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Marco Polo of Venice Was Arrested and Put in Prison in Genoa

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Marco Polo of Venice Was Arrested and Put in Prison in Genoa HISTORY INVESTIGATION UNIT Suspect Name: Polo, Marco Birthplace: Venice, Italy Birth date: Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Height: 5’7” Weight: 140 lbs Occupation: Merchant Artist renderings, no photos of suspect exist Case Summary In 1298 Marco Polo of Venice was arrested and put in prison in Genoa. Venice and Genoa were involved in a civil war and Polo was charged with serving the Venetian army. He was imprisoned without a trial. Polo offered a unique defense. He argued that he owed no loyalty to Venice since he had been gone for over 20 years. Further, he claimed that those 20 years were spent in China. While in jail he told his story to his cellmate Rusticello who wrote the story in a book called Description of the World and later, The Travels of Marco Polo. Even in his time people doubted the stories in the book. They seemed far too fantastic to the people of Europe. It is important to note, however, that Europe had not yet seen the Renaissance and in many ways their technology was well behind that of China. What seemed like “magic” to them was simple science to the Chinese. Also, it is impossible to know exactly what parts were added by Rusticello to simply add excitement to the story. However, Polo swore on his deathbed that his story was true, adding “I have not even told you half of what I saw.” While most historians have chosen to accept that Polo did visit China there are many who continue to argue that he did not. Your job is to examine the evidence and determine the answer. Did Marco Polo ever reach China or did he simply make up the story based on what he heard from other travelers? You decide. Marco Polo’s Last Will and Testament Here in his will Polo indicates he received a “golden tablet” from the Kahn himself. Polo’s tablet has not been found by historians but others matching his description have been found in China. Shown below are a picture from his book showing the tablet and a modern recreation of what they may have looked like. "By the strength of the eternal Heaven, holy be the Khan's name. Let him that pays him not reverence be killed." Peter the Tartar Here Polo mentions the servant he claims to have been given while living in China. The Tartars were a group of people living in China at the time. "Also I release Peter the Tartar, my servant, from all bondage, as completely as I pray God to release mine own soul from all sin and guilt. And I also remit him whatever he may have gained by work at his own house; and over and above I bequeath him 100 lire of Venice denari." Five years later the city of Venice gave to this same Peter all the rights of a Venetian citizen, so this person did in fact exist. But just calling himPeter as a "Tartar" does not mean that Marco Polo bought Peter in the Far East. Most slaves used in Venice, no matter where they were brought in from, were called Tartars. Presented here is a copy of Marco Polo’s will. A will is a document that spells out what a person will leave to their family and friends when they die. There is no doubt among historians that it is truly Polo’s will. There is great doubt, however, in some of the things he has listed to leave to his friends and family. Oddities In Kara-jang: "In this province live huge snakes and serpents of such a size that no one could help but be amazed even to hear of them. You may take it for a fact that there are some of them ten paces [roughly 25 feet] in length that are as thick as a stout cask: for their girth runs to about ten palms [about 5 feet]. They have two squat legs in front near the head, which have no feet but simply three claws, two small and one bigger. They have enormous heads and eyes so bulging that they are bigger than loaves. Their mouth is big enough to swallow a man at one gulp." In Sumatra: "They have wild elephants and plenty of unicorns, which are scarcely smaller than elephants. They have the hair of a buffalo and feet like an elephant’s. They have a single large, black horn in the middle of the forehead. They do not attack with their horn, but only with their tongue and their knees; for their tongues are furnished with long, sharp spines, so that when they want to do any harm to anyone they first crush him by kneeling upon him and then lacerate him with their tongues." These (Blemmyae, Sciopod, Wildman) are not found in Marco’s text – only as illustrations in early manuscripts. They are found in other European mythologies and described by other explorers. CHAPTER XIII CONCERNING THE ISLAND OF ANGAMANAIN. Angamanain is a very large Island. The people are without a king and are Idolaters, and no better than wild beasts. And I assure you all the men of this Island of Angamanain have heads like dogs, and teeth and eyes likewise; in fact, in the face they are all just like big mastiff dogs! They have a quantity of spices; but they are a most cruel generation, and eat everybody that they can catch, if not of their own race. They live on flesh and rice and milk, and have fruits different from any of ours. Illustration from a version of the book printed in the 1450s. Not from the original work. Beijing Bridge Over this River there is a very fine stone bridge, so fine indeed, that it has very few equals. The fashion of it is this: it is 300 paces in length, and it must have a good eight paces of width, for ten mounted men can ride across it abreast. It has 24 arches and as many water-mills, and 'tis all of very fine marble, well built and firmly founded. Along the top of the bridge there is on either side a parapet of marble slabs and columns, made in this way. At the beginning of the bridge there is a marble column, and under it a marble lion, so that the column stands upon the lion's loins, whilst on the top of the column there is a second marble lion, both being of great size and beautifully executed sculpture. At the distance of a pace from this column there is another precisely the same, also with its two lions, and the space between them is closed with slabs of grey marble to prevent people from falling over into the water. And thus the columns run from space to space along either side of the bridge, so that altogether it is a beautiful object. The Great Wall in Marco’s Time What things do you think of when you think of China? The Great Wall? Strange looking writing? How about chopsticks? China is a very unique land with lots of things that stand out. Marco Polo, oddly, didn’t mention many of them. Shown here are some of the more obvious things he left out. None of the things shown here are mentioned in Polo’s book. Footbinding Calligraphy Writing is considered an art in China. Calligraphers would spend years perfecting their technique and were greatly respected. Food and Drink Chinese Tea Set Bamboo Chopsticks Tea Ceremony The Annals of Yuan Shih The Mongols kept very detailed records of almost everything. This was a practice they copied from the Chinese. The names of all visitors to the Kahn’s court would have been recorded. Below you will find a copy of the record from 1266, the year Marco Polo claims he arrived in the capital city. Cai Wenji / 蔡文姫 Da Qiao / 大喬 Diaochan / 貂蝉 Guan Ping/ 關平 Sai Bunki / 蔡文姫 Dai Kyou / 大喬 Chousen / 貂蝉 Kan Pei / 關平 Cao Cao / 曹操 Ding Feng / 丁奉 Dong Zhuo / 董卓 Guan Yu / 關羽 Sou Sou / 曹操 Tei Hou / 丁奉 Tou Taku / 董卓 Kan U / 關羽 Cao Pi / 曹丕 Gan Ning / 甘寧 Lü Bu / 呂布 Huang Zhong / 黄忠 Sou Hi / 曹丕 Kan Nei / 甘寧 Ryo Fu / 呂布 Kou Chuu / 黄忠 Cao Ren / / 曹仁 Huang Gai / 黃蓋 Meng Huo / 孟獲 Jiang Wei / 姜維 Sou Jin / 曹仁 Kou Gai / 黃蓋 Mou Kaku / 孟獲 Kyou I / 姜維 Dian Wei / 典韋 Ling Tong / 凌統 Yuan Shao / 袁紹 Liu Bei / 劉備 Ten I / 典韋 Ryou Tou / 凌統 En Shou / 袁紹 Ryuu Bi / 劉備 Jim Xu / 賈詡 Lü Meng / 呂蒙 Zhang Jiao / 張角 Ma Chao / 馬超 Ka Ku / 賈詡 Ryo Mou / 呂蒙 Chou Kaku / 張角 Ba Chou / 馬超 Pang De / 龐徳 Lu Xun / 陸遜 Zhu Rong / 祝融 Ma Dai / 馬岱 Hou Toku / 龐徳 Riku Son / 陸遜 Shuku Yuu / 祝融 Ba Tai / 馬岱 Xiahou Dun / 夏侯惇 Sun Ce / 孫策 Zuo Ci / 左慈 Pang Tong / 龐統 Kakou Ton / 夏侯惇 Son Saku / 孫策 Sa Ji / 左慈 Hou Tou / 龐統 Xiahou Yuan / 夏侯淵 Sun Jian / 孫堅 Deng Ai / 鄧艾 Wei Yan / 魏延 Kakou En / 夏侯淵 Son Ken / 孫堅 Tou Gai / 鄧艾 Gi En / 魏延 Xu Huang / 徐晃 Sun Quan / 孫權 Guo Huai / 郭淮 Xing Cai / 星彩 Jo Kou / 徐晃 Sun Shang Xiang / 孫尚香 Kaku Wai / 郭淮 Sei Sai / 星彩 Xu Zhu / 許褚 Son Shouka / 孫尚香 Sima Shi / 司馬師 Yue Ying / 月英 Kyo Cho / 許褚 Taishi Ci / / 太史慈 Wu Shi / 司馬師 Getsu Ei / 月英 Zhang He / 張郃 Taishi Ji / 太史慈 Sima Yi / 司馬懿 Zhang Fei / 張飛 Chou Kou / 張郃 Xiao Qiao / 小喬 Wu I / 司馬懿 Chou Hi / 張飛 Zhang Liao / 張遼 Syou Kyou / 小喬 Sima Zhao / 司馬昭 Zhao Yun / 趙雲 Chou Ryou / 張遼 Zhou Tai / 周泰 Wu Shou / 司馬昭 Chou Un / 趙雲 Zhen Ji / 甄姫 Syuu Tai / 周泰 Wang Yuanji / 王元姫 Zhuge Liang / 諸葛亮 Sin Ki / 甄姫 Zhou Yu / / 周瑜 Ou Genki / 王元姫 Shokatsu Ryou / 諸葛亮 Zhuge Dan / 諸葛誕 Syuu Yu / 周瑜 Xiahou Ba / 夏侯霸 Fu Xi / 伏羲 Jo Ka / 女媧 Nobunaga / 信長 Kakou Ha / 夏侯霸 Si Se/ 伏羲 Toukichi / とーきち Nü Wa / 女媧 Zhong Hui / 鍾會 Fuku Gi / 伏羲 Wei Liang / 姜維 Meng Huong / 孟獲 Gou Kai / 黃蓋 Kyo Cho / 許褚 Jan Kyou / 姜維 Kaku Yao / 孟獲 Ting Long / 凌統 Zhing Tze / 張郃 Hou Chi / 張飛 Shao Lin / 袁紹 Zhou Tou / 凌統 Kou Kou / 張郃 Zhao Yun / 趙雲 En Shou / 袁紹 Syuu Tai / 周泰 Zhang Liao / 張遼 Chou Un / 趙雲 Jiao Wen / 張角 Song Yu / / 周瑜 Zhou Ryou / 張遼 Liang Bo / 諸葛亮 Chou Kaku / 張角 Yu Tang / 周瑜 Ji Khen / 甄姫 Shokatsu Ryou / 諸葛亮 Zhu Rong / 祝融 Jin Nobunaga / 信長 Ki Yuan / 甄姫 Fu Xi / 伏羲 Shuku Yuu / 祝融 Banü Ja / 女媧 Zhuge Dan / 諸葛誕 Fuku Gi / 伏羲 Zuo Ci / 左慈 Meng Lu / 呂蒙 Don Ka / 女媧 Tokatsu Tan / 諸葛誕 Wu I / 司馬懿 Ryo Mou / 呂蒙 Toukichi / とーきち Bei Liu / 劉備 Sima Zhao / 司馬昭 Lu Xun / 陸遜 Wenji Cao / 蔡文姫 Kyuu Zi / 劉備 Wu Shou / 司馬昭 Ka Diao / 大喬 Tai Bunji / 蔡文姫 Pa Cao / 馬超 Wang Yuanji / 王元姫 Kyai Kou / 大喬 Liao Pao / 曹操 Ba Chou / 馬超 Ou Genki / 王元姫 Deng Zing / 丁奉 Sou Sou / 曹操 Yuan
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