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Purple=context, Green= Landscape, Orange=Landmarks

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The travels of Marco Polo were overshadowed by a series of terrible wars. These wars were called the Crusades, which lasted around 200 years from 1095 to 1300, the 9th and last Crusade being in 1271. The conflicts were caused due to the religions of Christianity and Islam's Holy Lands overlapping. Christians believed they should control the middle east due to it being the birthplace of Jesus, while Islam held the middle east due to it being the land described in the Quran. Multiple invasions were attempted on the Eastern Mediterranean by various different Christian raiding and expeditionary parties to "take back" the Holy Land. Some countries like Great Britain, France, and the Holy Roman Empire directly influenced such crusades. Over time, this created an us versus them mentality between Christians and Muslims, causing Polo and many other Catholics to be negatively biased towards Muslims, a bias visible in his work.

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Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy

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Marco Polo was born in the vibrant city of Venice, Italy. At the time, Venice was a major hub for trade. It thrived economically due to its strategic position. The city was well-connected to the Silk Road trade network. This connection facilitated commerce with regions in the Middle East and North Africa. As a result, Venice became a key player in international trade during Marco Polo's lifetime.

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The Great City of Baghdad was an immense metropolis that served as the residence of the caliph for all Saracens. Notably, it was situated along a river that emptied into the Indian Sea, which played a vital role in facilitating trade. This river also hosted another significant city, Basra, renowned for its exceptional date palms. In Baghdad, artisans skillfully crafted luxurious textiles, including cloth of gold, silk, damask, brocade, and cramoisy. The city emerged as a prominent hub for the study of the laws of Mohammed. At that time, Baghdad stood out as the largest and most influential city in its region. Its rich cultural and economic contributions were pivotal to the era's advancements.

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The Plain of Hormuz was an expansive area that required two days to traverse. This region was abundant with date palms, various fruits, and wildlife such as parrots and francolin partridges. It served as a coastal city bustling with merchant activity, where spices, precious stones, pearls, golden cloths, and elephant tusks were traded. The native inhabitants practiced the worship of Mohammed and primarily consumed dates and salted fish, reflecting a diet well-suited to their environment. During the sweltering summer months, the residents would retreat from the city to gardens filled with nourishing streams. This seasonal migration was essential for their health, livelihood, and overall well-being, as it helped them escape the intense heat.

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To enter or leave Yazd, travelers faced a vast plain that stretched for seven days. The residents of this Persian city devoted their worship to Mohammed. They were skilled in crafting various types of cloth made from gold. The surrounding fields yielded abundant crops, particularly rich cotton. Additionally, they cultivated a variety of grains and plants, including ceredis, barley, millet, panic grass, and various fruits. The silk produced in Yazd was highly sought after. Successful merchants eagerly procured this luxurious fabric, enhancing its popularity in trade.

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Mosul was a large kingdom home to various groups, including Arabs (Muslims), Nestorians, and Jacobites (Christians who rejected the Church of Rome). The region was known for its production of muslin, a fine fabric woven from silk and gold thread. Merchants in Mosul wore this luxurious material while trading unique spices. The mountains surrounding Mosul were inhabited by Kurds, who were known for their fierceness. These Kurdish groups frequently launched attacks against merchants. As a result, the merchants often faced the threat of robbery during their travels. The diverse community and the challenges posed by the rugged terrain made Mosul a dynamic and complex region.

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Tabriz was a significant city located in Iraq. It was renowned for its lush gardens and abundant fruit. The inhabitants thrived through trade and craft, particularly excelling in the production of luxurious gold cloth and precious silk. Goods from distant lands, such as India, Baghdad, Mosul, and Hormuz, were brought to Tabriz. Latin traders often visited to purchase these valuable items. The city's diverse population included various ethnic and religious groups. Among them were Armenians, Nestorians, Jacobites, Georgians, Persians, and Native Mohammedans. This rich tapestry of cultures contributed to the vibrant life in Tabriz.

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Badakhshan was governed by a hereditary dynasty that traced its lineage back to Alexander the Great. This region was famed for its precious rubies, silver, and sapphires. However, the exclusive right to mine rubies was held by the king. He would trade these valuable gems for gold and silver. Any attempts to steal the rubies were met with severe punishment, often resulting in execution. The local population honored Mohammed and excelled in breeding fine horses, raising various animals and birds, cultivating the finest wheat and barley, and producing sesame and nut oil.

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Kashgar, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, China

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Kashgar, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, China

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Kashgar, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, China

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In approximately 1187, the Tartars chose Genghis Khan to be their king. He quickly proved to be a good and noble leader. Within a short period, he managed to defeat more than eight provinces and forge multiple alliances. As he conquered new territories, the locals witnessed his dedication to caring for and protecting his followers. This commitment inspired many to join his cause and become his followers. Genghis Khan ruled over numerous lands and had ambitions to conquer much of the world. Ultimately, he established the Mongol Empire, which connected regions from East Asia and South India to West Armenia and Europe.

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Java is a huge island which lies 1500 miles to the southwest of Champa, famous for its fast growing rice. Experienced sailors claim it to be the largest island in the world.

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Malabar Coast, Vallarpadam, Kochi, Ernakulam, Kerala

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Malabar Coast, Vallarpadam, Kochi, Ernakulam, Kerala

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Malabar Coast, Vallarpadam, Kochi, Ernakulam, Kerala

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The Kingdom of Gujarat was a vast territory ruled by a powerful king. The inhabitants practiced idolatry, refraining from worshipping a single deity. This kingdom was notorious for its fierce pirates, who terrorized merchants, subjecting them to brutal methods to reveal hidden treasures. These pirates would force captives to vomit, hoping to uncover pearls and precious jewels swallowed in desperation. Gujarat boasted a rich variety of leathers, including buffalo hides, deerskins, wild ox hides, unicorn hides, and more. Additionally, the region was abundant in agricultural products like pepper, ginger, indigo, and cotton. The artisans of Gujarat were renowned for their exquisite leather craftsmanship. They became especially famous for their intricate red and blue mats, which featured luxurious gold and silver embroidery.

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The people are Saracens whom worship Mohammed. They are ruled by four sheiks, or ancients, who govern the whole island.

The island has a perimeter of about 4,000 miles.

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Context: Mongol control over the Silk Road and other areas

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Context: Mongol control over the Silk Road and other areas

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In 1187 CE, the politician and soldier Genghis Khan was elected to rule over the Mongol Empire. Khan was known as a noble king and was well-respected across his empire. He equipped those under his command with mainly bows, among other weapons, and put them on horseback. Unlike most empires however, Khan’s Mongol Empire didn’t pillage the areas they conquered, making those provinces loyal to him, helping the empire grow to the immense size it was known for. During these conquests, much of the silk road was taken over by the Mongols, who instilled their own laws over their territories of the road.

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Manzi merchant ships and Indian Ocean travel

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Manzi merchant ships and Indian Ocean travel

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For travel through the Indian Ocean, ships would travel in convoys with ships of varied sizes. Each ship would have multiple layers of wood that was also caulked on the inside to prevent leakage and to keep sailors and merchants safe. Over time more layers are added as needed. For travel between islands and straits, the smaller boats in the convoy would tug the larger boats.

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Dangers of the Silk Road, and innovations made to avoid it

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Dangers of the Silk Road, and innovations made to avoid it

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All across the silk road, pirates, barbarians, and hostile nomadic tribes are ready to seize merchant goods for themselves. Travelers almost always stayed in caravan groups of hundreds or even thousands while on land, to defend against any thieves. This way, travelers could take shifts defending and carrying goods to ensure safety of both themselves and the group. Similarly, ships traveled in large convoys to prevent pirates from being able to seize a singular ship’s cargo, although this method was often less successful than caravans. In addition to human dangers, environmental obstacles required solutions. Caravans ensured that as many travelers as possible could reach their destination, as members of the caravan could take turns in heat, rain, or any other extreme weather to prevent sickness and exhaustion. Merchant ships in the Indian Ocean would plan their travel around their monsoon (extreme rain) season for the safety of travelers and their cargo

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A very hot and dry region, people could travel in caravans to traverse this environment to reach the Indian Ocean, however this was a mainly avoided region as there were easier ways to get to the ocean and similar destinations.

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Ocean that has lots of commerce flowing through it due to its access to East Africa, India, Persia, The Red Sea, and Oceania. Large boat convoys were used to travel across this large region safely and efficiently

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Marco Polo was born in 1254 CE in Venice. He was born into a merchant family, however at birth his Father was away due to his merchant duties, only to return when Marco was 15. His mother died while he was at a young age, leaving him to be raised by members of his family and communities. His grandfather was also a merchant, which influenced him to follow his family tradition and become a merchant himself. Polo grew up Catholic during the Crusades, which caused him to view Muslims as uncivilized or evil during his travels as a result of being taught such things in his youth.

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Mountain range spanning from Eastern Turkey through Iraq, with the bulk of the range being in Persia, now Iran. This mountain range is long, but relatively thin, making it the quickest way to travel through Persia

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Desert in Western China that, due to the Himalayas, is a very large and dry stretch of land. As this was the shortest walking path to greater China without going through large mountains, this path was crossed often.

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Similar to the Indian Ocean, lots of commerce flows through this region due to the large and powerful empires that are in this regio; however since there are many small islands and straits close together Tugs were often used to safely pull larger ships through this region.