The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1
By Polo, Marco
Classic work by Polo, Marco.
Table of Contents
_Containing the first volume of the 1903 edition_ DEDICATION. TO THE MEMORY OF SIR RODERICK I. MURCHISON, BART., K.C....
his native humour, and his good comradeship, and especially his strong sense of right and wrong, made him both admired and respected.... Yule was not a scientific engineer, though ...
CHAP. PAGE I.—OF CUBLAY KAAN, THE GREAT KAAN NOW REIGNING, AND OF HIS GREAT PUISSANCE ...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS POLO SET FORTH FROM CONSTANTINOPLE TO TRAVERSE THE WORLD. It came to pass in the year of Christ 1260, when Baldwin was reigning at Con...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS WENT ON BEYOND SOLDAIA. Having stayed a while at Soldaia, they considered the matter, and thought it well to extend their journey further. So they set forth f...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS, AFTER CROSSING A DESERT, CAME TO THE CITY OF BOCARA, AND FELL IN WITH CERTAIN ENVOYS THERE. After they had passed the desert, they arrived at a very ...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS TOOK THE ENVOYS’ COUNSEL, AND WENT TO THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN. So when the Two Brothers had made their arrangements, they set out on ...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS ARRIVED AT THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN. When the Two Brothers got to the Great Kaan, he received them with great honour and hospitality, and showed much pleas...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN ASKED ALL ABOUT THE MANNERS OF THE CHRISTIANS, AND PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE POPE OF ROME. And then he inquired about the Pope and the Church, and about a...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN SENT THE TWO BROTHERS AS HIS ENVOYS TO THE POPE. When that Prince, whose name was CUBLAY KAAN, Lord of the Tartars all over the e...
Arts._” In the tale of the Seven Wise Masters, Diocletian selects that number of tutors for his son, each to instruct him in one of the Seven Arts. In the romance of _Erec and ...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN GAVE THEM A TABLET OF GOLD, BEARING HIS ORDERS IN THEIR BEHALF. When the Prince had charged them with all his commission, he caused to b...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS CAME TO THE CITY OF ACRE. They departed from Layas and came to ACRE, arriving there in the month of April, in the year of Christ 1269, and then they learned t...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS AGAIN DEPARTED FROM VENICE, ON THEIR WAY BACK TO THE GREAT KAAN, AND TOOK WITH THEM MARK, THE SON OF MESSER NICOLAS. When the Two Brothers had tarried as ...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS SET OUT FROM ACRE, AND MARK ALONG WITH THEM. When the Two Brothers had received the Legate’s letters, they set forth from Acre t...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE THE NEW POPE. And when they had been thus honourably conducted to Acre they proceeded to the presence...
HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO, ACCOMPANIED BY MARK, TRAVELLED TO THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN. So the Two Brothers, and Mark along with them, proceeded on th...
HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO AND MARCO PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE THE GREAT KAAN. And what shall I tell you? when the Two Brothers and Mark had arrived ...
HOW THE EMPEROR SENT MARK ON AN EMBASSY OF HIS. Now it came to pass that Marco, the son of Messer Nicolo, sped wondrously in learning the customs of the Tartars, as well as their ...
HOW MARK RETURNED FROM THE MISSION WHEREON HE HAD BEEN SENT. When Mark returned from his ambassage he presented himself before the Emperor, and after...
HOW MESSER NICOLO, MESSER MAFFEO, AND MESSER MARCO, ASKED LEAVE OF THE GREAT KAAN TO GO THEIR WAY. When the Two Brothers and Mark had abode with the Lord all that t...
HOW THE TWO BROTHERS AND MESSER MARCO TOOK LEAVE OF THE GREAT KAAN, AND RETURNED TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY. And when the Prince saw that the Two Brothers and Messer Marco w...
HERE THE BOOK BEGINS; AND FIRST IT SPEAKS OF THE LESSER HERMENIA. There are two Hermenias, the Greater and the Less. The Lesser Hermenia is governed...
CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF TURCOMANIA. In Turcomania there are three classes of people. First, there are the Turcomans; these are worshippers of Mahommet, a rude people with an un...
DESCRIPTION OF THE GREATER HERMENIA. This is a great country. It begins at a city called ARZINGA, at which they weave the best buckrams in the world. It possesses also the best ba...
OF GEORGIANIA AND THE KINGS THEREOF. In Georgiania there is a King called David Melic, which is as much as to say “David King”; he is subject to the Tartar.{1} In old times all th...
OF THE KINGDOM OF MAUSUL. On the frontier of Armenia towards the south-east is the kingdom of MAUSUL. It is a very great kingdom, and inhabited{1} by several different kinds of pe...
OF THE GREAT CITY OF BAUDAS, AND HOW IT WAS TAKEN. Baudas is a great city, which used to be the seat of the Calif of all the Saracens in the world, just as Rome is the seat of the...
HOW THE CALIF OF BAUDAS TOOK COUNSEL TO SLAY ALL THE CHRISTIANS IN HIS LAND. I will tell you then this great marvel that occurred between Baudas and Mausul...
HOW THE CHRISTIANS WERE IN GREAT DISMAY BECAUSE OF WHAT THE CALIF HAD SAID. The Christians on hearing what the Calif had said were in great dismay, but t...
HOW THE ONE-EYED COBLER WAS DESIRED TO PRAY FOR THE CHRISTIANS. Now when this vision had visited the Bishop several times, he related the whole matte...
HOW THE PRAYER OF THE ONE-EYED COBLER CAUSED THE MOUNTAIN TO MOVE. And when the appointed day was come, all the Christians got up early, men and women, ...
OF THE NOBLE CITY OF TAURIS. Tauris is a great and noble city, situated in a great province called YRAC, in which are many other towns and villages. But as Tauris is the most nobl...
OF THE MONASTERY OF ST. BARSAMO ON THE BORDERS OF TAURIS. On the borders of (the territory of) Tauris there is a monastery called after Saint Barsamo, a most devout Saint. There i...
OF THE GREAT COUNTRY OF PERSIA; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE THREE KINGS. Persia is a great country, which was in old times very illustrious and powerful;...
WHAT BEFELL WHEN THE THREE KINGS RETURNED TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY. And when they had ridden many days they said they would see what the Child had given...
OF THE EIGHT KINGDOMS OF PERSIA, AND HOW THEY ARE NAMED. Now you must know that Persia is a very great country, and contains eight kingdoms. I will t...
CONCERNING THE GREAT CITY OF YASDI. Yasdi also is properly in Persia; it is a good and noble city, and has a great amount of trade. They weave there quantities of a certain silk t...
CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF KERMAN. Kerman is a kingdom which is also properly in Persia, and formerly it had a hereditary prince. Since the Tartars conquered the country the rule i...
OF THE CITY OF CAMADI AND ITS RUINS; ALSO TOUCHING THE CARAUNA ROBBERS. After you have ridden down hill those two days, you find yourself in a vast plai...
OF THE DESCENT TO THE CITY OF HORMOS. The Plain of which we have spoken extends in a southerly direction for five days’ journey, and then you come to another descent some twenty m...
OF THE WEARISOME AND DESERT ROAD THAT HAS NOW TO BE TRAVELLED. On departing from the city of Kerman you find the road for seven days most wearisome; ...
CONCERNING THE CITY OF COBINAN AND THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE THERE. Cobinan is a large town.{1} The people worship Mahommet. There is much Iron and St...
OF A CERTAIN DESERT THAT CONTINUES FOR EIGHT DAYS’ JOURNEY. When you depart from this City of Cobinan, you find yourself again in a Desert of surpassing aridity, which lasts for s...
CONCERNING THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN. Mulehet is a country in which the Old Man of the Mountain dwelt in former days; and the name means “_Place of the Aram_.” I will tell you h...
HOW THE OLD MAN USED TO TRAIN HIS ASSASSINS. When therefore they awoke, and found themselves in a place so charming, they deemed that it was Paradise in very truth. And the ladies...
HOW THE OLD MAN CAME BY HIS END. Now it came to pass, in the year of Christ’s Incarnation, 1252, that Alaü, Lord of the Tartars of the Levant, heard tell of these great crimes of ...
CONCERNING THE CITY OF SAPURGAN. On leaving the Castle, you ride over fine plains and beautiful valleys, and pretty hill-sides producing excellent grass pasture, and abundance of ...
OF THE CITY OF BALC. Balc is a noble city and a great, though it was much greater in former days. But the Tartars and other nations have greatly ravaged and destroyed it. There we...
OF TAICAN, AND THE MOUNTAINS OF SALT. ALSO OF THE PROVINCE OF CASEM. After those twelve days’ journey you come to a fortified place called TAICAN, where ...
OF THE PROVINCE OF BADASHAN. Badashan is a Province inhabited by people who worship Mahommet, and have a peculiar language. It forms a very great kingdom, and the royalty is hered...
OF THE PROVINCE OF PASHAI. You must know that ten days’ journey to the south of Badashan there is a Province called PASHAI, the people of which have a peculiar language, and are I...
OF THE PROVINCE OF KESHIMUR. Keshimur also is a Province inhabited by a people who are Idolaters and have a language of their own.{1} They have an astonishing acquaintance with th...
OF THE GREAT RIVER OF BADASHAN. In leaving Badashan you ride twelve days between east and north-east, ascending a river that runs through land belonging to a brother of the Prince...
or village, about 11,500. A few willows and poplars are the only trees that can stand against the bitter blasts that blow down the valley. Wood estimated the total population o...
OF THE KINGDOM OF CASCAR. [Illustration: Head of a Native of Kashgar.] Cascar is a region lying between north-east and east, and constituted a kingdom in former days, but now it ...
OF THE GREAT CITY OF SAMARCAN. Samarcan is a great and noble city towards the north-west, inhabited by both Christians and Saracens, who are subject to the Great Kaan’s nephew, CA...
OF THE PROVINCE OF YARCAN. Yarcan is a province five days’ journey in extent. The people follow the Law of Mahommet, but there are also Nestorian and Jacobite Christians. They are...
OF A PROVINCE CALLED COTAN. Cotan is a province lying between north-east and east, and is eight days’ journey in length. The people are subject to the Great Kaan,{1} and are all w...
OF THE PROVINCE OF PEIN. Pein is a province five days in length, lying between east and north-east. The people are worshippers of Mahommet, and subjects of the Great Kaan. There a...
OF THE PROVINCE OF CHARCHAN. Charchan is a Province of Great Turkey, lying between north-east and east. The people worship Mahommet. There are numerous towns and villages, and the...
OF THE CITY OF LOP AND THE GREAT DESERT. Lop is a large town at the edge of the Desert, which is called the Desert of Lop, and is situated between east and north-east. It belongs ...
CONCERNING THE GREAT PROVINCE OF TANGUT. After you have travelled thirty days through the Desert, as I have described, you come to a city called SACHIU, lying between north-east a...
OF THE PROVINCE OF CAMUL. Camul is a province which in former days was a kingdom. It contains numerous towns and villages, but the chief city bears the name of CAMUL. The province...
OF THE PROVINCE OF CHINGINTALAS. Chingintalas is also a province at the verge of the Desert, and lying between north-west and north. It has an extent of sixteen days’ journey, and...
OF THE PROVINCE OF SUKCHUR. On leaving the province of which I spoke before,{1} you ride ten days between north-east and east, and in all that way you find no human dwelling, or n...
OF THE CITY OF CAMPICHU. Campichu is also a city of Tangut, and a very great and noble one. Indeed it is the capital and place of government of the whole province of Tangut.{1} Th...
OF THE CITY OF ETZINA. When you leave the city of Campichu you ride for twelve days, and then reach a city called ETZINA, which is towards the north on the verge of the Sandy Dese...
OF THE CITY OF CARACORON. Caracoron is a city of some three miles in compass. [It is surrounded by a strong earthen rampart, for stone is scarce there. And beside it there is a gr...
OF CHINGHIS, AND HOW HE BECAME THE FIRST KAAN OF THE TARTARS. Now it came to pass in the year of Christ’s Incarnation 1187 that the Tartars made the...
HOW CHINGHIS MUSTERED HIS PEOPLE TO MARCH AGAINST PRESTER JOHN. When Chinghis Kaan heard the brutal message that Prester John had sent him, such rage ...
HOW PRESTER JOHN MARCHED TO MEET CHINGHIS. Now the story goes that when Prester John became aware that Chinghis with his host was marching against him, he went forth to meet him w...
THE BATTLE BETWEEN CHINGHIS KAAN AND PRESTER JOHN. And after both sides had rested well those two days, they armed for the fight and engaged in desperate combat; and it was the gr...
OF THOSE WHO DID REIGN AFTER CHINGHIS KAAN, AND OF THE CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARS. Now the next that reigned after Chinghis Kaan, their first Lord,{1} was CUY ...
CONCERNING THE CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARS. Now that we have begun to speak of the Tartars, I have plenty to tell you on that subject. The Tartar custom is to spend the winter in warm ...
CONCERNING THE GOD OF THE TARTARS. This is the fashion of their religion. [They say there is a Most High God of Heaven, whom they worship daily with thurible and incense, but they...
CONCERNING THE TARTAR CUSTOMS OF WAR. All their harness of war is excellent and costly. Their arms are bows and arrows, sword and mace; but above all the bow, for they are capital...
CONCERNING THE ADMINISTERING OF JUSTICE AMONG THE TARTARS. The way they administer justice is this. When any one has committed a petty theft, they give him, under the orders of au...
SUNDRY PARTICULARS OF THE PLAIN BEYOND CARACORON. And when you leave Caracoron and the Altay, in which they bury the bodies of the Tartar Sovereigns, as I told you, you go north f...
OF THE KINGDOM OF ERGUIUL, AND PROVINCE OF SINJU. On leaving Campichu, then, you travel five days across a tract in which many spirits are heard speaking in the night season; and ...
OF THE KINGDOM OF EGRIGAIA. Starting again from Erguiul you ride eastward for eight days, and then come to a province called EGRIGAIA, containing numerous cities and villages, and...
CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF TENDUC, AND THE DESCENDANTS OF PRESTER JOHN. Tenduc is a province which lies towards the east, and contains numerous towns an...
CONCERNING THE KAAN’S PALACE OF CHAGANNOR. At the end of those three days you find a city called CHAGAN NOR [which is as much as to say White Pool], at which there is a great Pala...
OF THE CITY OF CHANDU, AND THE KAAN’S PALACE THERE. And when you have ridden three days from the city last mentioned, between north-east and north, you come to a city called CHAND...
OF CUBLAY KAAN, THE GREAT KAAN NOW REIGNING, AND OF HIS GREAT PUISSANCE. Now am I come to that part of our Book in which I shall tell you of the great a...
CONCERNING THE REVOLT OF NAYAN, WHO WAS UNCLE TO THE GREAT KAAN CUBLAY. Now this Cublay Kaan is of the right Imperial lineage, being descended from Ching...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN MARCHED AGAINST NAYAN. When the Great Kaan heard what was afoot, he made his preparations in right good heart, like one who feared not the issue of an attempt s...
OF THE BATTLE THAT THE GREAT KAAN FOUGHT WITH NAYAN. What shall I say about it? When day had well broken, there was the Kaan with all his host upon a hill overlooking the plain wh...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSED NAYAN TO BE PUT TO DEATH. And when the Great Kaan learned that Nayan was taken right glad was he, and commanded that he should be put to death straightwa...
And so thenceforward no more was heard of the floutings of the unbelievers against the Christians; for they heard very well what the Sovereign said to the latter about the Cross on...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN WENT BACK TO THE CITY OF CAMBALUC. And after the Great Kaan had defeated Nayan in the way you have heard, he went back to his capital city of Cambaluc and abode...
HOW THE KAAN REWARDED THE VALOUR OF HIS CAPTAINS. So we will have done with this matter of Nayan, and go on with our account of the great state of the Great Kaan. We have already...
CONCERNING THE PERSON OF THE GREAT KAAN. The personal appearance of the Great Kaan, Lord of Lords, whose name is Cublay, is such as I shall now tell you. He is of a good stature, ...
CONCERNING THE GREAT KAAN’S SONS. The Emperor hath, by those four wives of his, twenty-two male children; the eldest of whom was called CHINKIN for the love of the good Chinghis K...
CONCERNING THE PALACE OF THE GREAT KAAN. You must know that for three months of the year, to wit December, January, and February, the Great Kaan resides in the capital city of Cat...
CONCERNING THE CITY OF CAMBALUC. Now there was on that spot in old times a great and noble city called CAMBALUC, which is as much as to say in our tongue “The city of the Emperor....
HOW THE GREAT KAAN MAINTAINS A GUARD OF TWELVE THOUSAND HORSE, WHICH ARE CALLED KESHICAN. You must know that the Great Kaan, to maintain his state, hath a guard...
THE FASHION OF THE GREAT KAAN’S TABLE AT HIS HIGH FEASTS. And when the Great Kaan sits at table on any great court occasion, it is in this fashion. His table is elevated a good de...
CONCERNING THE GREAT FEAST HELD BY THE GRAND KAAN EVERY YEAR ON HIS BIRTHDAY. You must know that the Tartars keep high festival yearly on their birthdays....
OF THE GREAT FESTIVAL WHICH THE KAAN HOLDS ON NEW YEAR’S DAY. The beginning of their New Year is the month of February, and on that occasion the Grea...
CONCERNING THE TWELVE THOUSAND BARONS WHO RECEIVE ROBES OF CLOTH OF GOLD FROM THE EMPEROR ON THE GREAT FESTIVALS, THIRTEEN CHANGES A-PIECE. Now you must know that the ...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN ENJOINETH HIS PEOPLE TO SUPPLY HIM WITH GAME. The three months of December, January, and February, during which the Emperor reside...
OF THE LIONS AND LEOPARDS AND WOLVES THAT THE KAAN KEEPS FOR THE CHASE. The Emperor hath numbers of leopards{1} trained to the chase, and hath also a g...
CONCERNING THE TWO BROTHERS WHO HAVE CHARGE OF THE KAAN’S HOUNDS. The Emperor hath two Barons who are own brothers, one called Baian and the other Ming...
HOW THE EMPEROR GOES ON A HUNTING EXPEDITION. After he has stopped at his capital city those three months that I mentioned, to wit, December, January, February, he starts off on t...
REHEARSAL OF THE WAY THE YEAR OF THE GREAT KAAN IS DISTRIBUTED. On arriving at his capital of Cambaluc,{1} he stays in his palace there three days and...
CONCERNING THE CITY OF CAMBALUC, AND ITS GREAT TRAFFIC AND POPULATION. You must know that the city of Cambaluc hath such a multitude of houses, and suc...
[CONCERNING THE OPPRESSIONS OF ACHMATH THE BAILO, AND THE PLOT THAT WAS FORMED AGAINST HIM.{1} You will hear further on how that there are twelve persons appointed ...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSETH THE BARK OF TREES, MADE INTO SOMETHING LIKE PAPER, TO PASS FOR MONEY OVER ALL HIS COUNTRY. Now that I have told you in detail of the splendour of ...
CONCERNING THE TWELVE BARONS WHO ARE SET OVER ALL THE AFFAIRS OF THE GREAT KAAN. You must know that the Great Kaan hath chosen twelve great Barons to whom he...
HOW THE KAAN’S POSTS AND RUNNERS ARE SPED THROUGH MANY LANDS AND PROVINCES. Now you must know that from this city of Cambaluc proceed many roads and highw...
HOW THE EMPEROR BESTOWS HELP ON HIS PEOPLE, WHEN THEY ARE AFFLICTED WITH DEARTH OR MURRAIN. Now you must know that the Emperor sends his Messengers over all his L...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSES TREES TO BE PLANTED BY THE HIGHWAYS. The Emperor moreover hath taken order that all the highways travelled by his messenge...
CONCERNING THE RICE-WINE DRUNK BY THE PEOPLE OF CATHAY. Most of the people of Cathay drink wine of the kind that I shall now describe. It is a liquor which they brew of rice with ...
CONCERNING THE BLACK STONES THAT ARE DUG IN CATHAY, AND ARE BURNT FOR FUEL. It is a fact that all over the country of Cathay there is a kind of black s...
HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSES STORES OF CORN TO BE MADE, TO HELP HIS PEOPLE WITHAL IN TIME OF DEARTH. You must know that when the Emperor sees that corn is cheap and ab...
OF THE CHARITY OF THE EMPEROR TO THE POOR. I have told you how the Great Kaan provides for the distribution of necessaries to his people in time of dearth, by making store in time...
[CONCERNING THE ASTROLOGERS IN THE CITY OF CAMBALUC.] [There are in the city of Cambaluc, what with Christians, Saracens, and Cathayans, some five thousand astrologers and soothsa...
CONCERNING THE RELIGION OF THE CATHAYANS;{1} THEIR VIEWS AS TO THE SOUL; AND THEIR CUSTOMS. As we have said before, these people are Idolaters, and as regards th...