How did Marco Polo influence the Age of Exploration?

Marco Polo, a merchant, explorer, and writer born in Venice, Italy, traveled extensively through Asia between 1271 and 1295 CE. The travelogue The Travels of Marco Polo (also known as Livres des Merveilles du Monde and Il Milione), published around the year 1300 CE, was written by Rustichello da Pisa and Polo himself, and documents his travels in Asia and his activities and service in the court of Kublai Khan (Emperor Shizu of Yuan, Setsen Khan).

His book introduced Europe to the wealth and culture of the civilizations in China, India, and other parts of Asia. His depictions of Asia increased curiosity about the continent and motivated subsequent travelers to explore new routes for trade to access that wealth. Even explorers like Christopher Columbus were said to have carried versions of the book during their travels as a guide and inspiration for their own travels.

Marco Polo’s travels and book also enhanced geographical knowledge of Asia and were utilized by cartographers and navigators, although in some cases, his accounts were inaccurate or exaggerated. His writings and discoveries bridged medieval Europe to the wider world, planting the notion that exploration could lead to immense wealth and knowledge, and helping to ignite the Age of Exploration.