Far East. Some Westerners accompanied the Mongols when they traveled to their recently conquered lands in China, thus becoming the first Europeans to visit that Far Eastern land in more than a millenium. When the first of these trips was made is not known. However, by the second half of the thirteenth century, judging from the appearance of Asian products in European markets, most notably in Italy, a trade connection with at least parts of China had been achieved. This development corresponds with the travels of the most famous merchant family to journey to China, the Polos.

Polo Brothers. Between 1262 and 1269 two Venetian brothers, Niccolo and Maffeo Polo, almost by accident made their first trip to China. Cut off from their normal trade route by war, the Polos were forced to travel east with the Mongols whom they had...