marco polo by luke n. brown a man in the right place at the right time a man in the right place at...
TRANSCRIPT
Marco PoloMarco Polo
by Luke N. by Luke N. BrownBrown
A man in the right place at the right time
A man in the right place at the right time
The setting: VeniceThe setting: Venice•largest trading port of Europe.•largest trading port of Europe.
•Center of European trade •Center of European trade •markets had international goods•markets had international goods
The Silk The Silk Road Road •trade routes that connected china and Europe
•trade routes that connected china and Europe•trade system functioned as a chain•trade system functioned as a chain
ChinaChina•divided between Jin dynasty, Song dynasty, and nomadic peoples •divided between Jin dynasty, Song dynasty, and nomadic peoples •Genghis Khan came to power by uniting nomad tribes •Genghis Khan came to power by uniting nomad tribes
•empire covered all of china and most of asia; largest contiguous empire
•empire covered all of china and most of asia; largest contiguous empire
Polo brothersPolo brothers
1253 left Venice extened trading
1253 left Venice extened trading
•Maffeo, uncle•Maffeo, uncle
Nicolo, Marco’s father
Nicolo, Marco’s father
one year in Barka khan (Iraq)
one year in Barka khan (Iraq)
three years in Bukahra (Uzbekistan)
three years in Bukahra (Uzbekistan)
traveled for one year to reach Cambulac (Beijing)
traveled for one year to reach Cambulac (Beijing)
six year spent Constantinople
six year spent Constantinople
met Mongol emperor Kublai Khan
met Mongol emperor Kublai Khan
•sent off with a letter to the pope •sent off with a letter to the pope
spent two years in Cambulac
spent two years in Cambulac
Polo brothers in Polo brothers in ChinaChina
talk with Kublai about christianity, european rulers, and conduct in warfare
talk with Kublai about christianity, european rulers, and conduct in warfare
“as many as a hundred wise men of learning in the Christian religion and doctrine, and who should know also the seven arts and be fitted to teach his people and who know well how to argue.”
- Kublai Khan in letter to pope
“as many as a hundred wise men of learning in the Christian religion and doctrine, and who should know also the seven arts and be fitted to teach his people and who know well how to argue.”
- Kublai Khan in letter to pope
•also received a golden paiza •also received a golden paiza
took three years to return to Venice from China; arrived in 1269
took three years to return to Venice from China; arrived in 1269Niccolo had a son who was 15Niccolo had a son who was 15
Pope Clement IV was deadPope Clement IV was dead
Some Surprises in Some Surprises in VeniceVeniceSome Surprises in Some Surprises in VeniceVenice
Marco’s journey beginsMarco’s journey begins
went to Jerusalem to get the oil from the church of the Holy Sepulcher
went to Jerusalem to get the oil from the church of the Holy Sepulcher
the polo brothers Niccolo and Maffeo polo set out in 1271 this time with Marco
the polo brothers Niccolo and Maffeo polo set out in 1271 this time with Marco
In Acre the new pope Gregory X gave the Polo 2 priests to take with them
In Acre the new pope Gregory X gave the Polo 2 priests to take with them
Onto Hormuz:Onto Hormuz:The Plan• that the Polos would cross Persia then sail to china from the port city of Hormuz
The Plan• that the Polos would cross Persia then sail to china from the port city of Hormuz
What went wrong
• the Priests turned back due to the difficultly of traveling
•The ships in Hormuz were described by Marco as “wretched affairs”
•Polos viewed the ships as unseaworthy vessels and choose to travel via the overland routes
What went wrong
• the Priests turned back due to the difficultly of traveling
•The ships in Hormuz were described by Marco as “wretched affairs”
•Polos viewed the ships as unseaworthy vessels and choose to travel via the overland routes Marco’s experience
• Familiar territory to many traders, but new to young and inexperienced Marco
Sees new products and new centers of trade “Merchants come thither from India, with ships loaded with spice and precious stones, pearls, cloths of silk and gold, elephants’ teeth, and may other wares … In fact ‘tis a city of immense trade.”•Marco Became exposed to other religions and races
Marco’s experience
• Familiar territory to many traders, but new to young and inexperienced Marco
Sees new products and new centers of trade “Merchants come thither from India, with ships loaded with spice and precious stones, pearls, cloths of silk and gold, elephants’ teeth, and may other wares … In fact ‘tis a city of immense trade.”•Marco Became exposed to other religions and races
The Treacherous The Treacherous JourneyJourneyThe Treacherous The Treacherous JourneyJourneyPamir Mountains - called roof of the world“you still have forty days to travel in the same direction, over
mountains and throught valleys, in perpetural succession.” -Marco Polo250 miles Every provision for man and animal must be carried with youTook the Polos nearly two monthsNo bird sat that extreme heightFire does not give the same heat in this cold
Pamir Mountains - called roof of the world“you still have forty days to travel in the same direction, over
mountains and throught valleys, in perpetural succession.” -Marco Polo250 miles Every provision for man and animal must be carried with youTook the Polos nearly two monthsNo bird sat that extreme heightFire does not give the same heat in this cold
Taklimakan desert - called “The sea of Death” Almost the size of GermanyTook 1monthFierce windstormsSinging sands
Taklimakan desert - called “The sea of Death” Almost the size of GermanyTook 1monthFierce windstormsSinging sands
Arriving in China Arriving in China Arriving in China Arriving in China
Escorted to Kublai Khan’s summer home in Shangdu / XanaduThe palace and court were luxurious
took over 3 yearsTraveled about 8,000 milesSpring 1275While still a distance away, Kublai Khan sent escorts to meet the Polo trio
Kublai Kublai KhanKhan
“the most powerful ruler, in subjects and in land and in treasure, that the world has ever known”
-Marco Polo
“the most powerful ruler, in subjects and in land and in treasure, that the world has ever known”
-Marco Polo
“Upon their arrival they were honourably and graciously received by the grand khan, in a full assembly of his principal officers.”
-Marco Polo
“Upon their arrival they were honourably and graciously received by the grand khan, in a full assembly of his principal officers.”
-Marco Polo
“This is your servant, and my son.”
-Nicclo Polo
“This is your servant, and my son.”
-Nicclo Polo
happy to see the Polos and there was much celebrating
Marco is introduced to kublai as
Working under the Working under the KhanKhan
Marco went into service for Kublai Khan traveling and overseeing population counts and tax collecting
Was very curious and good observerremembered information that Kublai was curious aboutWas held in great esteem by Kublai was provisional governor of Yang-cheu-fu / Yan-Gui/Yangzhou for 3 years
The Heavenly The Heavenly City City The Heavenly The Heavenly City City Kin-sai / Hang-cheu / now Hangzhou “… the noble and magnificent city of Kin-sai, a name that signifies “the celestial city” and which it merits from its preeminence to all others in the world, in point of grandeur and beauty, as well as from its abundant delights, which might lead an inhabitant to imagine himself in paradise.”
-Marco PoloMuch bigger city than Venice, 10 times bigger
Population of over 1 millionVery detailed information
about buildings, streets, bridges,lakes, celebrations, government etc
Marco visited there many times
Descriptions are a highlight of Marco’s book
Amazing SightsAmazing SightsMail system –
Ordinary messages carried by foot runners three miles apart
Could deliver a message in a day and a night compared to usual several days journey
Coal – burns like logs and even longer
Bathing – with cold water 3 times a week
Kublai Khan’s tolerance of different religions
Important messages carried by horse with new riders spaced about 25 miles apart
Could deliver a message over 250 miles in just one day
Khan was able to oversee entire large empire
Incredible Money
used paper money throughout the empireKublai had exchanged coin money for paperMuch lighter and easier to carry seemed to defy common sense“you might say he hath the secret of alchemy
in perfection, and you would be right !” “And the Khan causes every year to be made such a vast amount of this mone, which costs him nothing, that it must equal in amount all the treasure in the world.”
-Marco Polo
Tall TalesTall Tales
Vokhan (Afghanistan) - sheep with unusual size and long curling horns
used for carrying food and constructing fences
actually are Ovis ammon sheep that do have the longest horns of any sheep in the world
in Yunnan Province - giant “snakes and serpants” that crawled on short legs
actually crocodiles
Kublai Khan didn’t want to let the Polo’s goProvide safe passage for a princessChoose to Hormuz in 14 boats provided by KublaiGot stuck in SumatraMany people died only 18 survived out of 600
3 Years to get back
weren’t recognized
Return to VeniceReturn to Venice
Captured & ImprisonedCaptured & Imprisoned
Venice fighting Genoa
Marco commanded a galley
Captured by Genoese and sent to prison
fellow-prisoner was Rustichello of Pisa
Marco Polo dictated the story of his travels to Rustichello
A best sellerA best seller
also known as Il Milione, The Million Lies
few believed that his stories were true
most Europeans dismissed the book as mere fable
The Description of the World or The Travels of Marco Polo
wealth of Cathay (China)the might of the Mongol empirethe exotic customs of India and Africa
book a must read bestsellertranslated into several languagesover 150 copies still remain
Later in LifeLater in Lifereleased from prison in 1299 returned to Venice married Donata Badoerhad three daughters remained in Venice for rest of his life
died 1324, agd 70On deathbed, priest asked if wanted to confess
any lies he told and he responded "I have only told the half of what I saw!"
Marco Polo
his will mentions that he still owned some of the items mentioned in his book
a quantity of cloths, brocades of silk and gold, other precious objects "golden tablet of command"
Did Marco Polo REALLY go to China?Did Marco Polo REALLY go to China?his book does not mention drinking teacalligraphyChop sticksFeet bindingThe great wall
his book does mention but incorrectly number of bridges in Kin-saiwhen the Mongols tried to invaded
Japan
WORK CITEDWORK CITEDMarco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu By Laurence Bergreen
Marco Polo: Marco Polo and the Silk Road to China By Michael Burgan
Marco Polo’s Journey to China by Diana Childress
Marco Polo by Bob Italia
The Adventures of Marco Polo by Russell Freedman
The World in the Time of Marco Polo by Fiona Macdonald
In the Footsteps of Marco Polo http://www.wliw.org/marcopolo/
The book of Ser Marco Polo: the Venetian, Volume 1 By Marco Polo http://books.google.com/books?id=VxMEAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marco+polo&lr=&as_brr=4&source=gbs_similarbooks_s&cad=1#v=onepage&q=alchemy&f=false
The travels of Marco Polo: the Venetian By Marco Polo, Thomas Wright, William Marsden
http://books.google.com/books?id=HBUIAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marco+polo&lr=&as_brr=4#v=onepage&q=noodle&f=false
http://www.lookandlearn.com/cgi-bin/if.cgi?search=kublai
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Marco/index.html
http://www2.moneymuseum.com/frontend/library/pictures/tour.jsp?lang=en&id=4638004&ix=0
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/polo-kinsay.html
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/eah/Marcopolo.html
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/doubleissue/mysteries/marco.htm
http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/143Arts4308.html
http://www.ultimateitaly.com/culture-antropology/marco-polo.html
WORK CITED continuedWORK CITED continuedhttp://books.google.com/books?id=HBUIAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marco+polo&lr=&as_brr=4#v=onepage&q=noodle&f=false
http://www.lookandlearn.com/cgi-bin/if.cgi?search=kublai
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Marco/index.html
http://www2.moneymuseum.com/frontend/library/pictures/tour.jsp?lang=en&id=4638004&ix=0
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/polo-kinsay.html
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/eah/Marcopolo.html
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/doubleissue/mysteries/marco.htm
http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/143Arts4308.html
http://www.ultimateitaly.com/culture-antropology/marco-polo.html