Marco Polo
Marco Polo (1254-1324?) was one of the most famous Europeans to travel to the Orient at this time. His travel records contain much interesting information about the Mongols. His reports of beautiful Chinese cities and the riches of the country he called Cathay did much to arouse the interest of Europeans in exploring the possibilities of trade with the Orient. Many Europeans, including Christopher Columbus, then sought to go to the Orient by the sea route.
Excerpt adapted from the "Mongol Empire" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999