Summary of Marco Polo's The Travels of Marco Polo

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

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#1 There are two Armenias, a Greater and a Lesser. The lord of Lesser Armenia is a king who maintains good and just government in his country under the suzerainty of the Tartars. The Lesser Armenia is bounded on the south by the Promised Land, now in the hands of the Saracens, on the north by the western district of Turkey, known as Karaman, on the north-east and east by eastern Turkey, and on the west by the sea.

#2 The Lesser Armenia is bordered by the Promised Land, now in the hands of the Saracens, on the north by Turkey, on the east by eastern Turkey, and on the west by the sea. The heart of Greater Armenia is a very high mountain shaped like a cube, on which Noah’s ark is said to have rested.

#3 The province of Armenia has villages and towns in plenty. It is bordered by the Promised Land, now in the hands of the Saracens, on the north by Turkey, on the east by eastern Turkey, and on the west by the sea. The heart of Greater Armenia is a high mountain shaped like a cube, on which Noah's ark is said to have rested.

#4 The kingdom of Mosul is home to the Arabs, who worship Mahomet. The province of Armenia has villages and towns in plenty. It is bordered by the Promised Land, now in the hands of the Saracens, on the north by Turkey, on the east by eastern Turkey, and on the west by the sea.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Oct 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9798350031782

IRB Media

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Insights on Marco Polo's The Travels of Marco Polo

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

There are two Armenias: a Greater and a Lesser. The Greater is a land of many villages and towns, and it is well-stocked with the necessities of life. It is also home to many wild game, both beast and fowl. The Lesser Armenia is a land of few villages and towns, and is extremely enervating.

#2

The province of Greater Armenia is bordered on the south-east by the kingdom of Mosul, and on the north by Georgia. The king of this province is named David Malik, which is King David. He is subject to the Tartars.

#3

The province of Georgia was a center of silk production. It was also the home of a monastery called St Leonard’s, which was famous for the following miraculous event. The lake in which the city was situated was famous for its lack of fish.

#4

Mosul is a large kingdom inhabited by the following different nations. First, there are the Arabs, who worship Mahomet. Then there are people who observe the law of Christ but not according to the ordinances of the Roman Church, who are called Nestorians and Jacobites.

#5

The Caliph of Baghdad, who ruled over the largest treasure of gold and silver and precious stones, was captured by the Tartars in 1255. When Hulagu saw this, he was amazed and ordered the Caliph to be brought before him. He told the Caliph that he would give him his own treasure to eat.

#6

A Caliph in Baghdad was very ill-disposed towards the Christians. He ordered all the Christians in his country to be converted or killed, and gave them ten days to do so.

#7

The Christians continued praying on the mountain for eight days and eight nights. An angel came to a bishop and told him to go to a shoe-maker and ask him to pray that the mountain would move, because the mountain would move if the prayer was answered.

#8

The Christians assembled in the plain at the foot of the mountain. The shoe-maker prayed to the Cross, and the mountain began to crumble. The Caliph and the Saracens were stunned by what they saw, and many of them became Christians.

#9

In Persia is the city of Saveh, from which the three Magi set out when they came to worship Jesus Christ. Their bodies are still intact, and they have hair and beards. One was named Beltasar, the second Gaspar, and the third Melchior.

#10

The town of Kala Atashparastan, meaning Town of the Fire-worshippers, was the final destination of the kings. The inhabitants worship fire, because in ancient times, three kings went to see a new-born prophet and brought three offerings: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The child took all three offerings and gave them a closed casket.

#11

There are eight kingdoms in Persia, and the inhabitants are fire-worshippers. The first kingdom, at the entrance to the country, is called Kasvin. The second kingdom, towards the south, is Kurdistan. The third, Luristan. The fourth, Shulistan. The fifth, Isfahan. The