Venetian Explorers
The travels of Marco Polo and his influence upon the travels of Niccolò de’Conti
During the late Middle Ages the trade network grew in the Mediterranean world. The Italian cities, Genoa and Venice, as the dominant players, formed the center of this network. In the Far East, China had become a major power. These two worlds came a few times with each other in contact. Due to some (business) travel there was some exchange of information and ideas. Venetians played an important role. The best known is Marco Polo (1254-1324), who made the trip to the Far East. This was followed by the Venetian Niccolò de ‘Conti (1395-1469). Both men made a travelogue.
These had an enhancing effect on each other. The travels of Polo and Conti are inseparable in a way. In my research I investigate the connection between the travels of Marco Polo and the travels of Niccolò de’ Conti. Was Conti influenced by Polo? The two travelogues will be compared and examined.
[1] Marco Polo
During the late Middle Ages the trade network grew in the Mediterranean world. The Italian cities, Genoa and Venice, as the dominant players, formed the center of this network. In the Far East, China had become a major power. These two worlds came a few times with each other in contact. Due to some (business) travel there was some exchange of information and ideas. Venetians played an important role. The best known is Marco Polo (1254-1324), who made the trip to the Far East. This was followed by the Venetian Niccolò de ‘Conti (1395-1469). Both men made a travelogue.
These had an enhancing effect on each other. The travels of Polo and Conti are inseparable in a way. In my research I investigate the connection between the travels of Marco Polo and the travels of Niccolò de’ Conti. Was Conti influenced by Polo? The two travelogues will be compared and examined.
[1] Marco Polo
Comparison
It is remarkable how many significant texts are dictated from the Middle Ages. Works of the four of the most famous medieval travelers were written due to a certain pressure and then put on paper by another. These four travelers were Polo, Conti, Friar Odoric and Ibn Batutta. The lack of desire to write came also from the inconvenience of writing and a lack of ambition to actually communicate through writing.
It is remarkable how many significant texts are dictated from the Middle Ages. Works of the four of the most famous medieval travelers were written due to a certain pressure and then put on paper by another. These four travelers were Polo, Conti, Friar Odoric and Ibn Batutta. The lack of desire to write came also from the inconvenience of writing and a lack of ambition to actually communicate through writing.
The documents
When we take a look on the shape, style and audience of the travelogues, we can see that the author and the main character do not correspond in both cases. It should be said that the purpose for making a travelogue varied. It is said that Polo reported on his journey to kill time and to refresh his memory, Conti received the mandatory application of the Pope to work on drafting a travelogue. The Papal purpose is probably the result of an interest from the church in the Far East. Polo was writing for traders, like himself. His goal was to write a sort of guide for people, who wanted to withdraw to the east. The Pope sought expansion of knowledge and focused in particular on the scientific branch. The language in which the travelogues are written can’t, in the case of Polo, not with certainty be said. The original manuscript hasn’t survived time, but most historians assume that it was written in French or a variant thereof. This variant was called the Franco-Italian or Franco-Venetian. It was a popular language and was used extensively in the literary world. The result was that it was available for a wide audience. Readers, both skilled and unskilled, could understand this language. The language in which the story of Conti was written was Latin. The character of the travelogue of Polo was a not very detailed guide. He briefly characterized the places where he traveled along, discussing the local culture. Interspersed with some distinctive and interesting wonders, Polo described his journey to the east. The different animals, towns and people formed the subject. The narrator addressed directly to the reader and Polo takes you with him through his experiences. This happened in a descriptive manner. There are many similarities between Polo and Conti. The same topics are discussed. The journey was described in the same way and the individual locations were mentioned. Furthermore Bracciolini wrote about the ways and cultures of the Indian people. Conti focused on the different animals, plants and spices. Again we see that there is a description through the eyes of a trader. Clear difference is that the narrator of the travel is not Conti itself, but Bracciolini.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the journey itself differs, given the different route and destination. Probably fulfilled Polo an inspirational role for Conti. This is not to say with certainty. As for the travelogue, there are many more similarities. The same descriptive style was used and there was a lot of attention given to the local cultures and customs. Thereby dictated both Polo and Conti their story. The influence of Polo can be seen in the travelogue of Conti.
D.Y.M.S.
When we take a look on the shape, style and audience of the travelogues, we can see that the author and the main character do not correspond in both cases. It should be said that the purpose for making a travelogue varied. It is said that Polo reported on his journey to kill time and to refresh his memory, Conti received the mandatory application of the Pope to work on drafting a travelogue. The Papal purpose is probably the result of an interest from the church in the Far East. Polo was writing for traders, like himself. His goal was to write a sort of guide for people, who wanted to withdraw to the east. The Pope sought expansion of knowledge and focused in particular on the scientific branch. The language in which the travelogues are written can’t, in the case of Polo, not with certainty be said. The original manuscript hasn’t survived time, but most historians assume that it was written in French or a variant thereof. This variant was called the Franco-Italian or Franco-Venetian. It was a popular language and was used extensively in the literary world. The result was that it was available for a wide audience. Readers, both skilled and unskilled, could understand this language. The language in which the story of Conti was written was Latin. The character of the travelogue of Polo was a not very detailed guide. He briefly characterized the places where he traveled along, discussing the local culture. Interspersed with some distinctive and interesting wonders, Polo described his journey to the east. The different animals, towns and people formed the subject. The narrator addressed directly to the reader and Polo takes you with him through his experiences. This happened in a descriptive manner. There are many similarities between Polo and Conti. The same topics are discussed. The journey was described in the same way and the individual locations were mentioned. Furthermore Bracciolini wrote about the ways and cultures of the Indian people. Conti focused on the different animals, plants and spices. Again we see that there is a description through the eyes of a trader. Clear difference is that the narrator of the travel is not Conti itself, but Bracciolini.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the journey itself differs, given the different route and destination. Probably fulfilled Polo an inspirational role for Conti. This is not to say with certainty. As for the travelogue, there are many more similarities. The same descriptive style was used and there was a lot of attention given to the local cultures and customs. Thereby dictated both Polo and Conti their story. The influence of Polo can be seen in the travelogue of Conti.
D.Y.M.S.
Sources and further reading
Akbari , S.C. & Iannucci, A.A., Marco Polo and the encounters of East and West, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. Bergreen, Laurence, Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. Bracciolini, Poggio, The Travels of Nicolo Conti, in the East., Londen: Hakluyt Society, vertaling J.W. Jones, 1857. Breazeale, Kennon, “Editorial Introduction to Nicolò de’ Conti’s account”, SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research, 2, 2 (2004) 100-109. Larner, John, Marco Polo and the discovery of the world, New Haven and Londen: Yale University Press, 1999. Muller, H.C.A., Voorlopers en navolgers van Marco Polo, Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff’s Uitgeversmij N.V., 1944. Polo, Marco, De wonderen van de Oriënt, Il Milione, Amsterdam: Athenaeum-Polak & van Gennep, vertaling Anton Haakman, 2001. Spence, Jonathan, The Chan’s great continent: China in Western Minds, New York: W.W. Norton, 1998. Wood, Frances, Did Marco Polo Go to China?, Boulder: Westview Press, 1996. Yule, Henry & Cordier, Henri, The travels of Marco Polo, New York: Dover Publications, 1993. |
Images
[1]http://www.visioninconsciousness.org/Visionivendis_Main.htm [2]http://www.summagallicana.it/lessico/m/Milione.htm [3]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fra_Mauro_map [4]http://www.talentshare.org/~mm9n/articles/Onam/1.htm [5]http://www.beehivemapping.com/portfolio/BeehivePortfolio_020.html |