The Travels of Marco Polo

5RR Marco Polo, translated from the Italian with notes by Willian Marsden. London, 1818.

Notes

Marco Polo was a Venetian explorer and merchant born in 1254. He is best known for his journey to Asia, particularly his time spent at the court of Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler of China, during the late 13th century. In 1271, Polo traveled with his family, including his father and uncle, along the Silk Road to the distant Mongol Empire, reaching Beijing around 1275. He spent approximately 17 years in the service of Kublai Khan, where he reportedly held various administrative positions and traveled widely within the empire. After returning to Venice in 1295, he was captured during a conflict with Genoa and imprisoned, where he met a fellow prisoner, Rustichello de Pisa, who helped him write down his accounts of his travels. Polo's stories were later published, detailing the wonders, cultures, and people he encountered in Asia.

The Travels of Marco Polo is the book that recounts Polo’s experiences and observations during his travels through Asia. First published in the late 13th century, it was originally written in French based on Polo's dictation to Rustichello. The book describes Polo’s journey through the Middle East, Central Asia, and China, and provides one of the earliest and most detailed European accounts of these regions. His descriptions of the wealth and grandeur of the Mongol Empire, the customs of the Chinese, and the vastness of the Asian continent were highly influential in expanding European knowledge of Asia. However, the accuracy of some of Polo’s claims has been debated, with some scholars questioning whether he actually visited all the places he described. Regardless, the book sparked European interest in exploration and trade with the East, influencing future explorers and contributing to the Age of Discovery. Polo's name remains synonymous with adventure and cross-cultural exchange, and The Travels of Marco Polo continues to be a significant work in the history of exploration.

Description

Brown leather boards with gilt decorative boarders on upper and lower boards. Rebacked spine with five raised bands and gilt lettering. Bumped corners. Fully intact with minimal foxing. Fold out map. Scuffed boards.