Chapter 1: Who was Marco Polo and how did he become an explorer?
The most famous explorer in history never planned to be an explorer.
Chapter 2: What challenges did Marco Polo's family face on their journey to the Mongolian Empire?
He was a 17 year old kid who got dragged on the ultimate family business trip and ended up spending 20 years in places that Europeans thought were fairy tales. He walked to China when most people never left.
Chapter 3: What was Marco Polo's experience at Kublai Khan's court?
He became the favorite foreigner to the grandson of Genghis Khan and came home to Venice so rich and unrecognizable that his own family didn't believe who he was.
Chapter 4: How did Marco Polo adapt to advanced Mongolian life?
This is the story of Marco Polo, the teenager who walked to China and accidentally changed history.
Chapter 5: What role did the Hashashin play in Marco Polo's travels?
So sit back, relax, and welcome to History Camp.
Chapter 6: How did Marco Polo's wealth change after his travels?
What's up, people, and welcome to History Camp.
Chapter 7: What are the key themes in The Travels of Marco Polo?
My name is Mark Agnon, and thank you for joining me in my tent, where every single week we explore the most interesting, fascinating, and controversial stories from all history, from all time, forever.
Chapter 8: What impact did Marco Polo have on European perceptions of Asia?
Yes, we are doing it. This is my attempt to try to understand everything that's ever happened, and there's been, oh boy, a whole lot of stuff going on. I mean, every day that goes by, there's more history getting made. So I'm just trying to keep up. Now, of course, this episode and this show is not possible without you watching at home. Thank you so much for tuning in.
It's also not possible without my dear pal Christos being in the corner in his sweet little tent, curled up in a tree, making this whole thing possible. Christos, can I get a Marco? Polo. That's so corny and dumb. I can't even believe you convinced me to do that. No, that was quite cute. And I think actually very apt for this episode. Guys, it's late at night.
We're here in the tent talking about Marco Polo. It's probably something you've heard about, right? You play the game as a kid. You're like, Marco Polo. Everyone knows Marco Polo. Can we get a picture of Marco Polo up on the screen? Because I'll be honest, I don't even really know what this dude looked like until today. If you had a gun to your head, what does Marco Polo look like?
Would you even have a guess? I bet you most people don't even really know. I didn't know until I actually did this episode. I was like, who is Marco Polo? I mean, look at this guy, regal, handsome, nice beard. I mean, not the best hairdo in that one, but generally speaking, you see why he keeps the hat on. Marco Polo is a fascinating guy.
In order to understand Marco Polo and how he ended up changing the world, bringing noodles all over the place, you got to start with his papa. All right. Now, Marco was born 1254 in Venice, Italy, to a woman named Nicole and Diffusa and Niccolo Polo. Now, at the age of six, his father, Niccolo, and his uncle, Maffeo, were, you know, small time Venetian merchants.
They were selling a little bit of how you doing, you know, just making it work the Italian way. All right. And they decided to try their luck trading along the Silk Road. Now the Silk Road is popping off. This was this new way to make money, trade into the East. It was a big deal. But from the jump, their whole journey gets interrupted. So they start in Constantinople.
They get caught up in a little civil war. You know, it happens. They have to flee to the north and they somehow end up deeper in Central Asia than any Europeans had really gone at the time. Like people weren't really... going that way, and neither were they. They weren't exactly exploring, they were just literally running from, you know, a human calamity.
But then around the year 1266, they meet some Mongol officials who are just shocked that they're alive. Like, these little Italian, you know, Venetian kids, they made it? They're just shocked. And they're like, this is so crazy.
So because they're so shocked that they meet a European guy in the middle of Central Asia, they decide the Mongols literally escort them all the way to the court of Kublai Khan in China. Now, if you don't know who Kublai Khan is, he's the grandson of Genghis Khan. Yes, that Genghis Khan, Chinggis Khan, as he's referred to in some circles, Chinggis Khan. But I'm going to say Genghis.
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