The Travels of Marco Polo, also known as Il Milione, is a book describing the journey of the Venetian merchant Marco Polo through Asia and his years in the service of Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler of China. It was written down by Rustichello da Pisa, a romance writer who shared a prison cell with Marco Polo in Genoa, after the Venetian had been captured in a naval battle. The book describes many places and customs, from Persia and Central Asia to Beijing, and parts of Southeast Asia and India, and was widely read in medieval Europe, influencing mapmakers and later explorers, including Christopher Columbus. Some scholars have questioned whether Marco Polo really visited China, though most accept that he did.
Before and after
- from 1296 to 1357Wars of Scottish Independence
- 8 September 1296Construction of Florence Cathedral
- 8 January 1297Founding of Monaco
- 1298Construction of Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
- 1298The Travels of Marco Polo
- 1299Rise of Ottoman dynasty
- 1299Construction of Palazzo Vecchio
- from 29 July 1299 to 17 November 1922Ottoman Empire
- from 22 December 1299 to 23 December 1299Battle of Wadi al-Khaznadar
More in Exploration & discovery
- from 629 CE to 645 CEXuanzang travels from China to India
- from 1271 to 1295Marco Polo sets out for China
- c. 1280sPolynesian navigators settle New Zealand
- 14 June 1325Ibn Battuta sets out from Tangier
- 1451Birth of Christopher Columbus
- 24 June 1497John Cabot reaches North America
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 13th century.