Marco Polo was born 15 September 1254 in Venice, Italy, he was an explorer and trader of European nationals who have an impressive adventure stories. Marco Polo's adventures are so famous for its picture of Marco Polo will be the places that he had flown so compelling. Marco Polo began his journey when he was 17 years old. As he traveled along with his father, Niccolo, and uncle, Maffeo. They were the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China and visit Kublai Khan. Marco Polo then recorded his journey in a book Il Milione.
Book Il Milione, which raises this book its name. From Venice, Marco Polo traveled to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, along the Silk Road to China, and returned to Venice via Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India. All the places that he visited the following communities and their culture perpetuated by Marco Polo.
Thanks to the way it is, then opened up trade routes between Europe to Asia that were previously at that time still considered dangerous and Uncharted, aka uncharted. Thanks to Marco Polo as well, the kingdoms of Europe have a very valuable detailed information about Asia. One achievement was Marco Polo when he had been well received by Kublai Khan in China, even according to some sources, he was even awarded a title by Khan in his administration.
Additionally, Marco Polo recorded ever traveled to the Indian territory. His trip was poured by Marco Polo in "The Travels", a collection of notes on his way to Asia. Compared to a book that was written and prepared properly, "The Travels" is more a compilation of the journals of Marco Polo (according to some critics) are less well organized and tend to be very subjective in nature. Is Laurence Bergreen, author of American who ever won the award, as well as the author of several best selling books, such as Magellan, Al Capone, Irving Berlin and Louis Armstrong (the latter two are famous musician), trying to write a biography of Marco Polo based on data directly from the book " The Travels ".
Route Marco Polo
One of the interesting story of Marco Polo to the nation of Indonesia is a story about a unicorn or unicorns which he met on the island of Sumatra. However, science proves that Marco Polo discovered it is not a unicorn but the Sumatran rhinoceros.
Some place names in Indonesia mentioned in Marco Polo travel book, among others:
Big Island of Java (Java); estimated to be very broad because of its south coast could not be visited by Marco Polo. Also told of Kublai Khan's expeditions to Java attack and failure.
The islands are thought Condur Sondur and small islands in the South China Sea that was once used as a benchmark voyage.
Pentam Island (Bintan Island) This island is mentioned on the location of the Singapore Strait
City Malaiur (Malay, or Palembang) is told also of the Malay kings, including the Paramasura.
Small Java Island (the island of Sumatra) designation is expected to Sumatra, because the characteristics of commodities and animals (elephant, rhino, black eagle) mentioned.
Ferlec kingdoms (Perlak) and Basman told about some of the neighboring kingdoms and tribal existence Battas (Batak) in the interior.
Kingdoms Samara (Ocean) and Dagroian mentioned about palm trees (palm Malay) and cannibalism family legend who died.
Lambri kingdoms (Lamuri) and Fansur (Barus); mentioned about the legend of hairy men and caudate (orangutan), camphor, and sago palm.
Three years after returning to Venice, then the war between Venice and Genoa. Marco Polo who was then aged 42 years the Venetian authorities designated as one of the commander of a fleet of war strategy. But in 1296, Genoa managed to conquer Venice. In the war against the backdrop of the sea trade routes dominance soldiers captured Genoa Marco Polo and transfer them to one of the prison camp in Genoa. In prison, Marco Polo spent by noting the story of his life while in mainland China. He then met a famous writer in his day, namely Rustichello of Pisa. Through Rustichello he was recalled and gave some of his notes. Rustichello interested in stories about the journey of Marco Polo.
Then he rewrote all the story of Marco Polo. He translated the description of Marco Polo in Old French (Italian standard time of writing). After working for two years, Rustichello publish the story of Marco Polo traveled in a book published in 1298. This book came to be known as the Description of the World that shocked the European literature. Described in this book about the triumph and the progress made during the reign of the kingdom of China Kublai Khan. Explained that the cities in mainland China is so advanced and have a fairly modern architecture of his time. Some things that belun known in the western world, is described in detail in the book. Culture and customs of the Chinese people who developed it makes a lot of Europeans who think the story of Marco Polo was just a hoax. Especially after learning China's paper money was used, whereas in Europe still use metal coins, silver and gold.
Although contested and is considered to lie above information does not make sense, writing in the Description of the World turned out to affect the European explorers to uncover the truth of the story. From this open Western eyes to venture into the East that they consider barbarous and still very primitive. Until the end of his life in the year 1324, Marco Polo who asked one priest to confess his views toward the east just say that what dituturkannya in the book Description of the World is only a fraction of his experience in the East (China and surrounding areas). The explorers after the death of Marco Polo actually makes the statement that the story of Marco Polo is correct. What was later found in the East Europeans it was surprising that the civilization in the East had been developed in accordance picture of Marco Polo.
On January 8, 1324 Marco Polo died in Venice, Italy, and was buried in the church of San Lorenzo, which is the final resting place and mark the end of the adventure of his life as an explorer of the world.
