From the #1 bestselling author of History's Greatest Generals comes an exciting new book on the greatest explorers in history and how their discoveries shaped the modern world
Whether it is Rabban Bar Sauma, the 13th-century Chinese monk commissioned by the Mongols to travel West form a military alliance against the Islam; Marco Polo, who opened a window to the East for Europe; or Captain James Cook, whose maritime voyages of discovery created the global economy of the 21st century, each of these explorers had an indelible impact on modern society.
This book will look at the 11 greatest explorers in history. Some traveled for religious piety, such as Ibn Battuta, who travelled from North Africa to Indonesia in the 1300s, visiting every Islamic pilgrimage site between -- and becoming counselor to over 30 heads of state. Others traveled for profit, such as Ferdinand Magellan, who wanted to consolidate Spain's holdings on the spice trade. Others traveled for the sheer thrill of adventure, such as Victorian explorer Richard Francis Burton, who learned 29 languages, went undercover as a Muslim on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and wrote 50 books on topics ranging from a translation of the Kama Sutra to a manual on bayonet exercises. Still others travelled for discovery, such as Ernest Shackleton, who led two dozen men to the bottom of the world in an attempt to cross Antarctica on foot.
Whatever their reason for discovery, these explorers still inspire us today to push the limits of human achievement -- and discover something about ourselves in the process.
This book has continually ranked above 50,000 and peaked above 1,000 on Amazon Kindle Rankings
Chapter 2: Opening the Door to the East - Marco Polo (1254-1324)
In 1295, three strange men arrived in Venice, one in his early middle age, the other two a generation older. While they spoke with a broken version of the region's Italian dialect and claimed to be residents of the city who had returned from a long journey, nobody recognized them, not even their supposed relatives. They bore long beards of a style that belonged to the barbarians of the East, along with hair that fell in a thick mass to their shoulders. They were arrayed in long, loose gowns made of shaggy fur and their heads were covered in fur caps. They carried stout sticks in their hands and long furry bags slung across their shoulders. They wore short, thick shoes turned up at the ends, a style popular in China.
Upon first arrival the three walked across the square of Saint Mark, and many Venetians turned to stare at them in astonishment. The elder hailed a gondola, which brought the three to a broad flight of steps of the home of a noble family. Shortly after their arrival, a group of curious neighbors gathered around them, staring at their strange form. They had no idea what these menacing foreigners were doing at the Polo house.
The younger of the three knocked on the door. Servants leaned out the windows and glared at the strangers, taking them to be foreign vagabonds. The three could barely explain themselves – they were evidently Italian but appeared to have forgotten the language on their long travels and struggled to recall basic words. After much confusion and gesturing, and a short spurt of a few Italian words, the men were able to make it understood that they were part of the household. The family butler did not believe a word they said; two old women who had long been in service of the Polos took a hard look at the three men and declared them imposters. Rebuffed, the three removed themselves to an inn not far away.
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Italian
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Already translated.
Translated by Debora Serrentino
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Makoto Yamamoto
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by Denise Tarud
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