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One of the most well-known Europeans to travel the silk road in Medieval times was Marco Polo (1245-1324), a merchant, explorer and writer who recorded his travels a book.

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His book is also known as The Travels of Marco Polo, and it describes Polo’s travels along the Silk Road and the various Asian regions and cities that he traverses, including China.

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Polo grew up in a family where both his father Niccoló and uncle Maffeo were merchants.

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The Polo brother’s embarked on a new journey, and this time they brought Marco with them. This trip, which would end up taking 24 years since they stayed for very long in China, is the one chronicled by Marco Polo in his book.

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Marco Polo was born in 1254. His family were Ventians, but it is unclear if he was actually born in Venice or if the birth took place on the island of Curzola off the Dalmatian coast, where his father and uncle had established a trading post.

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He recieved a good education that included, among other things, classes in French and Italian. His native language is believed to have been Venetian.

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After a year in China, the Polo brothers were sent back to Europe by Kublai Khan who wanted them to deliver a letter from him to Pope Clement IV. In this letter, the Khan asked the Pope to send him a hundred learned men to teach his people about Christianity and Western science, and he also wanted the Pope to procure oil for him from the lamp at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

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Marco Polo’s mother died when he was just a child, after which he was taken care of by his aunt and uncle.

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In 1271, the Polo brothers embarked on a new journey, and this time the took Marco with them. They had finally been able to deliver the letter from Kublai Khan to the pope, since Teobaldo Visconti had been elected at the conclusion of the papal election that had been running from 1268 to 1271 – the longest papal election in the history of the Latin Church.

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In 1271, Marco Polo, along with his uncle and father, left their home of Venice and headed east, traveling to Acre, Hormuz, and then Shangdu to the court of the Mongol emperor of China, Kublai Khan.

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The Polos wanted to sail straight into China, but the ships there were not seaworthy, so they continued overland through the Silk Road, until reaching Kublai's summer palace in Shangdu, near present-day Zhangjiakou.

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As a young merchant, he began his journey to China in 1271 and his travels lasted for 24 years. During this time he became the confidant of Khubilai Khaan (1214-1294). Upon his return he became a prisoner of war.