His book was one of the bestloved works of the middle ages, and has remained popular ever since. It was edited by the prominent nineteenthcentury geographer henry yule and was considered an authoritative source on polos travels. Venetian merchant and explorer marco polos travels were first recorded in his livre des merveilles du monde book of the marvels of the world, also known as the travels of marco polo, c. Marco polo wrote a book called book of ser marco polo actually i thought he wrote. Selected document excerpts with questions from the book of ser marco polo. Marco polo set off on his travels from venice as a young man in 1271, and returned home in 1295 after spending 24 years away, 17 of them in china. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally imp. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. Participating in a military conflict between genoa and venice, he was taken prisoner in 1298. Marco polo books list of books by author marco polo. Free pdf marco polo travels download pdf search engine. The travels of marco polo volume 1 by marco polo and rustichello of pisa free ebook project gutenberg. Marco also had another uncle who lived in constantinople and crimea and was engaged in commerce.
Introduction marco polo was a merchant in venice before he became the famous explorer we know today. How marco polo went to china marco polo was born in venice in the year 1254. The book of ser marco polo, the venetian, concerning the kingdoms and marvels of the east, volume 1 audiobook rustichello da pisa 1272 0 and marco polo 1254 24, translated by henry. In the excerpts that follow, marco polo or his arab sources describes the cities and urban life of yuandynasty china. Marco polo always stood by the book, claiming it was the complete truth. The book of ser marco polo, the venetian, concerning the kingdoms and marvels of the east. Netflix marco polo series riddled with historical errors according to mongolian historians, much of the series plot plays fast and loose with the facts. They traveled the silk road to china where he met the great ruler kublai khan. Weve come full circle then in that marco polo and his book marvels of the world may well be the originator of the white man in a foreign land that became the. Marco polo wrote an account of the marvels of answers. 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 italian marco polo is probably the worlds most famous traveler and one of the worlds first travel writers. From the dazzling courts of kublai khan to the perilous deserts of persia, no book contains a richer magazine of marvels than the travels.
Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. In service to the khan, marco explored tibet and burma and many of the remote provinces of china. Marco polos reports offered the ideal background for illustration, as people in europe had always been curious to know. The book of ser marco polo, the venetian, concerning the.
The most gifted book painters of the time depicted the adventures his journey in the most farflung regions of the. The famous venetian is believed to have left venice at age 17 to embark on a 24year journey through the persian gulf and asia, spending much of this time in china in the court of the great mongol emperor kublai khan. The venetian concerning kingdoms and marvels of the east pdf asia for educators. His father, nicolo, and his uncle, maffeo, were merchants who had seats in the great council and were enrolled with the noblemen of venice. His travels are recorded in the travels of marco polo also known as book of the marvels of the world and il milione, c. The work was an important introduction for europeans to the history and geography of central asia and china. Marco polos famous novel is called the travels of marco polo, a partially nonfiction work which described his experiences and observations in china, india and japan. Book of ser marco polo, the venetian by henri cordier, henry yule, marco polo. Having travelled much of the silk road i was intrigued to know how it had been in polos times and this book brought the places and people marco polo encountered to life. The venetian concerning kingdoms and marvels of the east, volume 1, translated and. 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 asia and china. Excerpt from the book of ser marco polo the venetian concerning the kingdoms and marvels of the east. In the book of marvels, polo claimed that he was a close friend and advisor to kublai khan and that he was the governor of the city of yangzhou for three years yet no chinese source mentions him as either a friend of the emperor or as the governor of yangzhou indeed no chinese source mentions marco polo at all. Rarely have secular topics had such an intensive echo.
The travels of marco polo by marco polo, alex struik. There were real quotes from some of the original documents and the whole book was very readable to a layman like myself. Marco traveled much of china and the east, and his stories were written into a popular book. This edition, selected and edited by the great scholar manuel komroff, also features the classic and stylistically brilliant marsden translation. This page was last edited on 17 december 2019, at 07. From the book of ser marco polo the venetian concerning the kingdoms and marvels of the east, trans. Last year, i read a beautiful little book called invisible cities 1972 by italian author italo calvino 19231985 read an excerpt in this blog post from february 2016 a fictionalised, highly inventive, account of the meeting between the venetian merchant traveller marco polo 125424 and the mongolian emperor kublai khan 12151294. The travels of marco polo volume 1 by marco polo and. While in captivity, he dictated the travels of marco polo to a fellow prisoner. Marco polo was a venetian explorer known for the book the travels of marco polo, which describes his voyage to and experiences in asia. Marco polos reports offered the ideal background for illustration, as people in europe had always been curious to know about the marvels of the legendary orient.
The book of ser marco polo, the venetian internet archive. Some readers have even concluded that the book is a. Wonders and whoppers following in marco polos footsteps through asia leads our intrepid author to some surprising conclusions. Marco polo famously replied, i have not told half of what i saw. Primary source wdbqs excerpts from the book of ser marco polo. Published in 1903 i repeat that everything appertaining to this city is on so vast a scale, and the great kaans yearly revenues therefrom are so immense, that it is not easy even to put it in writing, and it seems past belief to one who merely hears it told. He isone of the few early adventurers whose name nearly everyone knows. The venetian concerning kingdoms and marvels of the east, volumes i and ii, translated and edited by colonel sir henry yule london.
Marco polo september 15, 1254 january 89, 24 was an italian merchant traveler whose travels are chronicled in livres des merveilles du monde book of the marvels of the world, also known as the travels of marco polo, c. You must know that it is the greatest palace that ever was. The book of wonders originates from 15th century france and tells the story of the pioneer and commercial traveler marco polo. He recorded his adventures in a book published as the travels of marco polo. Marco polo was supposedly born in the venetian republic, in what is now venice, italy. Netflix marco polo series riddled with errors seeker. 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. Game content and materials are trademarks and s of their respective publisher and its licensors. Book of the marvels of the world on art and aesthetics. Book of the travels of marco polo a page of the travels of marco polo authorsrustichello da pisa and marco polo original titlelivres des merveilles du monde translatorjohn frampton countryrepublic of venice languagefrancoitalian genretravel literature publication date c.
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