Marco Polo timeline

Marco Polo is Born

The exact time and place of Marco Polo's birth are unknown, and current theories are mostly conjectural. However, the most quoted specific date is... Read more

Marco Polo and his father begin Journey to Asia

In 1271, Marco Polo (at seventeen years of age), his father, and his uncle set off for Asia on the series of adventures that were later documented... Read more

Marco Polo reaches Cathay and meets Kublai Khan

Marco Polo travels to Cathay (China) Marco Polo lived from 1254-1324. Some years before St. Louis led his last Crusade there was born in Venice a... Read more

Marco Polo appointed an envoy for Kublai Khan

When Marco Polo was about twenty-one Kublai Khan sent him on very important business to a distant part of China. He did the work well and from that... Read more

Marco Polo appointed governor

Khan liked the youthful Marco and conscripted him into service for the Empire. Marco served in several high-level government positions, including... Read more

Marco Polo returns to Venice

Sometime around 1292 (1290 according to Otagi), a Mongol princess was to be sent to Persia to become the consort of Arghun Khan, and the Polos... Read more

Marco Polo serves as a gentleman-commander and is imprisoned in Genoa

Marco Polo did not return to Asia again. He entered the service of Venice in its war against the rival city-state of Genoa. In 1298 Marco served as... Read more

Marco Polo is released as a prisoner of war in Genoa

Upon their return, Venice was at war with Genoa, and Marco Polo was taken prisoner. He spent the few months of his imprisonment dictating a... Read more

Marco Polo marries Donata Badoer

Marco Polo was finally released from captivity in August 1299,[3] and returned home to Venice, where his father and uncle had purchased a large... Read more

Marco Polo Dies

In 1323, Polo was confined to bed, due to illness. On January 8, 1324, despite physicians' efforts to treat him, Polo was on his deathbed. To write... Read more