Marco Polo

Short History Of...

Noiser

History

4.7 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 31 July 2022

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the thirteenth century, Marco Polo spent decades travelling the world. His adventures took him from his home in Venice as far east as the Yellow Sea, where he was a valued courtier of the legendary Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Later, in prison, he wrote the world’s first travel book. But how did his name become synonymous with adventure? What compelled him to stay away for so long? And why is his story still remembered almost eight centuries later? This is a Short History of Marco Polo. Written by Chris McDonald. With thanks to Denis Belliveau: author and Emmy-nominated filmmaker of In The Footsteps of Marco Polo. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by National Rail.
0:03.1	Picture it, the view of the British countryside from your window seat.
0:07.2	The excitement of knowing you're on route to see someone you love.
0:10.3	The smogsets are satisfaction you get knowing that you're not stuck in traffic.
0:13.8	It's a great feeling.
0:15.6	Whether it's wild weekends, Sunday surprises, anywhere adventures.
0:20.1	Get closer to the people, places and things you love with rail.
0:24.2	Nothing beats being there.
0:28.1	It is the 6th of October, 1298, in Genoa, a city state in the north of the Italian peninsula.
0:36.0	Rustic Kelo Dapisa, once a prolific writer of romance stories, awakens with a start.
0:43.2	It's early, but outside this kind of commotion.
0:46.6	A hearted cheer erupting in the distance.
0:50.6	Quickly climbing out of bed, he crosses to the window.
0:54.2	He pulls back the curtain, allowing a welcome Mediterranean breeze to flow into the room.
1:00.8	Shielding his eyes against the blinding sunshine, he finds the source of the noise.
1:06.9	A galley-style warship, skirted by dozens of sets of ores, has docked in the Genoa's
1:13.1	harbor.
1:14.1	Fifty more weight in the turquoise waters beyond the stone walls, their red and white flags
1:20.2	flapping against their masks.
1:23.7	Seagulls circle overhead.
1:26.6	Their beady eyes trained on the fleet in anticipation of discarded supplies.
1:33.6	Returning war heroes from the Battle of Cousola, a naval skirmish of the coast of Croatia,
	...

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