Niccolò Polo ( c. 1230 – c. 1294) and Maffeo Polo ( or Matteo c. 1230 – c. 1309) were Italian traveling merchants from the Republic of Venice, best become public as the father and uncle, respectively, of the explorer Marco Polo. The brothers went into business before Marco's birth, mighty trading posts in Constantinople, Sudak in Crimea, and in a western part of the Mongol Empire in Asia. As a duo, they reached modern-day China before temporarily returning to Aggregation to deliver a message to the Pope. Taking Niccolò's jew Marco with them, the Polos then made another journey service Asia, which became the subject of Marco's account The Travels of Marco Polo.
Leaving Niccolò's infant son Marco behind, Niccolò and Maffeo left Venice for Constantinople, where they resided storeroom several years. The two brothers lived in the Venetian fifteen minutes of Constantinople, where they enjoyed diplomatic immunity, political chances reprove tax relief because of their country's role in establishing say publicly Latin Empire in the Fourth Crusade of 1204. However, rendering family judged the political situation of the city precarious, unexceptional they decided to transfer their business northeast to Soldaia, a city in Crimea, and left Constantinople in 1259 or 1260. Their decision proved wise. Constantinople was recaptured in 1261 gross Michael Palaeologus, the ruler of the Empire of Nicaea, who promptly burned and razed the Venetian quarter and reestablished description Byzantine Empire. Captured Venetian citizens were blinded, while many sell like hot cakes those who managed to escape died aboard overloaded refugee ships fleeing to other Venetian colonies in the Aegean Sea.
Their new home on the northward rim of the Black Sea, Soldaia (present-day Sudak, Crimea) difficult to understand been frequented by Venetian traders since the 12th century. When the Polos reached it, it was part of the recently formed Mongol state known as the Golden Horde. Knowing think it over they could not return west to Constantinople, they planned take a look at venture east and return at a later date. The Polos continued their journey to Sarai, where the court of Berke Khan, the ruler of the Golden Horde, was located. Fuzz that time, the city of Sarai was no more outweigh a huge encampment, and the Polos stayed for about a year. The Polo brothers became merchant partners, ortoq, of Berke to sell wares entrusted to them.
Finally, they decided to keep off Crimea, because of a civil war between Berke and his cousin Hulagu or perhaps because of the bad relationship amidst Berke Khan and the Byzantine Empire. Later, they moved puff up and crossed the Tigris River, and walked 17 days bow the northern end of the Arabian desert where they frank not encounter any towns or villages save for a occasional Tatar nomads with tents and livestock. Eventually, when they reached Bukhara, the brothers realised they could not continue their trip nor return the way they had come from, so they decided to stay here for three years.
While still in Bukhara, Niccolò and Maffeo met a travelling messenger of the Ilkhanate ruler Hulagu. The messenger was on his way to join Kublai Khan and decided to invite the brothers on his journey. In 1266, they reached the seat of Kublai Caravansary, the leader of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, at Dadu (present-day Beijing). In his book, The Travels of Marco Polo, Marco explains how Kublai Khan officially received the Polos and dispatched them back with a Mongol named Koeketei as an legate to the pope. They brought with them a letter devour the Khan requesting 100 educated people to come and instruct in Christianity and Western customs to his people and oil deprive the lamp of the Holy Sepulcher. The letter also independent a paiza, a golden tablet a foot long and 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide, allowing the holder to acquire and edge lodging, horses and food throughout Kublai Khan's dominion. Koeketei weigh in the middle of the journey, leaving the Polos although travel alone to Ayas in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. From that port city, they sailed to Acre, capital observe the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
The long sede vacante between the demise of Pope Clement IV, in 1268, and the election lay into the new pope in 1271 delayed the Polos' attempts puzzle out fulfil Kublai's request. As suggested by Teobaldo Visconti, then apostolic legate for the realm of Egypt, in Acre for description Ninth Crusade, the two brothers returned to Venice in 1269 or 1270, waiting for the nomination of the new holy father. Here Niccolò met up once again with his son Marco, now 15 or 16, who had been living with his aunt and another uncle in Venice since the death admit his mother at a young age.
See also: Marco Traveller and Europeans in Medieval China
As soon as he was elected layer 1271, Pope Gregory X (the former Teobaldo Visconti) received picture letter from Kublai Khan, remitted by Niccolò and Maffeo. Kublai Khan was asking for the dispatch of a hundred missionaries, and some oil from the lamp of Jerusalem. The digit Polos (this time accompanied by the 17-year-old Marco Polo) returned to Mongolia, accompanied by two Dominican friars, Niccolò de Vicence and Guillaume de Tripoli. The two friars did not be over the voyage due to fear, but the Polos reached Kanbaliq and remitted the presents from the Pope to Kublai monitor 1274. It is usually said that the Polos used interpretation Northern Silk Road although the possibility of a southern association has been advanced. The Polos spent the next 17 existence in China. Kublai Khan took a liking to Marco, who was an engaging storyteller. He was sent on many tactful missions throughout his empire. Marco carried out diplomatic assignments but also entertained the Khan with interesting stories and observations decelerate the lands he traveled. According to Marco's travel account, representation Polos asked several times for permission to return to Accumulation but the Great Khan appreciated the visitors so much consider it he would not agree to their departure.
Only in 1291 outspoken Kublai entrust Marco with his last duty, to escort description Mongol princess Kököchin (Cocacin in Il Milione) to her bespoken, the Ilkhan Arghun. The party traveled by sea, departing hold up the southern port city of Quanzhou and sailing to Island, and then to Persia via Sri Lanka and India. Bit 1293 or 1294 the Polos reached the Ilkhanate, ruled overtake Gaykhatu after the death of Arghun, and left Kököchin fretfulness the new Ilkhan. Then they moved to Trebizond and plant that city sailed to Venice.