William of Rubruck
Videos
William of Rubruck or Rubrouck was a Franciscan friar who, with the support of Louis IX of France, undertook a mission to the Great Khan Möngke of the Mongol Empire. On his return, William wrote his I
Voyage of William of Rubruck in 1253–1255
An initial from a 14th-century copy of the manuscript. The upper portion shows William of Rubruck and his travelling companion receiving a commission from Louis IX of France. The lower portion shows the two friars on their journey.
Marco Polo
Videos
Marco Polo was an Italian merchant, explorer, and writer from the Republic of Venice who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in The Travels of Ma
William of Rubruck
…the Middle East and Central Asia in the 13th century, including the Mongol Empire. He traveled to Mongolia in 1253–1254, thus preceding the journeys of Marco Polo and Odoric of Pordenone. He visited Karakorum, the capital of the empire, and provided some descriptions of it. Upon his return, unable to meet the…
A commemorative plaque on the site of Casa Polo in Venice, part of the Teatro Malibran which was built upon Polo's house
Corte Seconda del Milion, Venice, next to Polo's house, is named after the nickname of Polo, Il Milione
A mosaic of Marco Polo displayed in the Palazzo Doria-Tursi, Genoa, Italy
A close-up of the Catalan Atlas depicting Marco Polo travelling to the East during the Pax Mongolica