the andaman islands, and to e africa as far south as zanzibar. Book of the marvels of the world in english commonly called the travels of marco polo, is a thcentury travelogue written down by rustichello da pisa from. Description, highres photos, availability, and prices of marco polo the book of. The travels of marco polo volume 1 by marco polo and. The worldfamous explorer marco polo is credited with many things, but perhaps the greatest is compiling one of the world s first bestselling travelogues. The remainder of the book describes places he had visited and heard of and recounts the customs of the inhabitants. The illuminated manuscript on marco polos fascinating and adventurous travels ranks among the most famous manuscripts of the middle ages and is considered a highlight of french book decoration. The travels of marco polo is the usual english title of marco polo s travel book, nicknamed il milione the million, see below or le livre des merveilles the book of wonders. Of all the descriptions of asia before oceancrossing ships brought europeans to every part of the planet, only marco polos description of the world has been popular from the time it was first written to the present day. Marco polo by demi share book recommendations with your. Marco polo and the discovery of the world by john larner yale university press new haven, conn 1999.