Christopher Columbus And Marco Polo

Marco polo came from a family of merchants and so he was very interested in establishing ties with foreign peoples in order to trade goods with them.

Christopher columbus and marco polo. Columbus grew up hearing stories of the grand khan in a strange land on the other side of the world. Christopher columbus owned a copy of marco polo s famous book and it gave him a love for exploration. For christopher columbus marco polo s travelogue was a valuable and solid resource that contained the necessary details of the east. Exotic goods such as spices ivory silk and gems were popular items of trade.

Marco polo s literary work the travels of marco polo is perhaps the most famous and influential travel book in history as it paved the way for thousands of explorers in the coming centuries to find routes to asia by sea and christopher columbus was the first to venture as on the dawn of oct. The geographical descriptions in his writing generated a basis for columbus scientific calculations for his expedition and the explicit depictions of the luxury of cipangu and cathay flawed though they were created a strong motivation for columbus. The travels of marco polo from venice to asia opened up a whole new world to europeans. Marco polo was different than christopher columbus in many ways.

Marco polo never saw himself as an explorer he preferred the term wayfarer but his do or die approach. Concerning the lands of india and a prince called gran khan. In the mid 15th century portugal was desperately trying to find a faster trade route to asia. Christopher columbus purportedly sailed to the new world with a copy of marco polo s travels in tow.

Marco polo was a major influence on other explorers including christopher columbus. Thinking he would reach asia and having no idea about the mongol empire. The story of his journey influenced mapmakers and inspired christopher columbus. American minute with bill federer.

In 1271 marco polo left venice with his father and uncle and traveled 5 600 miles east to meet kublai khan grandson of ghengis khan who was emperor of china korea north india persia russia and hungary. 12 1942 land was sighted as columbus expedition landed on the islands of the bahamas and he called. Marco polo and christopher columbus. Columbus owned a copy of marco polo s book and wrote numerous personal notes in the margins.

Two centuries after polo s passing christopher columbus set off across the atlantic in hopes of finding a new route to the orient.