The Polo Brothers’ Journey to the East: From Trade to Diplomacy
The journey of Niccolò Polo and Maffeo Polo began as a commercial expedition aimed at expanding their trading interests. Yet, shaped by detours caused by warfare, diplomatic encounters, and religious missions, it evolved into a historic odyssey spanning Eurasia. Their eastward journey was driven not by a single motive, but by a combination of commercial ambition, circumstances beyond their control, and diplomatic obligations.
Initial Motives: Commercial Interests and Forced Detention
The primary impetus behind the Polo brothers’ first eastward journey was the pursuit of commercial profit. As Venetian merchants, they set out from Venice in 1260, carrying goods to Constantinople before deciding to venture farther east in search of new markets and greater profits. They subsequently travelled through territories controlled by the Golden Horde and other Mongol rulers, engaging in trade along the way.
Their plans, however, were disrupted by war. Conflict between Berke, Khan of the Golden Horde, and Hulagu, ruler of the Ilkhanate, made the return journey extremely dangerous. To avoid the conflict, the brothers took a circuitous route and eventually found themselves in Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan, where they remained for approximately three years. This prolonged stay, brought about by circumstances beyond their control, marked a decisive turning point in their journey.
The Pivotal Turning Point: An Encounter in Bukhara and Kublai Khan’s Commission
While in Bukhara, the Polo brothers encountered envoys travelling east toward the court of Kublai Khan. The envoys invited them to accompany them and seek an audience with the Mongol ruler. This unexpected encounter provided the brothers with an opportunity to travel farther east and establish contact with the Mongol imperial court.
Kublai Khan received the brothers and reportedly displayed considerable interest in European religious institutions and learning. He subsequently commissioned them to deliver a message to the Pope, requesting that the pontiff send one hundred learned Christian missionaries to his dominions. These missionaries were expected to possess knowledge of theology, astronomy, geography, arithmetic, and music.
This commission gave the Polo brothers’ return journey to Europe a diplomatic and religious dimension. No longer merely merchants seeking commercial opportunities, they had become intermediaries between the Mongol court and the Christian world.
Fulfilling Their Promise: The Second Eastward Journey and Marco Polo’s Participation
In 1269, the Polo brothers returned to Venice, where Niccolò’s son, Marco Polo, was approximately fifteen years old. Following the death of Pope Clement IV in 1268, the election of his successor was delayed for nearly three years. The brothers therefore had to wait before they could fulfil their mission, but they remained committed to their promise to Kublai Khan.
In 1271, Pope Gregory X was elected. Carrying papal letters and gifts, the Polo brothers set out eastward once again, this time accompanied by seventeen-year-old Marco Polo. Their mission to recruit one hundred missionaries ultimately proved unsuccessful. The two clerics who initially accompanied them turned back before completing the journey, deterred by the difficulties and dangers along the way.
Undeterred, the three travellers continued eastward, overcoming numerous hardships before eventually reaching the Mongol territories under Kublai Khan’s rule. Marco Polo’s participation in this expedition would later become central to one of the most celebrated travel narratives in world history.
Why did Niccolo and Maffeo polo travel to China
Niccolò and Maffeo Polo initially travelled east as Venetian merchants seeking commercial opportunities. War disrupted their plans and led to a prolonged stay in Bukhara, where an unexpected encounter opened the way to Kublai Khan’s court. The diplomatic mission entrusted to them transformed their commercial expedition into a journey with broader religious and political significance.
Determined to honour their commitment, the brothers embarked on a second eastward journey in 1271, accompanied by the young Marco Polo. Although they failed to bring the requested missionaries to Kublai Khan, their expedition connected Europe and the Mongol world through trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange. It also laid the foundations for Marco Polo’s celebrated account of his travels, which would leave a lasting mark on European perceptions of Asia.
