Jun 17
Marco Polo’s travels (1271–1295) represent one of the most famous European journeys into Asia during the late Middle Ages. Setting out from Venice with his father Niccolò and uncle Maffeo, Polo crossed through the Middle East and Central Asia before reaching the Yuan dynasty court of Kublai Khan (r. 1260–1294), where he reportedly served in various administrative roles. His route along the Silk Road exposed him to a vast range of societies, technologies, and cultural practices, from the Islamic polities of Persia to the nomadic domains of Central Asia and the sophisticated urban centers of Yuan China.
