Marco Polo's Influence In Europe

Marco Polo was a renowned explorer in the medieval era and he wrote the work in which most of our past understanding of the regions is remembered today. He was born in 1252 in Venice and later deceased in Venice at the age of 70 in 1352. The reason he so is so famous and remembered today is because he reached the farthest on his 24 year journey down the silk road reaching extents of China and Mongolian empire. To begin with Marco Polo was born into a wealthy family who was known for their travels and spread of merchantability already and a young Marco Polo would begin his journey as early as 14-16 Years old. Though his date of birth is unknown and the exact location his family was a big name in the Venice community making it only seem fitting. This paper is going to correlate to the book found in the franciscan library at Saint Bonaventure, “Did Marco Polo Really Go to China” by Dr. Wood; she does a scholarly review questioning whether or not Mr. Polo really carried out the things he said to have done and has he actually visited the regions in which he said he's went too. Before we begin though we cannot fully disprove the veracity of the journey in which Mr. polo took because other explorers have also left out important historical happenings when discovering new regions and cultures. Born in 1254 in Venetian Republic, Marco Polo headed to Asia with his merchant father (weapons trader supposedly as we will later touch on) . He would spend the next 24 years exploring

The crusades resulted in the advancement of European knowledge about Asian world, bringing a more cosmopolitan influence to Europe.

The European expansion during the 15th and 16th centuries lead to major economic expansion throughout Europe and the newly established

1. Marco Polo- A Venetian merchant and adventurer who traveled from Europe to Asia from 1271 to 1295. He traveled from Europe to Asia from 1271 to 1295 and remained in China for 17 years until he left to guide a Mongol princess to Persia. These travels are recorded in Il Milione, known in English as The Travels of Marco Polo that has influenced later merchants and travelers.

Marco Polo's Travels formulated in Europe of the fourteenth and fifteenth century a new perception of the Eastern world, a world just as advanced and sophisticated as that of the West. Yet, another two centuries were needed for a significant change to take place; this was Christopher Columbus' voyage. For Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo's travelogue was a valuable and solid resource that contained the necessary details of the East. The geographical descriptions in his writing generated a basis for Columbus' scientific calculations for his expedition and the explicit depictions of the luxury of Cipangu and Cathay, flawed though they were, created a strong motivation for Columbus. In the 12th of May 1492, Christopher Columbus, accompanied

Europeans were able to understand the culture, beliefs, values, attitudes and institutions because of Mongols large area connecting Europe and Asia. The cultural growth of Asia by Mongols helped Europeans to accept Asian a permanent place in natural order of things (Document 7). Political and economical relationship across Eurasia was a useful exchange of peoples and culture. Mongol capital at Karakorum was a cosmopolitan city with places of worship for Buddhist, Muslims, Christians and Daoists. Marriage of Mongols rulers to Christian women, shows Mongols were encouragers of cultural diffusion. Control over large area from Europe to Asia, helped Chinese technology like gunpowder, printing and compass to get into Europe (Document 8). Mongols were encouragers of cultural growth and

The Mongol Empire, an infamous empire in due to its oppressively powerful army, had an unavoidable influence on Eurasia including both positive effects, such as advancing trade and production of goods in less advanced societies (doc 5) as well as laying a powerful and protective influence on a number of societies (doc 2), and negative effects, being savagely murderous towards those societies in their path (doc 1), destroying important structures and cities of other societies (doc 7), and aggressively demanding a tribute be paid to them from Christian societies and others (doc 9), as well as effects that are considered neither negative nor positive effects, examples being that the Khan leader did not convert to Christianity when confronted

Marco Polo and Charlemagne have a few similarities and many differences on their expertise and achievements during the medieval period. Both figures have different perspectives of life because of their role in society because Marco is a traveler from Venice, Italy that has had journeys everywhere throughout Europe to Asia. Whereas, Charlemagne (Charles the Great) is a conqueror that established the Carolingian empire and attempted to rebuild the “Roman” empire. Even though both figures had different perspectives because of their role in society they both spread their ideas to others that they met either in their journeys or when they were conquering the land. Charlemagne tried to convert people to the idea of Christianity when he conquered

The Pax Mongolica is an important reason why the Mongolian empire had a positive impact on Eurasia because both the Mongols and other regions were able to gain needed resources and survive longer. These routes not only posed as routes for trade, but also acted as a way for communication throughout the empire, as depicted on document 1. The rise of the Pax Mongolica helped enforce safer and better trade. It gave Eurasia a well needed time of peace and prosperity since the Mongols hadn’t halted their invasions. During this time merchants were able to travel from one end of the empire to another with a lower risk of being attacked. This blossomed trade since goods were successfully transported throughout Eurasia for a duration that would keep cities surviving. The collapse of the Pax Mongolica was also a positive for Eurasia because the decline in trade and the collapse of the Mongolian empire led to an “Age of Exploration” -Document 7. This Age of Exploration began with Christopher Columbus, and westerners searching for new routes to China and India. Document 7 states; “Thus, the Mongols indirectly led to European exploration and the intrusion of Europeans into Asia. These are both positive effects the Mongols had on Eurasia because without the rise and the fall of the Pax Mongolica more regions around the world, including Eurasia would be left

The Mongol Empire, an infamous empire in founded in the beginning of the thirteenth century and fell in the mid to late fourteenth century, had an unavoidable influence on Eurasia including both positive effects, such as advancing trade and production of goods in less advanced societies (doc 5) as well as laying a powerful and protective influence on a number of societies (doc 2), and negative effects, being savagely murderous towards those societies in their path (doc 1), destroying important structures and cities of other societies (doc 7), and aggressively demanding a tribute be paid to them from Christian societies and others (doc 9), as well as effects that are considered neither negative nor positive effects, examples being that the

a) Marco Polo (Italian adventurer) returned to Europe in 1295, telling of his journey in China. His book with descriptions of goods made him an indirect discoverer of the New World.

Many children, including myself, have once played the game Marco Polo. Although, I have always been curious, who exactly is Marco Polo? My fascination of Marco Polo warped into a fixation of his travels. Marco Polo was born in Venice in the year 1254. His father, Nicolo, and his uncle, Maffeo, were merchants who had seats in the great nobleman council of Venice (Polo IV). According to his records, he had traveled thousands of miles with his father and uncle.

The Mongols impacted the course of history in Eurasia, but the resulting destruction: ruined empires and the Black Death, lead to a need for rebuilding and reestablishing the once powerful empires from the Post-Classical time period from the fifteenth century. Ansary argues that the Mongol Holocaust had both positive and negative effects. Because of the Mongols, there was a new sense of global awareness and synchronizing that was reflected in similarities between different lands. Yet, the mass murdering and destruction from Timar was a definite low point. Even so, due to the destruction that resulted, communication and trade became world-wide and new, strong empires were born. They were fueled by new technology and unified by religion. The level of religious tolerance in each empire was determined by each empire’s interpretation of the Qur’an. Ansary highlights his opinion of the two most important products of post-Mongol rebirth, new interpretations of the Qur'an and Muslim religious theory as well as the emergence of Sufism, within the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires.

The world has not been the same since the Mongol Empire rose and took control in the 13th century. The world has been more culturally connected. An open door policy has truly given rise to some of the most influential ideas of the modern day. At this time of the Mongol growth, European empires fail to colonize the known world, and today are only accredited for the Roman Empire and the Black Plague.

People inhabited towns and cities along the Silk Road because of the trade and steady resources. The soil was ideal for their agriculture products, cotton being a popular product. The inhabitants would sell their products to travelers. People also sold temporary housing for