The Travels of Marco Polo

Synopsis

Marco polo was the most famous traveller of his time. His voyages began in 1271 with a visit to china, after which he served the kubilai khan on numerous diplomatic missions. On his return to the west he was made a prisoner of war and met rustichello of pisa, with whom he collaborated on this book. The accounts of his travels provide a fascinating glimpse of the different societies he encountered: their religions, customs, ceremonies and way of life; on the spices and silks of the east; on precious gems, exotic vegetation and wild beasts.