Marco Polo

I was born in the year 1253 in the city of Venice. My father and uncle were among the first European Merchants who visited the country of China, even meeting Khubilai Khan. When I turned 17 in the year 1271, I went to China with them. The khan took a liking to me, and he allowed me to not only pursue my mercantile interests, but also sent me on many diplomatic missions. After spending 17 years in China, we decided to return to Venice. Taking a sea route back through Sumatra, Ceylon, India, and Arabia, we finally arrived back in Venice in the year of 1295. Once I returned, I was made a prisoner of war during a conflict between my native city and its commercial rival, Genoa. I told the stories of my travels to my fellow prisoners, and one of them, a writer, compiled all of my stories into a large volume, which then circulated rapidly throughout all of Europe. My stories were largely influential on European traders, helping to increase European participation in cross cultural trade across the whole of the eastern hemisphere.