Short History Of... - Marco Polo

Episode Date: July 31, 2022

In the thirteenth century, Marco Polo spent decades travelling the world. His adventures took him from his home in Venice as far east as the Yellow Sea, where he was a valued courtier of the legendary Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Later, in prison, he wrote the world’s first travel book. But how did his name become synonymous with adventure? What compelled him to stay away for so long? And why is his story still remembered almost eight centuries later? This is a Short History of Marco Polo. Written by Chris McDonald. With thanks to Denis Belliveau: author and Emmy-nominated filmmaker of In The Footsteps of Marco Polo. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 100 meters, turn right. Actually, no. Turn left. There's some awesome new breakfast wraps at McDonald's. Really? Yeah. There's the sausage bacon and egg. A crispy seasoned chicken one. Mmm. A spicy end egg. Worth the detour. They sound amazing.

Bet they taste amazing, too. Wish I had a mouth. Take your morning into a delicious new direction with McDonald's new breakfast wraps. Add a small premium roast coffee for a dollar plus tax. At participating McDonald's restaurants. Ba-da-ba-ba-ba. It is the 6th of October, 1298, in Genoa, a city-state in the north of the Italian peninsula. Rustichello da Pisa, once a prolific writer of romance stories, awakens with a start. It's early, but outside there's some kind of commotion, a hearty cheer erupting in the distance. Quickly climbing out of bed, he crosses to the window. He pulls back the curtain, allowing a welcome Mediterranean breeze to flow into the room.

allowing a welcome Mediterranean breeze to flow into the room. Shielding his eyes against the blinding sunshine, he finds the source of the noise. A galley-style warship, skirted by dozens of sets of oars, has docked in the Genoese harbour. Fifty more wait in the turquoise waters beyond the stone walls, their red and white flags flapping against their masts. Seagulls circle overhead, their beady eyes trained on the fleet in anticipation of discarded supplies. Returning war heroes from the Battle of Kozola, a naval skirmish off the coast of Croatia,

disembark from the docked ship. As they make their way down the swaying gangplanks, they are greeted by relieved wives and sobbing children. It's a scene Rustichello knows well, having arrived by the same means four years previously, albeit under very different circumstances. Because Rustichello is not a celebrated hero, but a prisoner of war. Soon more men disembark, and it's now that Rustichello feels an affinity with the travelers. These defeated men arrive just as he did, their wrists bound by strips of leather,

tethered together with rope. They're led roughly off the boat towards the building where Rustichello stands watching, the Palazzo di San Giorgio, a palace that currently functions as the town's prison. From his window, Rustichello follows them in glimpses as they shuffle through the narrow streets, jeered at and mocked by the residents. They disappear into the prison, where most will end up in the cramped cells, begging for food and mercy. Though, as Rustichello knows, the nobles among them might well be upgraded to the relative comfort of an apartment not unlike his own. He casts a glance at the spare bed in the corner and prays he will not have to share. Today, though, his prayers fall on deaf ears. The door opens and a guard pushes a man inside,

then swiftly exits and locks them in. The new prisoner is covered in grime, and his face is cut and bruised. But his beard is well maintained, and his skin has the tanned, weathered quality of a traveller. He doesn't look like much of a fighter, but his eyes are alive with the prospect of adventure. The writer allows his new cellmate time to settle before striking up conversation. Rustichello recounts his own credentials, boasting that his stories were commissioned by King Edward I of England. He is delighted when the man reciprocates with tales of his own. Tales of faraway countries, of exotic animals, of emperors and empires. Before long, Rustichello realizes there is more here than he can hold in his head. He starts to make notes, scribbling quickly onto parchment as the words tumble out.

The notes will develop into stories, and the stories will go on to form a book known simply as The Travels. Though he can't know it yet, this book will become one of the most influential adventure books of all time. Because his new cellmate is no ordinary prisoner. His name is Marco Polo, and he will one day rank among the greatest explorers ever to have lived. Marco Polo spent decades traveling the world. His adventures took him far away from his Italian home, as far east as the Yellow Sea.

He made connections in high places and witnessed some of the most crucial battles and political disputes of the era. But he wasn't the first to explore so widely. Even his father and uncle had journeyed deep into Asia before he was even born. So how did his name become synonymous with adventure? What compelled him to stay away from his beloved Venice for more than two decades? held him to stay away from his beloved Venice for more than two decades? And why is his story still remembered almost eight centuries later? I'm John Hopkins, and this is a short history of Marco Polo. Marco Emilio Polo begins life in the city-state of Venice, at the northeast tip of the Italian

peninsula in 1254 AD. But even before he is born, his world is shaped by a passion for adventure. Marco's father Niccolo sets off on a voyage to the Middle East months before his son's arrival. Marco's mother dies in childbirth, leaving her infant son and his older brother to be raised by their aunt and uncle. From the very start, Marco's is a life of wealth and nobility. The Polo Mansion overlooks the tranquil waters of the city's Grand Canal. Like their father, the boy's uncle is a skilled trader. His affluence, along with regular donations to the Doge or Duke of Venice, ensures respect and high standing amongst the gentry.

It's clear to the private tutors who educate Marco at home that he's a clever boy. They are impressed by his aptitude, especially the speed with which he picks up languages. He enjoys learning about history and listening to stories of adventure and discovery. When left alone, he pours over the crude, incomplete maps of the time and daydreams of far-off lands. maps of the time and daydreams of far-off lands. In his free time, he and his brother navigate the winding waterways of their home city in a private gondola. With the city so often at war with the rival republic of Genoa, around 200 miles to the west, the young Marco spends a lot of time watching warships at the docks.

He's fascinated by the pageantry of the troops receiving their final blessings from the high priests before sailing around the entire peninsula and back up the Mediterranean to battle. One morning, when he is 15, Marco receives word that his merchant father has returned from his travels abroad. He rushes down to the docks to meet him for the first time. Venice is considered a stylish, cosmopolitan city, but from the moment Marco sees the older man step off the gangway of his ship, it's clear he has no time for high fashion.

step off the gangway of his ship, it's clear he has no time for high fashion. In a sea of noble men and women, resplendent in brightly colored outfits of silk and lace, Niccolo Polo is dressed in a long fur coat with pointed shoes as he strides forward to greet his son. His hair is down to his shoulders, his beard is long, and his skin is rough and sun-beaten. The teenager can barely wait to hear the tales his father has accumulated on his voyages. Denis Beliveau is the author and Emmy-nominated filmmaker of In the Footsteps of Marco Polo. filmmaker of In the Footsteps of Marco Polo. So Marco's dad, Niccolo, and his brother, Mateo, Marco's uncle, they had another brother who had been living in the Crimea on the Black Sea. They were doing business there.

And then they just kept traveling further east. They were like, all right, let's see what else is over here. And they just kept going further, further until they finally got to Bukhara in what's today Uzbekistan. There, they met an emissary of Kublai Khan who had been passing through. And he said to them, wow, Kublai's never met any, what he called Latins, which is what they would call Italians back then. Kublai's never met any Latins, and he would be really interested in meeting you two guys. Come with me all the way to China, and I can guarantee your safety,

and you'll make a good profit. Marco spends hours cross-legged on the balcony of his home, listening to his father's stories intently. In the years he's been gone, he's traveled to Constantinople, to Crimea, and as far east as the Mongol Empire. It's there, Niccolo tells his enraptured son, that he and Marco's uncle, Matteo, met the emperor of the vast Mongol Empire, Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. And he entrusted the brothers with an important job.

He turned to them and he said, look, I'm really interested in Christianity, and I'm going to write some letters out to you, and I want you to return to your pope and come back to me with a hundred priests, a hundred men of learning, so that we can teach Christianity here in the East. And so the Polo brothers had this to them, being devout Catholics, devout Christians, a mission from God to bring Christianity to the Far East. For months, Marco begs his father to let him accompany him on his next voyage. Niccolo is reluctant, given that his son is only around 16, but eventually his resistance is weakened and Marco is permitted to travel.

Preparations get underway. Marco knows the journey may be dangerous and spends his time before they set sail wisely, practicing his sword fighting and archery skills. Traveling suits are tailored to his growing body. A ship and crew are acquired. The journey east is plotted on rudimentary maps. Finally, in April 1271, the morning of departure arrives. In April 1271, the morning of departure arrives. Marco bids farewell to his brother before hurrying after his father and uncle through the streets of Venice towards the docks. He follows them up the gangplank and busies himself stowing away supplies.

Finally, the anchor is hoisted and they set sail. Marco watches as the domes and spires of his home city disappear in the distance, and the peaceful waters of the harbor give way to the churning, rougher water of the Adriatic, behind the boot of Italy. It's a bruising start to his travels, though he soon finds his sea legs. They pass down through the Mediterranean at speed and skirt the rugged coastline of Greece. Then they cross the open sea towards their first destination, Acre, now in Israel, where they hope to find the man

who has just been selected as the new pope. So the coastal fortification in what's now Israel, the St. John of Acre, or Acre or Acre has a lot of names. This was the stronghold in the Holy Land. The city is a bustling hub. Traders line the narrow streets, and buildings hewn from sandstone tower above the three Polo men. Marco is tempted by the aromatic spices, the colorful silks, and the patent carpets at

the market, but the array of languages is more dizzying still than the wares for sale, even for a skilled linguist like himself. There's work to be done, however, namely the recruiting of those hundred men of God demanded by the Mongol emperor. But unable to secure the holy documents requested by Kublai Khan, the trio set off for Jerusalem instead, where they hope to find what they need. The journey to the Holy Land is made overland in a caravan of camels. At the base of the Mount of Olives, believed to be the burial site of Jesus Christ, they buy a vial of oil from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This, they believe, is a gift that will please Kublai Khan upon their arrival in his court.

But then news reaches them that someone back in Acre may be able to help them after all. So they retrace their steps. The Polos stayed there and they met a priest who Marco calls him a legate from the Pope. They met this guy and they were like, we can't wait for the Pope anymore. And he said to them, look, I'm pretty high up in the Vatican. I'm going to give you these letters for Kublai. I believe that your mission is really important. Take these letters with you and go to Kublai. I can't give you a hundred priests like he asked. So I'm going to give you these two Franciscan friars. And he found these two priests and they accompanied the Polos.

So the Polos left what's now Israel, Palestine, and they sailed up the coast to southern Turkey. And they came into the country. And as Marco says, the Mamluks, the Mamluks were this slave army from Egypt that was just wrecking havoc throughout the whole Middle East. And the two priests chicken out and turn back. And they're about to start their overland journey back to the Great Khan. And word comes that the Pope has finally been elected. And it was the guy that they met in Akko who gave them the letters. So their friend becomes the Pope. So he calls them back to Akko. So they leave Turkey and they race back to Jerusalem, back to the Holy Land,

and he gives them proper letters with the seals of the Pope and sets them off again. The journey continues towards Asia, over the mountains of what is now southwestern Turkey. Entering Armenia, they have time to kill, to avoid getting caught up in the Sultan of Babylon's invasion. Once their safe passage is guaranteed and they get going again, Marco has some fun. He hunts game while riding an elephant and learns how the locals go about slaying tigers. In Baghdad, Marco immerses himself in the culture. But as he heads further across Asia, his fortunes turn. The three Polo men are in the hills of northwest Persia. They've been traveling for nearly three years,

the mission of delivering the letters to the Khan driving them ever onwards. On horseback, Marco bounces unsteadily over the rugged mountainous landscape, sweat streaming down his back beneath the embroidered cotton tunic he brought just a few weeks before. He keeps a firm grip on his horse's leather reins, ready to react. The caravan of travellers he is with, usually talkative and cheery, are quiet. travelers he is with, usually talkative and cheery, are quiet. This area is known for its band of marauders who, legend has it, can cast a diabolical spell, changing day to night at will. The story sounds far-fetched to Marco, though the tension among the group is palpable. As the narrow mountain path opens onto a broad, verdant plain, Marco's horse senses something at the edge of a copse ahead.

Suddenly the stillness breaks as a band of men, also on horseback, burst from the trees. On their heads are the same loose turbans of colored cloth that Marco himself has recently adopted. They shout to each other as they rush out and the words Marco catches are not friendly ones. Their long swords glinting, the bandits charge at the travelers and start to encircle them. The horses of the Venetian party bray as their riders desperately try to escape.

The brave among them unsheathhe their own swords to fight back. But this is difficult terrain, and the marauders have the home advantage. The raiders close in, close enough for Marco to smell the leather of their jerkins. Violence erupts. Struggling to keep a grip on his own sword with sweating hands, Marco swings wildly to deter one man trying to pull him from the saddle. But he remembers his training and squeezes his horse gently with his calves, calming it while he looks for a way out. Around him, the men he has

formed close bonds with over his travels drop to the ground, blood pouring from savage wounds. drop to the ground, blood pouring from savage wounds. Marco spots a gap and swiftly spurs his horse towards it, screaming to his father and uncle to follow. A marauder jumps into his path, and Marco has no choice but to see him off with a well-placed slash of his weapon. Marco, his family, and a number of others escape by the skin of their teeth. Others are not so lucky, and find themselves captured and sold into slavery, or put to death where they stand.

The attack frightens Marco, and he rides quickly away, keen to put distance between himself and bandit territory. There are more miles to travel, but soon the sight of the port city of Hormuz raises his spirits. He is delighted to find himself in civilization again, and the sight of the water in the ancient harbor after months of traveling on dusty trails is like a vision of home. But elation quickly fades, as the plan to sail to India is scuppered by the poor quality of the vessels on offer. Marco finds that the wooden hulls

are not held together with iron nails as expected, but stitched together with thin threads from coconut husks. Given the regularity of storms in the Indian Ocean, not to mention its notorious pirates, the Polos decide that sailing would be too great a risk. Reluctantly they decide to continue their journey on land, along the Silk Road, a series of ancient trading routes first established over a thousand years previously. They had to cross the Takamakan Desert. Now, the Takamakan Desert is part of the Gobi chain. Gobi means stony desert, stony place. And the Takamakan means you go in, but you don't come out. And that is a sea of sand.

It's the size of Germany, and it's just shifting sand. Over centuries, it's taken over cities, and then it'll retreat and expose these ancient ruins. It's a fantastic, amazing, desolate place. So what they do is they skirt around the desert. And the Takamakan is amazing because it's like a giant bowl of sand. And the rim, the edges of the bowl, are the highest mountains in the world, part of the Himalayan chain. Though Marco finds the huge swathe of desert and the towering mountains a daunting prospect,

he still manages to find aspects that amaze him. In the spring, when the snows melt, a lot of fresh water flows into the Takamakan and the edges of the desert become an oasis. And Marco was blown away that he saw vineyards of grape fields. And as an Italian, you know, to see a desert that could produce wine was shocking to him. see a desert that could produce wine was shocking to him. The group advance into what is now Afghanistan.

Here, the relentless desert and arid mountains give way to lush plains. Vibrant tulips grow amongst long grass, and colorful blooms sway on the branches of the trees. Cool rain makes the relief even sweeter, and the men take their time crossing the delta. In Badakhshan, a province in northeastern Afghanistan, Marco develops a cough. He is not unduly worried, and doesn't let it prevent him from enjoying mountain walks and honing his falconry skills between stretches of travelling. But his health soon noticeably worsens, and his father becomes worried enough to pause the journey. At night, Marco is gripped by fever, and his temperature soars.

In the day he shivers. Soon, the parties start to fear tuberculosis. Praying for his recovery, his father and uncle take him to the top of a mountain where it's hoped the pure air will cleanse his struggling lungs. It's a wise move. Each day, Marco regains a little more strength. Finally, after a year languishing in the region, they are once more ready to depart. It's August 1275. Marco rides with his family through the countryside of China, then known as Cathay.

Cloud pours over near vertical mountains, and dense vegetation drips with the condensing steam of the forest. He is soaked in sweat, and his horse is exhausted. But after more than four years of traveling, he is close to setting eyes on the Khan's great palace at Shangdu for the first time. The mountains give way to undulating plains. Finally, as Marco crests a hill, the palace swims into view, reflecting the sun's dazzling rays. He comes to a standstill and struggles to take in the sheer scale of Kubla Khan's home. From this vantage point, Marco can see over the high walls. Lush green meadows, colored here and there by wild flowers and forest, stretch away for miles within the fortifications. The buildings inside the ramparts are constructed from the finest materials, ice-white marble,

sparkling porphyry rock and other precious stones. Water splashes in the many ornate fountains in the spacious courts. But as Marco gazes at this breathtaking sight, it soon becomes clear that this band of visitors have not arrived undetected. The main gate bursts open, and a vast war party charges out, fronted by warriors on white horses. Behind them, more horses and even elephants carry an army of men towards the Venetians. Hooves thunder on the rocky ground,

but when Marco begins to back away, his father and uncle stand firm, chins raised in defiance. Soon, the Mongols are close enough for Marco to see the glint of gold and precious stones adorning their fine silk clothing. Curved swords swing by their hips as they come to a halt in front of the Venetians. Several warriors dismount to help a man down from an elephant.

As he approaches, Niccolo and Maffeo greet him on bended knee. Marco, following suit, realizes he is in the presence of the great Mongol ruler, Kublai Khan. The emperor greets the elder Venetians as old friends. He is delighted by the papal letters and their gift of holy oil, purchased from what is believed to be the burial site of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. But then the Khan's eye settles on the younger Polo. Marco has heard stories about the Mongol leader taking umbrage with uninvited guests. He has sent trusted advisors into exile for lesser crimes. For a few anxious seconds, Marco watches the severe expression on the Khan's face before it breaks into a smile. Marco is welcomed into the fold.

Together, the great horde of men turn and make their way towards the palace, where a feast is about to get underway in honor of the Polo's return. The Polo family spend months in the Khan's court, recuperating after their arduous journey. Marco revels in these new experiences, immediately exchanging his traveling clothes for a Mongol style of dress. Alongside the heavy coat and pointed shoes, he wears the traditional curved blade on his belt, sheathed in a leather scabbard. He drinks in as much culture and language as he can find, taking pleasure in learning about the locals' customs and festivals. Kubla Khan keeps close eye on the young man and is impressed with what he sees.

When the summer is over, the emperor asks Marco to accompany him to his winter palace in Kambulak in modern-day Beijing. They journey together on horseback, their time spent in companionable conversation. Soon, Marco is given a role in the Khan's court. According to Marco, Kublai puts him to work for the next 17 years as this special emissary to travel the empire and come back and tell him the great stories that only Marco could tell. Kublai told him, any of my emissaries could come back and tell me these people worship Muhammad, these people are Buddhist, these people grow wheat, these people find jade in the rivers, but you come back and you tell me, you know, the food that they eat and how beautiful the women are.

And he was a storyteller marco's first mission is to collect tax in a distant province of the empire the roads are wide and well maintained and the scenery is beautiful the sun beats down endlessly fields stretch for miles in every direction punctuated only by colorful blossom trees and small, well-built houses. He meets countless traders and travelers, most of whom are pleasant and welcoming. When he encounters anyone less hospitable, he merely brings out his pesa, a foot-long, three-inch-wide tablet of solid gold. It is inscribed with instructions direct from the Khan himself to leave its bearer unharmed under pain of death. Marco's first expedition goes to plan,

and upon his return he shares his vivid, extensive notes with the Khan. The Mongol ruler is so impressed with the success of his new emissary's expedition that he immediately bestows Marco with the title Master, much to the annoyance of the barons of the court. To celebrate, the Khan orders a banquet in Marco's honor. Long tables sag under the weight of aromatic dishes of steamed dumplings and grilled meats, and beautiful women are brought in to dance for the guests. Long gone are Marco's preconceptions about the Khan's cruel and forbidding nature, impressed upon him by his European upbringing. Now, Marco sees Kublai Khan as a caring and inquisitive ruler.

Now in his twenties, Marco becomes a regular representative of the emperor, traveling extensively within Asia. Upon returning from one such assignment, he relays to the Khan information about a town devastated by flooding and famine. The Mongol ruler immediately sends grain and orders tax relief for the afflicted subjects. Marco revels in his exploration of the area, but not everything delights him. As a devout Christian, his appraisal of Buddhism is scathing. He sees only idolatry in its followers' worship of many different gods. But in modern-day Vietnam, on discovering the loss

of a precious gold ring, he's willing to give the Eastern religion a try. After retracing his steps to no avail, Marco slips into a Buddhist temple to pray to the god of lost things for the ring's safe return. He promises to bless the temple with offerings if his wish is granted. Later that day, he finds the ring tucked into a coat. Thoughts of returning to the temple to fulfill his pledge briefly cross his mind, but disappear just as quickly. It's in Vietnam, too, that he encounters an array of wild animals. Tigers peer out from the undergrowth, keeping their distance as Marco flashes past on his horse. Lions patrol at night, causing Marco on more than one occasion between towns Flashes past on his horse.

Lions patrol at night, causing Marco on more than one occasion between towns to sleep on a small boat in the middle of a river to avoid being eaten. Upon entering his hostel one night, he jots down a detailed description of a rare creature he'd encountered that day. He describes its grey, wrinkled skin, its cloven hooves, and the huge, protruding spike erupting from its head. Marco is convinced that he has found a unicorn, though future readers will recognize the description as that of a rhinoceros. After each mission, he returns to Kubla Khan to collect his pay and visit his uncle and father. Each mission, he returns to Kublai Khan to collect his pay and visit his uncle and father. He is rich by now, and he is enjoying the work. He has seen more of Asia than any other European on record,

and has enjoyed his explorations. That is, until he is sent to Tibet. Here he finds evidence of the old Mongol ways. Mongke, the elder brother who preceded Kublai Khan, lived a very different life to his sibling. He and his entourage moved between settlements and took what they wanted by violence. Though the region is rich in natural beauty, from the soaring mountains to the endless plains that are home to exotic animals and birds, what strikes Marco is brutality.

He passes town after war-torn town, each one decimated and left littered with bodies by the despotic monkey. In Quinshe, affectionately called the City of Heaven, and now known as Hangzhou, Mako is amazed by the opulence and grandeur. It's on the eastern coast of China. It's on what's called the Grand Canal. The Chinese created this inner waterway that connects Beijing

all the way down to Hangzhou, hundreds of miles away. I mean, it's bigger even to this day. It's bigger than the Suez Canal, the Erie Canal, the Panama Canal, all combined. Here's this Chinese waterway that dates back to medieval times and a massive Undertake to build and Marco was greatly impressed with that and sujo is one of the jewels cities that sits on this Grand Canal when he is not collecting taxes he spends his day at leisure on the water and exploring the vast Warren of Streets mesmerized by the snake charmers and street theater actors. But it's now that he learns how the city came to be under Mongol control. The ousted Chinese ruler, King Phakphur, had been a fair leader who embraced social and economic change over investment in the army.

in the army. When he was informed of a possible attack by the Mongols, he wasn't overly concerned, believing the reported strength of the opposing militia to be inflated. But when the Mongol horde appeared, King Phakphor realized just how badly wrong he'd been. He and his queen gathered as many townspeople as the royal ship could carry, and sailed away. Now, Mako discovers some uncomfortable home truths. He is told that the citizens who were left behind either surrendered and were forced into slavery, or were slaughtered at Kubla Khan's behest. Coupled with the atrocities he witnessed in Tibet, the story forces him to question his allegiance to the great Khan.

Charming as it is, Quincey is now tainted in his mind by the military presence within its walls. The waterways within the city and the time he spends boating on the lake remind him of his childhood in Venice. For the first time in years, he longs to return home. When he arrives back at the Emperor's court, several months later, the atmosphere has changed. The Khan, usually calm and thoughtful, is anything but. Grief at the recent loss of his favorite wife has left him looking for solace in the bottom of a bottle.

Excessive drinking renders him obese, and he is suffering from gout. Anxious to prove he is still at the zenith of his powers and hungry for gold, he plans an attack on wealthy Japan. Marco tries to talk sense into the Khan. The crossing will be treacherous, and the Japanese are known to be cruel warriors. In 1274, the Khan learns the hard way that Marco was right. The invasion of Japan sees 13,000 Mongol warriors lose their lives and is an embarrassment of seismic proportions for the Khan. Sensing weakness, vultures begin to circle. One such predator is already highly placed within the Khan's court.

Ahmad Fanakati, a powerful Muslim figure, is a financier who Kublai Khan trusts implicitly. Marco has witnessed, on more than one occasion, how Ahmad uses his power and influence to cause chaos within the court. If he makes a mistake,

he simply blames someone else who'll take the punishment beating instead. Ahmed always takes advantage of the ensuing fallout, often finding himself promoted to the beaten man's position.

According to Marco, if Ahmed wishes a man put to death, the Khan will see it done. He has become Kublai Khan's second-in-command, but as his power grows, his enemies become more resolute. Marco, as a confidant of the Khan, learns enough about Ahmed's political maneuvering to later record one particular event in detail it's february 1282 in the northern province of the mongol empire wang chu a lowly chinese soldier strolls alongside kao a buddhist monk he has recently befriended. It is late at night, lit by a full moon and a blanket of stars. They walk alongside a meandering stream, the sound of water providing welcome cover to their hushed conversation.

With tears in his eyes, Wang Chu explains to the monk that Ahmad has violated his wife and daughter. There's only one way to restore his family's broken honor, he explains, but he needs the monk's help. Despite the risks, Cao agrees. The next day, Wang Chu forges a letter to Ahmed purportedly written by Ching Kim, Kubla Khan's son. Ahmed, purportedly written by Ching Kim, Kublai Khan's son. It details Ching Kim's plan to visit the palace and includes a request that Ahmed himself should front the welcoming party. On the afternoon before the visit, Wang Chu, Cao, the monk, and the small army they have raised pour over a map and check their weapons. Under cover of darkness, they approach the palace. The glowing lanterns they hold above their heads bob with the rhythmic trot of their horses.

As they close the distance, Wang Chu hangs back, as Cao moves out ahead, acting as Ching Kim. The monk holds himself as a powerful royal might, straight-backed with high shoulders and wearing a perfect replica of the tall red and gold patterned headgear worn by the Khan's son. Ahmed, suspecting nothing, goes out to greet the prince. It is only as the monk pulls off his headdress that Ahmed realizes he has been tricked. As he backs away, Wang Chu seizes his chance. He bolts forward, raising his sword which flashes in the moonlight as he swings it down. Ahmed only just has time to recognize his attacker before his head is cleanly separated from his body. His corpse has barely hit the ground before Wang Chu has brought his horse about and begun galloping for the treeline.

Two days later, the assassins ride to the palace and hand themselves in to the Khan's protectors, who stand sentinel at the gates. They declare themselves heroes for having rid the court and the world of Ahmed's evil. Kublai Khan does not share their assessment of the situation and orders them to be courted and beheaded. Upon investigating Ahmed's death, though, Kublai Khan is enraged to discover that his once trusted advisor had actually been planning to betray him. raged to discover that his once trusted advisor had actually been planning to betray him. In his fury, he dismisses over 700 officials who were politically aligned with Ahmed. He orders the traitor's body to be dug from its grave, so that street dogs can feast on the remaining flesh. Then he kills Ahmed's sons and ousts every Muslim from his court, sure that the severity of the retribution will serve as a warning to any other would-be conspirators.

However extreme, though, the threat doesn't work. More detractors take their chances to seize power, and although Kubla remains Khan for now, Marco knows it won't last forever. Kublai is getting into his 70s. Marco is pushing 40. His dad and uncle are in their 60s. And Marco knows that the Mongol tradition is when the Khan dies, when the great Khan dies,

they don't just kick out everybody from his inner court. They kill everybody. The new Khan kills everybody who was close to the previous Khan because they don't want to deal with the intrigue. Clean slate. Everybody dies. So Marco, being so close to Kublai, realizes we got to get out of here before he dies. to Kublai realizes we got to get out of here before he dies. So they petition him and they go to him and say, you know, we would like to return to our country. And Kublai laughs it off, saying, no, you're too valuable to me here. Again, it could have been maybe letting them go would have made him look weak to the Chinese. Despite Marco's desperation to go home,

look weak to the chinese despite marco's desperation to go home he's ever vigilant kubla khan is volatile and only a fool would provoke him further instead he and his father and uncle resign themselves to staying as the khan's prisoners the future seems uncertain but then a solution presents itself. Emissaries from Persia reach the Mongol court with news. The regional ruler, Agun, Kublai Khan's great nephew, is mourning the death of one of his wives. At once, Kublai Khan demands the most beautiful single women and girls to be brought before him so

that he can choose his great-nephew a new bride. The girl he selects is called Kokachin, a 17-year-old tribal princess of the Yuan dynasty. Though Marco's later account doesn't include the girl's own feelings about her selection, the emissaries agree that the Persian ruler would be most pleased with his great-uncle's choice. They set off immediately for their home region. Not long into their journey, however, the company are forced to turn back. Hostilities have broken out amongst Mongol warlords, making the passage west to Persia too dangerous. News of Kokachin's return reaches the Polos, who see an opportunity. Marco approaches Kublai Khan and offers to take the princess to Persia by boat,

in return for his family's freedom. Kublai Khan is at first reluctant, but finally sees that there is no other way. He thanks the three Polo men for their years of service. He provides camels and elaborate golden paces to ensure their safety. Then he watches from a balcony of the palace as they become pinpricks on the horizon and disappear. Upon reaching the sea, Marco is astounded by the sheer scale of the fleet

assigned by the Khan. Fourteen modern ships fitted with immense masts and vast sails bob in the blue waters of the Chinese port of Chuanshao. They left southern China and brought her years later after, must have been a harrowing experience because Marco just says

they left with 700 people and 14 ships, and three years later they arrived with just one ship and 20 people. But he never tells us what happened to all the ships. The sea voyage covers thousands of miles of what is now the malay peninsula through the bay of bengal and past the tip of india before looping back to hormuz though the fate of the fleet is lost to history the princess and the polos are among the survivors after disembarking they travel onwards overland towards persia onwards overland towards Persia. Once there, though, they learn that King Argun has been assassinated by poisoning. The land is now ruled by his son. It's soon decided that if Kocachin

was good enough for the father, she'll be good enough for the heir, and the two are married almost immediately. After the ceremony, Marco and his family take their leave, eager to feel the salty breeze of home on their faces As he is traveling west, news reaches Marco of Kublai Khan's passing He knew it was coming, but the news affects him more than he thought it would It feels like a full stop on his time in Asia. After 24 long years, Marco finally arrives in Venice. The domes and spires are as he remembers them, and he weeps as he sets foot in his home city. The three polos attract a lot of attention, dressed as they are in their strange Mongol garb. Their hair is in the Mongol style too,

shaved on top, with long, thick braids hanging at the ears, in startling contrast to the European styles of the native Venetians. Marco makes his way through the once familiar streets, taking in the sights of home. But as the men reach the Polo homestead, the greeting they receive is not what they hoped for. They come knocking on their door, and they're dressed as Mongolians,

they hardly speak Italian anymore, and nobody believes that they're the lost Polos. You know, those guys left 24 years ago, surely they've been dead for 20 years. Who are you guys? And so it goes, the story, apocryphal as it is, but it's the story that it wasn't until they opened up the seams of their coats, and again, diamonds, rubies, sapphires,

all the wealth that you would imagine a traveler would hide in his clothes, came out that they were believed to be the lost Polos the relief of being home is short-lived the city of Acre long under Venetian control falls to a ruthless Egyptian army sensing a loosening of the Venetian grip on the Mediterranean region the Republic of Genoa begins challenging them for land and supremacy. Soon enough, the two city-states are at war again, and Marko, once more, answers the call of adventure. It is during the Battle of Kursala, off the coast of Croatia, that Marko is captured and taken to prison, where he meets Rustichello. And we can imagine, you know, Marco's the charmer.

He charmed his jailers. He blew them away with his stories and that he had met the most powerful man. Everybody knew who the Mongols were. They called them the Tartars because from Greek myth, the Tartarus was the hell of Greek myth and they thought that the Mongols were the very horsemen of the apocalypse. So Marco knew the Tartars.

He knew how to speak, and he met Kublai Khan, and he just charms his jailers. So they pretty much put him under house arrest. He had wealthy people and aristocrats from Genoa would come and visit him to hear his stories. And luckily for us, his cellmate was this Rastichiello who was from Pisa, and he had been in jail for a lot longer. Apparently didn't have the charm of Marco. As I said, he was a hack of King Arthur romances, but together they produced this book. In the year that Marco was jailed with him and under house arrest, Apparently, Marco was able to send for his notes in Venice. So somehow somebody went to Venice, got his notebooks, brought them back to Genoa,

and together him and Rastichiello made this book. Marco's book, The Travels, is received well by monks and scholars. Marco's book, The Travels, is received well by monks and scholars. With a printing press yet to be invented, each of the roughly 150 copies are made by hand, firstly in Marco's own Franco-Venetian, and then in translation. In May 1299, peace is agreed between Venice and Genoa, and a few months later Marco is freed. The 45-year-old returns home, keen for a quiet life without travel or strife. A year later, Marco marries Donata, the daughter of a wealthy merchant.

The couple welcome three daughters into the world, and Marco continues trading close to home, amassing a small fortune. Though he's content, those close to him know how much he misses traveling. According to a Dominican friar who wrote of Marco's life, the explorer recounts tales of Asia to anyone patient enough to listen, even if they've heard the tales many times before. patient enough to listen, even if they have heard the tales many times before. As Marco Polo approaches 70 years old, his stories attract a different crowd. Doubters. Marco is no longer considered a wise and well-travelled man. Instead, he is regarded as someone who exaggerated the tales told in his book in order to sell as many copies as possible. He is laughed at in the street.

Even children mock him, asking if he can tell them more lies. It's a legend that still holds to this day. Even to this day you go to Italy and if a child fibs to their parents, the parents say to their kid, stop being Marco Polo. Because everybody thought he was the big exaggerator. You know, like he just made everything up. And they couldn't imagine he described everything in terms of millions. In fact, that was his nickname, Il Milione, in Italy, Marco the Millions.

Because Venice had 100,000 people in it. Paris, London, even less in those days. Yet he's describing cities in China with a million people. Rivers, the Yangtze with a million craft on it. And we know now China's a land of 1.4 billion people. So in the 13th century, it was a land of millions. He was correct. There was truth in what he was saying. So, you know, even the things that he was criticized for, we know to be true these days. Even on his deathbed in 1323, his friends seek the truth. They implore him to set the record straight, to admit to doctoring the tales to captivate an audience. Marco holds firm, insisting that he hasn't even told half of what he's seen.

On the evening of the 8th of January, 1323, Marco passes away peacefully. His funeral is an elaborate ceremony. Marco's body is carried through the streets and, as expected by Venetian tradition, his wife wails as they walk towards the cemetery. He is laid to rest beside his beloved father by the church of San Lorenzo, but the grave is unmarked. The people of Venice quickly forget his name. It is an unremarkable end to an extraordinary life. But in 1477, almost 200 years after Marco Polo began regaling his cellmate with his story, the first printed versions of the travels appear in Germany. They prove so popular that a reprint is hastily ordered. Christopher Columbus annotates his own copy during his voyages to the Americas

in the 15th and 16th centuries. He even hopes to take on Marco's mantle and become one of the great Khan's trusted men, unaware that the Mongol Empire had been consigned to history over a hundred years previously. He wrote the first travel book.

Nothing had ever been written like it before. It fascinated people. It still fascinates people. He introduced China to the West for the first time. He introduced Japan to the West for the first time. And he shocked Europe. Europeans thought they were the center for the first time, and he shocked Europe. Europeans thought they were the center of the universe. We are the Christian center of the universe. How could this faraway pagan society

be more advanced than us? But China was. It was more advanced. The reason why we remember Marco Polo is his character. He is funny. He's charming. He's open-minded. He's what you would expect of a world traveler, somebody who leaves their little home and experiences the world. He's worldly. He's the first global citizen. And that's why we remember him. And, you know, nobody's pulling down statues of Marco Polo. He doesn't come with any of the baggage that some of the other guys come with. Even though the mission of the Polos was to bring Christianity to China, they never did it. So he didn't travel with an army. He didn't travel with missionaries trying to convert everybody in his path. He was modern in a way. He was a

businessman, a businessman going to China to try to make money, and along the way learned a lot and was charming in his stories about it. Denis Beliveau, our expert on this episode, traveled the exact journey undertaken by Marco Polo all those years ago. He has used this experience to start an educational resource called In the Footsteps of History. So after my film came out, I started getting calls from schools like, wow, this is amazing, we're doing a Silk Road unit, we're teaching Marco Polo, we're doing China and the Mongols.

Could you come in? And then it progressed into a full curriculum. So I would go and I would spend a week in schools? And then it progressed into a full curriculum. So I would go and I would spend a week in schools. And then with lockdown, COVID lockdown, I lost all my schools and we decided, wow, here's a great chance to really put online what we do. So I created a virtual Marco Polo world where students make their own maps and there's a trading game. So if you're from Venice, you have glass and salt, which is what Venice was famous for. And if you're from China, you have silk and gunpowder and they have to trade stuff with each other. And then we got

it to virtual reality. So now I can actually put students in the virtual headsets and they could be in the room with Marco when he meets Kublai Khan, or in the desert when the Karabaruna are coming out of the sandstorm attacking him. And that's just amazing technology to be able to put students really like a time machine, you know, transporting them back in time, which is what I've always tried to do in my storytelling to them is to try to evoke the time period and let them feel what I felt when I was traveling. And then from there, once I learned the technology, I started doing other scenes. So now I have dozens and dozens of scenes and other explorers' worlds in virtual reality. And so it's really cool.

We've made a whole app that goes with it, and it's called In the Footsteps of History. More information about In the Footsteps of History can be found at www.inthefootsteps.org. Next time on Short History Off, we'll bring you a short history of Amelia Earhart. She thought of it in terms of this is going to be a shining adventure to go around the world. When she was a child, she had created this game at her grandparents' barn in Atchison where they'd all sit in an abandoned horse carriage and they would imagine that they were flying all over the world. And for her, this was sort of a replication of her childhood dream. And there was another reason why she wanted to do this flight then.

She was 39 and she wanted to do this before she was 40 and then she was going to hang up her wings. That's next time on Short History Of.