Marco Polo

Marco Polo (http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/marco-po (MICHAEL YAMASHITA))

"Without stones there is no arch." The famous explorer Marco Polo used this quote during his journey from Europe to Asia in the 1200's while helping a Mongol Princess across Asia. Marco Polo was born around the year 1254, into a prosperous merchant family in Venice, Italy and later died in January 1324. During his travels he found and established the Silk Road, a very important trade route which helped connect Asia to other important areas. Since Marco Polo did this it made him an important person because even though he had early life troubles, he still did the impossible and inspired many others.

Even though Marco Polo was very successful and good at what he did, he did have some early life troubles. When Polo was young his mother died and since his father was out traveling he was never home. So while he was growing up, Polo was mainly raised by extended family and friends of his parents. When Polo was born, his mother's side were Venetian Merchants and his father's were mainly Explorers. When Polo was only 17 he left and went to travel with his father and his uncle, Maffeo, around Central Europe and Asia, on what later became known as the Silk Road.

While out on his travels Polo would travel for more than 20 years at a time, and his family would often forget about him. While exploring he stayed in China for 17 years during the 1271-1295 time of exploration. He left China in 1292 acting as a consort for a Mongol Princess being sent to Persia. While on his journeys he found what later became the Silk Road and helped the trade routes between Asia, Europe, and other central European Countries as well. He also became a confidant of Kublai Khan, which was a descendant of Genghis Khan, While on his stay with Kahn in China Polo gathered many riches and gems and later left after seeing the Khans fall.

When Polo later died he was the first and most known European explorer of his time. Because of this he inspired many other explorers, like Christopher Columbus. He inspired Columbus because while Polo was returning home, he was taken prisoner by the Genoese who were rivals of the Venetians, during a battle in the Mediterranean. When Polo was imprisoned in Genoa he met a well known author, Rustichelli Pisa. While they were imprisoned Polo told Pisa stories of his travels, which later became known as "Il Milione" or The Travels of Marco Polo. When he was free many didn't believe the stories but he claimed that they were all the true.

Marco Polo was a very inspiring and interesting man in his time since he discovered the Silk Road and was the first and most well known explorer of his time. And even though many didn't believe his stories, today they have been proved to be factual and that he helped discover a lot of Asia and Central Europe. Marco Polo is an important person because he discovers a lot even though he had early life troubles, he inspired many and did the impossible. So when Polo said, "Without stones, there is no arch." I think he meant that without trying nothing will be done.