Audiobook The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1

The work opens with the detailed historical and geographical context of the thirteenth century, dominated by the sweeping conquests of the Mongol Empire. The Polo family embarks on an arduous journey from Venice across the Levant, Persia, and the Pamir mountains, eventually reaching the court of the Great Kaan in Cathay. Marco Polo enters the imperial service, undertaking numerous administrative missions that provide him with intimate knowledge of Chinese provinces, customs, and remote Asian territories. After seventeen years at court, the travellers navigate the southern seas to escort a Mongol princess to Persia, finally returning to Venice after a quarter of a century. The core of the book details the vast resources, cities, and strange manners of the East, from the wealth of Kublai Khan to the intricate trade networks of the Indian Ocean. The editorial apparatus includes comprehensive memoirs, historical introductions, and bibliographical research that trace both the life of the traveller and the genesis of his manuscript.