Age of Exploration Terms

Mongols
A number of wandering tribes who lived in central Asia. Under Genghis Khan, Mongol tribes conquered a vast empire stretching from China to Hungary in the west.

Niccolo Polo
The father of Marco and a wealthy merchant from Venice. Traveled to China with his brother by land in the early 1260s.

Maffeo Polo
The uncle of Marco. With his brother, Niccolo, visited China in the early 1260s.

Kublai Khan (b. 1215 - d. 1294)
One of four grandsons of Genghis Khan. He inherited the eastern kingdom. After his grandfather, he was one of the greatest of all Khans. His rule lasted from 1260 until his death in 1294.

Marco Polo (b. 1254 - d. 1324)
Medieval Italian traveler. One of the first European travelers to cross the entire Asian continent and leave a record of what he saw and heard.