Marco Polo sets out for Asia

Marco Polo traveled with his father and uncle to the court of Kublai Khan in China and stayed for years. His account made Asia vivid for European readers, though some details are questioned.

Historians debate how much of his account is firsthand.

Context

Marco Polo left Venice in 1271 with his father Niccolò and uncle Maffeo, who had previously visited the Mongol court. The overland journey took about three and a half years, and the Polos reached Kublai Khan's court, where Marco is said to have served in various roles over about 17 years in Asia.

They returned to Europe around 1295, traveling in part by sea. After being captured in a naval conflict between Venice and Genoa, Marco dictated his memories to the romance writer Rustichello da Pisa in prison around 1298. The book, known as Il Milione or The Travels of Marco Polo, circulated in many differing manuscripts.

Skeptics note that Marco does not mention the Great Wall, tea or foot binding and that Chinese records do not name him. Defenders argue the omissions are explainable and that his accounts of places, products and customs are mostly accurate. Most historians accept that he went to Asia, while debating how much he saw himself and how much was told by others. The book influenced later explorers, including Columbus.

No original manuscript in Polo's own hand survives, so scholars compare many surviving copies.