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Introduction The Book Marco's World The Crusades The Mongols The Merchants of Venice The Travels Kublai Khan The Voyage Home Man of a Million Lies? Timeline Bibliography A Note on Religion A Note on the Texts Map of Marco's Journey Links |
Timeline 1095 The First Crusade: Middle East principalities are established with allegiance to the Roman church 1145 The Second Crusade: Saladin drives Crusaders back to the sea 1189 The Third Crusade: Richard the Lionheart retakes Acre 1202 The Fourth Crusade: Constantinople is seized and governed by Venetians 1206 Temujin elected Great Khan - Genghis: Mongols begin building their empire taking eastern Europe, Asia, India and China 1227 The Death of Genghis Khan 1245 Carpini visits the Mongols at their capital, Karakorum in Mongolia 1251 Kublai Khan becomes Governor of China 1253 Roubrouck visits the Mongols at their capital, Karakorum in Mongolia 1254 Marco Polo is born 1258 The Mongols sack Baghdad: end of the Caliphate 1260 First defeat of the Mongols by the Mamluks: brothers Nicolo and Maffeo Polo set sail from Constantinople for the Crimean port of Sudak in search of new markets for their wares 1261 Greek Empire restored in Constantinople 1262 Nicolo and Maffeo Polo are caught in a war between two rival Mongol lords, Hulagu and Barka: they seek refuge at Bukhara where they receive an invitation to Cathay (China) to meet Kublai, khan of all the Mongols 1267 Kublai Khan sets up a new Chinese capital at Daidu (Khan-Balik), now part of modern-day Beijing (Peking) 1268 The Death of Pope Clement IV 1269 Nicolo and Maffeo Polo return to Venice after 15 years: Nicolo's wife has died leaving a son, Marco 1271 New Pope, Gregory X: Marco Polo's travels begin 1273 The siege of Xiangyang (Siang-yang-fu), China 1274 First Mongol invasion of Japan ends in defeat 1275 Marco Polo arrives in Peking 1279 Kublai Khan establishes the Yuan Dynasty in China 1281 Second Mongol invasion of Japan ends in defeat 1292 The Polo's settle in Kaikhatu in the Levant for seven months 1293 First Christian missionaries arrive in Peking 1294 The Death of Kublai Khan: effectively the end of the Mongol empire despite several later attempted invasions by independent khanates 1295 Marco Polo returns to Venice 1298 Marco Polo is imprisoned at Genoa following the battle of Kurzola: there, he meets a writer, Rustichello of Pisa, and together they begin a book of Marco's travels 1299 Marco Polo is released as a prisoner of war in Genoa: at about this time, Marco marries a Venetian, Donata: they have three daughters, Belela, Fantina and Moreta: the death of Nicolo Polo 1307 Giovanni di Monte Corvino becomes the first Archbishop of Peking 1324 Death of Marco Polo 1368 The Ming Dynasty is established in China: the barriers between East and West remain in place for many generations |