- Born in 1253.
- Best known long-distance traveler of Mongol times.
- Born into a Venetian Family.
- Father, Niccolo, and Uncle, Maffeo, were already travelers and of the first Europeans to visit China. They met Khubilai Khan and traveled throughout the mongol lands.
- Marco eventually traveled with his father and uncle when they went back to China.
- Khubilai Khan took a liking to Marco because of his ability to tell magnificent stories and tales and gave him permission to pursue mercantile interests in China. He also sent him on diplomatic missions in which he told the Khan all about when he returned.
- When they eventually returned to Venice, the was a ongoing conflict between Venice and their rival Genoa. They were taken captive.
- Marco in prison told his fellow captives of his magnificent stories he had of far away lands. A writer who was also imprisoned during this time recorded all of his tales and later spread them throughout Europe,
- His stories and tales inspired increased travel and trade throughout Europe.
- Stories sometimes included large exaggerations.
- Stories often talked about textiles, spices, gems, and other goods.
Ibn Battuta
- Born in 1304.
- Best known of the Muslim travelers.
- Most of the places he visited were governed by Islamic rulers
- He went to places such as India, the Maldive Islands, the Swahili city-states, and the Mali Empire.
- Very few Muslims were educated in law in the places he went.
- With his prestigious legal credentials, he was able to almost always find work in the government in the places he traveled to.
- He became the qadi and adviser to the sultan of Dehli.
- He supervised affairs as qadi in a wealthy mosque and heard cases of law. He strictly enforced islamic law and standards of justice.
- Left north India and became a qadi in the Maldive Islands.
- On the Islands he heard law cases and worked zealously to promote the proper observance of Islam, doing many things such as ordering lashings for men who skipped Friday prayers and encouraging that women cover themselves.
- Traveled to other places in Africa and abroad also seeking to promote the proper observance of Islam.
Similarities and differences
Both of these men were travelers. They both spread culture and ideas. Both of their actions contributed to more travel and contact between distant lands. However, Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo traveled between and spread information to and from other lands with different goals. Marco Polo intended to serve Khubilai Khan and to bring back and retell amazing and fascinating stories from distant lands. He brought the message back from distant places. Ibn Battuta had different motives. Instead he wanted to spread the proper word of Islam to distant Islam lands where Islam was not practiced correctly, in his eyes. He spread the message to distant lands instead of bringing ones back.
Effects of their actions
Both of them caused similar effects. Their actions closer linked far away lands, either through customs or through knowledge of each other. Marco Polo specifically caused a major increase in travel and exploration in Europe. Ibn Battuta linked Islamic states and attempted to unify customs.
Video
This video gives a brief overview of Marco Polo and how his stories were spread.
Maps
Map of Marco Polo's travels.
Map of Ibn Battuta's travels.
Thinglink
Comparison
These explorations of travelers were similar to the creation of the silk road. Travelers made contact with far away lands and linked states and peoples who had never before come in contact. Similarly, the creation of the silk road created an easy and open path between the east and west, which led to more connectivity, trading, and meetings of peoples. However, unlike travelers, the silk road was not the first way people came in contact with the people it would connect them too, it only made it much easier and safer to travel and transport between east and west.
College board Themes
Creation, Expansion & Interaction of Economic Systems
(Agriculture, Pastoralist, Trade & Commerce, Labor Systems, Industrialism, Capitalism, Socialism)
These travels link states and economies together for the first time, creating new trade and a desire for exploration and
expansion.
State Building, Expansion & Conflict
(Political structures, Empires, Nations, Nationalism, Revolts & Revolutions)
The interactions these states will lead to wars and conquest/expansion.