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Marco Polo, His Exploration, and How it Affected Renaissance Italy Brian Berry Box #31 Atlantic Baptist University Renaissance to Reformation Dr. Dennis Bustin HI3413 November 23, 2009 1 Marco Polo, His Travels, and Their Effect on Italian Renaissance The Renaissance was a time of great discovery on many levels. It brought along with itself a longing to learn more about one’s self and what he can accomplish. It was a time of Kings and other great leaders. It was a time where the Papacy was the absolute, ultimate word of God. It was a time for powerful leaders to earn immense wealth and form armies. It was a time of military conquests to gain even more wealth and power for a king and his country. It was a time of wondering what existed beyond the boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire. It was a time of exploration of faraway lands and bringing back valuable resources to farther enrich ones country. Marco Polo was such an explorer. Marco Polo was born the son of Niccolo Polo in Venice, Italy on the eighth day of January in the year 1254 during the beginnings of the Italian Renaissance.1 His family was well respected throughout Venice. This was due to the connections the Polo family had to nobility.2 From an early age Marco was exposed to the business of trade as his father and uncle owned a successful trading business in the heart of Venice. This is most likely one of the reasons the Polo family was well respected by other merchants and the nobility. Marco did not see much of his father during his early years because 1 Benedetto L.F., The Travels of Marco Polo, George Routledge & Sons, Broadway House, Carter Lane, London, 1931, P. vii 2 Bergreen, Laurence, Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu, Vintage Books U.S.A 2007, P. 25 2 Niccolo and Maffeo had embarked on a trade mission to the Far East during the majority of Marco Polo’s formative years.3 In their absence, Marco Polo would learn from other merchants how dangerous, uncomfortable, and unsanitary these trade missions could be. Without any sort of method of refrigeration, and salt in short supply, the ships would be rank with the smell of rotting produce, some that the merchants may have been trying to sell, the rest of it may have been food for their own personal consumption. This would bring the elements of food poisoning, other ill effects due to rotten food, and possibly starvation. Despite hearing of all the negative aspects of trade and travel, Marco Polo was still heavily interested in the field of trade.4 As stated earlier, Marco Polo’s father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo had gone on an expedition to the Far East that had lasted ten years. They had gone to China and met with Kublai Kahn who enjoyed their company thoroughly. The Great Kahn was very interested in learning about Christianity so after ten years Kublai Kahn allowed them to return to Italy and bring back a larger company a long with them so that more of the people living under the Khan Empire might hear the Good News. Eventually when he was seventeen years of age in the year 1271, Marco Polo became old enough to accompany his father and uncle on merchant journeys.5 This was during the time when there was immense interest in the goings on of the Far East and what could 3 4 5 Bergreen, Laurence, Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu p. 25-27 Ibid, p. 25 Wood, Frances, Did Marco Polo Go To China?, Westview Press, U.S.A., 1996 p. 6 3 be obtained by making a venture in that direction. Marco, his father, and his uncle, along with some others set off to find a land route towards the Far East, their destination, China.6 The trip, as expected at that time, was quite slow and tedious at times. Especially since Maffeo and Niccolo Polo were looking for a land route to get to China, so they could only take advantage of wind and sails quite as much as sea fairing merchants could. Maffeo, Niccolo, and the rest of their company could only travel as fast as they could walk or sail. Niccolo Polo and company had been commissioned by the Pope to go and evangelize. Niccolo and Maffeo Polo, along with the rest of their party were Bible believing Christians so one of their objectives was to tell the Good News to the people of the Far East as they went along their journey.7 After visiting the Pope in Rome, they would depart on their journey. They first traveled from Rome to Acre. After spending some time in Acre they traveled to the Eastern coast of Italy to a place that was called Negropoint at the time. From there they boarded a ship that would take them up the coast to Venice. Niccolo and Maffeo went back to check up on Niccolo’s family before heading out to the Far East. Niccolo and Maffeo would return to his homestead to find Marco’s mother dead.8 Niccolo and Maffeo were undoubtedly saddened by this event, but none the less the mission had to 6 7 8 Bergreen, Laurence, Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu, P. 25 Benedetto L.F., The Travels of Marco Polo, P. 7 Ibid, P. 8 4 continue. They took Marco, who up til now was the orphaned son of Niccolo with them at this point and sailed on out of Venice across the Mediterranean Sea toward modern day Turkey and Arabia. Then the Polo trio, along with the rest of their traveling unit, began the land crossing toward China. In order to get there from Turkey they had to cross regions of vast desert and mountain ranges along a route called the Silk Road, the way which Niccolo and Maffeo had come years earlier. Marco and his companions had to deal with arid desert climates, highwaymen, and other merchants in places along their journey inconvenient weather patterns such as snow, flooding, and that tended to be the norm in Asia. Due to these inconveniences it would take the group an entire year to make the journey from Venice to the Great Kahn in Peking, China9 Upon arrival in China in 127510 the group along with Marco, Maffeo, and Niccolo would meet up with an ambassador of the Mongol empire who would introduce the group of traveling merchants to Kublai Kahn.11 The Great Kahn welcomed them all and treated them quite well. He treated the group of them so well that they became virtual prisoners in his court, only under much better circumstances. Kublai Kahn allowed them to spread the gospel throughout his domain. The Great Kahn took Marco Polo, and 9 Bergreen, Laurence, Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu, p. 31 Martin, Geoffrey, All Possible Worlds: A History of Geographical Ideas, 2005, p. 46. 10 11 Bergreen, Laurence, Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu, p. 31 5 probably most of the rest of the Italian merchants (excluding Niccolo and Maffeo Polo) by surprise with his kindness and hospitality which he lavished upon them. He would allow them to eat at his table without hesitation; this was very different from what Marco Polo would have expected. In Italy an average merchant such as himself would almost never find himself dining with the Pope or the Holy Roman Emperor, yet Kublai Kahn dined with foreigners. These dinners that The Great Kahn would have with his newly acquired friends were more like feasts.12 During these fests Kublai Kahn would inquire of his Italian guests about a number of different aspects of their western culture. Marco Polo and company filled him in on topics such as Western customs, culture, Kings, The Holy Roman Emperor, Christianity, the Pope, and the operations of the Church.13 It can be assumed that the Italian merchants answered his questions to the best of their ability. Marco Polo would then go on to inherit an important position in Kublai Kahn’s administration. Marco Polo and the rest of the group would stay with the Kahn for seventeen years. During that time Marco became quite acquainted with many aspects of Chinese culture and customs. Marco Polo was exposed to many different spices, gunpowder, and silk. All of which were very much sought after in Italy and the rest of Europe. Marco Polo would be sure to bring this knowledge back to Italy once he received the chance.14 12 Bergreen, Laurence, Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu, p.32 Ibid. 32-33 14 Wood, Frances, Did Marco Polo Go to China?, p. 10 13 While 6 Marco was living with Kublai Kahn he was able to attain a prestigious position in the administration of The Great Kahn. One of the perks that this position of authority offered was the ability for Marco Polo to explore the territories on the outskirts of Kublai Kahn’s vast empire and beyond. One of the places Marco was privileged to visit while on assignment for Kublai Khan, was India.15 During his stay in India, Marco Polo took diligent notes that would eventually be useful for those who would come after him, and good reading for those who had a general interest in his travels. He notes that horses do not keep very well in India due to the warm climate and must be imported quite often because their shelf life is in India is not very long because of the hot, humid climate, and the inability of the horse to be able to physically handle the conditions. Due to the immense costs of importing horses from other areas, horse ownership was usually reserved for the king and those who could afford it. Marco notes that the security of India is good and the King welcomes and protects merchant travelers such as themselves. This is probably one of the main reasons the Polo’s and company stayed in India for a time. The hygiene of the Indian people is very good considering they see a religious significance to being clean, they do not eat bread nor do they drink wine. Marco also notes that the Indian people practice idolatry and polygamy. Marco writes about the customs of Indian pre-marriage and 15 Ricci, Aldo, Benedetto, L.F. The Travels of Marco Polo, p. 180-181 7 marriage practices, citing how in the Indian culture of that time it was highly recommended that women have much experience with several different men before they got married, Marco points out that if it was known that there were merchants traveling through an Indian town then the elder women of that town would bring out the young girls so that the girls might gain the necessary experience. Since Marco Polo answered to a higher power, he did not participate in that dangerous, unhealthy act. Marco would then go on to explore other lands of the Far East after his time in India.16 At one point he made a trip north as far as Russia.17 After his adventuresome era of exploration Marco Polo would eventually make his way from the Far East back to Venice. He arrived in Venice during a time of turmoil and upheaval. The trading towns of Venice and Genoa were at war to decide once and for all who would be the dominant trading port in Italy and the Mediterranean region. Being a Venetian, Marco Polo would end up joining up with the Venetian army in their fight to eradicate the Genoese. Marco’s individual effort would unfortunately be cut short after he was captured by Genoese solders and soon imprisoned in 1298. 18 While in prison in Genoa, Marco Polo would befriend fellow inmate Rustichello.19 Marco soon found out that Rustichello was an expert in writing in the vernacular language of the time. With that 16 17 18 19 Ricci, Aldo, Benedetto, L.F. The Travels of Marco Polo, p. 180-181 Ibid p. 389 Martin, Geoffrey, All Possible Worlds: A History of Geographical Ideas, p. 46. Ibid, p. 46. 8 knowledge Marco Polo dictated his notes that he had taken throughout his time in the Far East. Rustichello would then write them down in book form.20 This book which would eventually become The Travels of Marco Polo was then published so that others who would come after him could learn about the Far East and a little bit about what it had to offer before they set out on their own. On the other hand if one was an armchair explorer he could sit down and read The Travels of Marco Polo at his own leisure and have the same sort of experience without having to worry about braving the elements. The Travels of Marco Polo would introduce the European world to the Far East on a much wider scale. This primary source that Marco Polo produced would influence future big name explorers like Christopher Columbus to view the world through an open ended lens and change the future course of the Italian renaissance from focussing on local feudalism to focusing on expansion of knowledge of the world outside Italy and how to get the most out of it. Once The Travels of Marco Polo was published, it “sold like crazy”21 in Italy and Western Europe shortly after its release. People were having their eyes opened to the fact that the world was bigger than their Europe alone. Europe as a whole was beginning to dream larger than life. The Travels of Marco Polo planted the seeds of exploration which would give birth to the seeds of imperialism in the not too distant future, out of which would come forth some of the most powerful empires in 20 21 Martin, Geoffrey, All Possible Worlds: A History of Geographical Ideas, p. 46 Bustin, Dennis, November 2009 9 the world. Had it not been for Marco Polo’s journal of his travels, the world and society may not have progressed as quickly as it has to this day, all it took was for one man to step out of the |Renaissance Italy” box and broaden his horizons in order to affect virtually the entire known world at that time. However, as time would have it, Marco Polo would eventually have to succumb to the same end that all of humanity faces. Marco Polo would die in 1324 at the age of seventy. It was a life well lived and he accomplished much. When asked by a close friend prior to his death to recount his travels. Marco Polo admitted that in his journals he had recorded less than half of what he actually saw.22 Marco Polo left much unsaid so that other explorers may go see the Far East for themselves and come up with their own opinions instead of just taking his word for it. In conclusion, Marco Polo was born in Venice in the year 1254. He was born to a well to do merchant family. His father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo were very profitable in the area of trade and had been to the Far East. They convi came back to collect him unbeknownst to his father after he found Marco’s mother had died during his time away. Marco would accompany his father and uncle on their second missionary / trading journey to the Far East where he would meet and become good friends with Kublai Kahn with whom the three Polo’s and the rest of their crew would stay with for seventeen years. During those seventeen years Marco Polo would earn 22 Martin, Geoffrey, All Possible Worlds: A History of Geographical Ideas, p. 46. 10 the favour of the Kahn and because of this Kublai Kahn would place Marco Polo in a position of authority in his council. This position allowed Marco Polo to continue to explore the various regions of the Far East. Eventually Marco Polo would return to Venice, only to be caught in the middle of a trade war between his home town of Venice and their biggest trade rival Genoa. Marco Polo joined his fellow countrymen in the Venetian army. Marco Polo was eventually captured and imprisoned by the Genoese army. It was in prison where he would meet a fellow inmate named Rustichello, who had excellent writing skills that surpassed those of Marco Polo. After learning of this, Marco Polo then persuaded Rustichello to copy down his journal entries as he dictated. This book, which would eventually be titled The Travels of Marco Polo, sold extremely well in Italy and Western Europe. People were allowing their eyes to be opened to the possibilities the Far East had to offer. In turn this would shift the future focus of Renaissance Italy from trade to imperialism as more parts of the world were being discovered by big name explorers like Columbus, Diaz, and De Gama, who were no doubt influenced by Marco Polo’s writings. This would lead to the rise of some of the largest and most dominant empires the world would ever see. Society would be forever changed because one man, Marco Polo, dared to step outside the box and go explore where few had gone before. 11 Marco Polo, Exploration, and its Effect on the Italian Renaissance Bibliography (All Sources Used and Consulted) Bergreen, Laurence, Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu, Vintage Books U.S.A 2007 Burckhardt, Jacob, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy, Penguin Books, 1990 Garin, Eugino, Renaissance Characters, University of Chicago Press, 1991 Hofele, Andreas & Von Koppenfels, Werner Renaissance Go-Betweens: Cultural Exchange in Modern Europe, Walter de Gruyter and Co, Berlin 2005 Martin, Geoffrey All Possible Worlds: A History of Geographical Ideas, 2005 Ricci, Aldo, Benedetto, L.F. The Travels of Marco Polo George Routledge and Sons Ltd. Broadway house, Carter Lane, London, 1931. Rubies, Joan-Pau, Travel and Ethnology in the Renaissance: South India Through European Eyes 1250-1625 , Cambridge University Press Wood, Frances, Did Marco Polo Go To China?,Westview Press, U.S.A., 1996