Marco Polo

Marco Polo was born in 1254. Marco had been living with his aunt and uncle while his father was away traveling. After they came back from their trip Marco’s father brought him with them on their journey back to Kublai Khan. They were all welcomed warmly and given everything they could want. Kublai Khan appointed him to important positions in the court. Polos served in the courts of Kublai Khan for 17 years. Kublai Khan was getting older and the Polos wanted to make sure that a new leader wouldn’t force them to stay. At first he didn’t want them to leave, but then he agreed to let them go home. They accompanied a Mongolian Princess to her wedding to the Persian Prince and then returned to Venice. They were away for 24 years, they struggled to fit in at first. 

A war broke out when Marco Polo became captain of a galley ship. He was captured and during his time in jail he told his fellow prisoner about all of his travels. After he was freed he published a book about his adventures. It became a bestseller despite many people not believing everything he wrote about and would often ask him to tell the stories himself.