Summary
Summary Medieval Europe - Marco Polo
- Module
- Medieval History
- Institution
- Durham University (DUT)
This document offers an introduction to the life and adventures of Marco Polo, with suggestions for further reading.
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TRAVELLERSMARCO POLO –
THE CULTURAL WORLDS OF MARCO POLO – BOOK BY THOMAS ALLSE N
- P. 375 – Polo was uniquely well known throughout the world for someone of medieval Europe.
- P. 376 – Marco Pole wrote The Description of the World.
- Evidence of manuscripts, translations and printed editions points to the Description having a wide
readership – incl. nobles, patricians, merchants, missionaries, humanists and men like Christopher
Columbus.
- Larner argues that Columbus was likely inspired indirectly by Polo’s travels; but only read and
annotated his copy of the Description after his first voyage.
- He used Polo’s account to try and rationalise his location, attempting to prove it was Asia as he had
hoped.
- Larner also stresses the importance of understanding how Polo’s information was used and
understood and considers the sources and reliability of his information about the East, and whether
Polo was ever in China.
- P. 378 – Scholarly endeavours have yield much valuable data concerning the cultural consequences of
the Mongolian conquests.
- Records commodities circulating across Eurasia but also notes the many peoples and individuals who
were ‘out of place’.
Alan soldiers from North Caucasia stationed in central China.
Sherbet makers and textile workers from Samarqand (modern day Uzbekistan)…
Sugar makers from Mesopotamia…
Physicians from the Middle East…
… All of whom served the Yuan court.
- Their presence in China is supported by learned commentators and is one of the special
characteristics of the Mongolian Empire.
- Throughout 13th and early 14th century, Chinggisid courts across Eurasia systematically identify people
of talent – scientists, artisans, entertainers, ritual specialists, etc – many transported to other cultural
zones of the empire to share out the riches of the empire amongst the imperial family.
- Mongolian princes attracted, enticed, recruited, co-opted and coerced untold numbers of
professional merchants to serve as personal financial agents and help them administer and exploit
conquered lands.
- In short, Polos could expect a warm welcome in the empire.
- P. 379 – Woods suggests Polo never entered Asia; firmly rejected by many scholars who cite a lot of
evidence to the contrary.
- For Larner, Polo travelled to Chine and the Description is a valuable source about 13th century Eurasia.
- No culture reveals itself fully to outsiders.
- Polo encountered two Chinese innovations – alcohol distillation and printing – but did not understand
the underlying technologies.
Not necessarily an issue – since modern historians are able to recognise the
processes nonetheless.
- Alcohol – a ‘very clear’ Chinese wine – ‘makes a man become drunken sooner than any other wine
because it is very hot stuff’.
In China it was a social drink, in Europe it was still a medicine produced by
alchemists and apothecaries. Only later did this aqua vita become whiskey.
- Polo left Venice at 17, and spent as long in Asia (longer in fact).
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