I
Some years before St. Louis led his last Crusade there was born in
Venice a boy named Marco Polo. His father was a wealthy merchant
who often went on trading journeys to distant lands.
In 1271, when Marco was seventeen years old, he accompanied his
father and uncle on a journey through the Holy Land, Persia and
Tartary, and at length to the Empire of China--then called Ca-thay'.
It took the travelers three years to reach Cathay.
The emperor of Cathay was a monarch named Kublai Khan (_koo' bli-kän'_),
who lived in Peking.
Marco's father and uncle had been in Cathay once before and had
entertained Kublai Khan by telling him about the manners and customs
of Europe.
So when the two Venetian merchants again appeared in Peking, Kublai
Khan was glad to see them. He was also greatly pleased with the
young Marco, whom he invited to the palace.
Important positions at the Chinese court were given to Marco's
father and uncle, and so they and Marco lived in the country for
some years. Marco studied the Chinese language, and it was not
very long before he could speak it.
When he was about twenty-one Kublai Khan sent him on very important
business to a distant part of China. He did the work well and from
that time was often employed as an envoy of the Chinese monarch. His
travels were sometimes in lands never before visited by Europeans
and he had many strange adventures among the almost unknown tribes
of Asia. Step by step he was promoted. For several years he was
governor of a great Chinese city.
Finally he and his father and uncle desired to return to Venice.
They had all served Kublai Khan faithfully and he had appreciated
it and given them rich rewards; but he did not wish to let them
go.
While the matter was being talked over an embassy arrived in Peking
from the king of Persia. This monarch desired to marry the daughter
of Kublai Khan, the Princess Cocachin, and he had sent to ask her
father for her hand. Consent was given, and Kublai Khan fitted out
a fleet of fourteen ships to carry the wedding party to Persia.
The Princess Cocachin was a great friend of Marco Polo, and urged
her father to allow him to go with the party. Finally Kublai Khan
gave his consent. Marco's father and uncle were also allowed to
go, and the three Venetians left China.
[Illustration: VENETIAN SHIPS]
The fleet with the wedding party on board sailed southward on the
China Sea. It was a long and perilous voyage. Stops were made at
Borneo, Sumatra, Ceylon and other places, until the ships entered the
Persian Gulf and the princess was safely landed. After they reached
the capital of Persia the party, including the three Venetians, was
entertained by the Persians for weeks in a magnificent manner and
costly presents were given to all.
At last the Venetians left their friends, went to the Black Sea
and took ship for Venice.
They had been away so long and were so much changed in appearance
that none of their relations and old friends knew them when they
arrived in Venice. As they were dressed in Tatar costume and sometimes
spoke the Chinese language to one another, they found it hard to
convince people that they were members of the Polo family.
At length, on order to show that they were the men that they declared
themselves to be, they gave a dinner to all their relations and old
friends. When the guests arrived they were greeted by the travelers,
arrayed in gorgeous Chinese robes of crimson satin. After the first
course they appeared in crimson damask; after the second, they
changed their costumes to crimson velvet; while at the end of the
dinner they appeared in the usual garb of wealthy Venetians.
"Now, my friends," said Marco, "I will show you something that
will please you." He then brought into the room the rough Tatar
coats which he and his father and uncle had worn when they reached
Venice. Cutting open the seams, he took from inside the lining
packets filled with rubies, emeralds and diamonds. It was the finest
collection of jewels ever seen in Venice.
The guests were now persuaded that their hosts were indeed what
they claimed to be.