Marco Polo Lifetime Timeline

  • Sep 14, 1254

    Marco Polo is born in Venice Italy

  • Jan 15, 1259

    Niccolo and Maffeo Polo leave Constantinople and move their business to a city in Crimea named Soldaia.

  • Jan 15, 1262

    Niccolo and Maffeo meet Kublai Khan for the first time in China.

  • Jan 15, 1266

    The Polo brothers arrive at the court of Kublai Kahn in China.

    Kublai Kahn sends them back to Venice with a letter to the Pope that requests 100 missionaries to convert his people.
  • Dec 31, 1268

    Nicolo and Maffeo Polo receive an invitation to Cathay, China to meet Kublai Khan

  • Jan 15, 1271

    Marco travels with Maffeo and Niccolo to Cathay (China)

  • Jan 15, 1274

    Marco Polo arrive in China after 3 years. He also meets Kublai Khan and learns to speak Chinese very fluently.

  • Jan 15, 1275

    Marco Polo impresses Kublai Khan on his misson. He traveled across China and Kublai "hired" Marco to work for him.

  • Jan 15, 1280

    Marco Polo becomes ruler of one of Kublai Khan's cities. This proved he was well-liked by Khan.

  • Jan 15, 1295

    Marco finally returns home to Venice for the first time over twenty years

  • Jan 15, 1298

    Marco becomes captured as a prisoner of war. Here, he told his adventures to a fellow inmate where the inmate wrote the stories down

  • Jan 15, 1299

    Marco was released from prison

  • Jan 15, 1300

    Marco gets married at the age of forty-six. He had three daughters

  • Jan 15, 1307

    Marco Polo becomes widely famous when a book of his stories made its way to Europe.

  • Jan 15, 1324

    Marco Polo dies in Venice, Italy at the age of 74. He was the inspiration of the greatest explorers like Christoper Columbus.