The True Story Of Marco Polo
Who Was Marco Polo?
Marco Polo may not have been the first European to step foot in Asia, but he was one of the only ones who actually documented it. Over the course of two decades, Polo explored Asia under the control of a powerful Chinese emperor who bought him as a child, and he took detailed notes of every encounter.
Aside from his remarkable (and sometimes traumatic) experiences, Polo's journals also gave Europeans a never-before-seen look into Asian customs and inventions—something that would later earn him a permanent place in history books.
His journey started off as an adventure but quickly turned into a horror story, and how he made it through nearly cost him his life.
He Was Born Into Wealth
Marco Polo was born in Venice, Italy, back in 1254, to a wealthy Venetian merchant family. His mother was Nicole Anna Dufeseh and his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo Polo, were renowned jewel merchants.
But his dad wasn’t exactly around for much, nor was he much of a father at all.
His Father Left Them
Niccolò Polo traded with the Near East, becoming wealthy and achieving great prestige. He and his brother took off on a trading voyage before Marco’s birth, leaving his pregnant wife behind.
But when he returned—15 long years later—he made a shocking discovery.
He Lost His Mother Too
Upon his return, Niccolò learned that his wife had actually died shortly after the birth of their son, and that the child, Marco, had been living with an aunt and uncle in his absence.
Niccolò now found himself solely responsible for a teenage boy—something his selfish nature was not at all prepared for.
He Was Well-Educated
Luckily for Niccolò, Marco’s family provided him with a good education, learning mercantile subjects including foreign currency, appraising, and the handling of cargo ships. He had also learned to speak several languages, read many classical authors, and was schooled in the Christian theology of the Latin Church.
Niccolò saw Marco as an asset to the business, and so, two years after his return, he packed up and left again—this time, taking Marco with him.
