Mongol Practicality

Marco Polo

Marco Polo was a man who traveled over 10,000 miles exploring the continent of Asia and Europe.

It has been disputed whether he ever made it to the great court of Kublai Kahn in China. Kahn is the word for an emperor in the Mongol civilization. Rustichello of Pisa was imprisoned with Polo after a failed battle between Venice and Genoa. These were two Italian city states from the time before Italy became a country. During Marco’s imprisonment, Rutichello, who was a writer of romances, saw an opportunity for a “best seller” in his cellmate. He copied down all of Marco’s stories and bound them into a book known in its time as “The Description of the World” or “The Travels of Marco Polo." In this book, we learn of the advanced civilization represented in the Mongol empire.


The Mongol empire around 1100 AD was comprised of a group of Tartar and other Asian nomadic tribes. Chingis-khan was a war lord who was able to unite this diverse group into an army that conquered much of the known world. If Chingis (Pronounced Genghis) had not unexpectedly died, the Mongols would have easily taken over Western Europe. On the eastern side of the empire, the Mongals were stopped from invading the island nation of feudal Japan by hurricane winds which the Japanese called Kamikaze, the divine winds. (This is the same word used later when Japanese fighter pilots committed suicide by crashing into American vessels in World War II.) Chingis had earlier made an edict that upon his death every Mongol general must come to his funeral to help decide the outcome of the empire. The result of this meeting after the funeral was that the empire was divided up into 9 segments, each given to one of Chingas’s offspring. The Tarters were located in modern Russia; we now know them as the Golden Horde. They had a Turkish background which was very important to the Polo family who also spoke Turkish. Turkish speaking people were liberally scattered throughout the Mongol Empire. On Marco's first trip, when he was just 15 years old, his uncle served as the primary interpreter. They had reached Persia (modern day Iran) and were escorted the rest of the way past the treacherous Gobi desert by an officer of Kublai Kahn’s imperial court. It might not have been possible for Marco’s father and uncle to reach China without this initial escort. Kublai, one of Chingis’s sons, wanted to meet some of these Latins very much. He rolled out the red carpet for them.

Kublai liked young Marco very much and gave his father and uncle rank and title in his court. From this position of wealth and rank, we hear Marco’s story. He spoke of the Tarter influence in the Mongol empire, as well as the discipline of the Mongol soldiers. They trained in archery and wresting and incorporated the Persian game of polo into sporting competitions which helped them to discover talented soldiers. Tolerance for other cultures and their traditions were the rule of the day.



A golden tablet (paiza in Chinese, gerege in Mongolian) opened doors allowing Marco to travel anywhere in the Mongol kingdom. It also gave them access to an armed escort of 200 soldiers and fresh horses at every town that they entered. This gave Marco unprecedented travel experiences that would not be replicated by another European until the 18th century. It is easy to see why most people in Europe thought that Marco’s book was a million lies. He spoke of fantastic wealth and opulence that would have provoked the people of that time to jealously. Ibn Battuta from Carthage and Zheng Ho of the Chinese Ming dynasty were two men who later explored much of the then-known world. Marco spent much of his time in modern day Shanghai and Bejing. Kublai moved his capital city from Shanghai to Bejing because his astrologers predicted a rebellion in Shanghai.



Mongol Practicality

Text Box:
1. They were the first pragmatists.
2. They were disciplined.
3. They were superstitious.
4. They were tolerant.
5. They were fast.

1. (Pragmatism means, “A method in philosophy where value is determined by practical results.”.)
2. (They shot arrows that went farther from horseback.)
3. (They consulted with astrologers over decisions.)
4. (They took the Chinese records and adopted them as their own.)
5. (For the purpose of military engagement or delivering a message they could cover 300 miles in a single day.)


Practicality and pragmatism seem to be the guiding virtues of the Mongol Civilization. The guiding principal of practicality was moderated by a dualism which balanced discipline and speed with superstition and tolerance. The conflict generated by these paradoxes was lessened by the benefits of Science, technology and political institutions created in the self interest of people who desired peaceful and happy lives.

Here are some paradoxes in the advanced Mongol civilization and the scientific, technological, or political solutions that resulted from them.

1. They were a people dedicated to speed but they would delay over superstition
2. They were a people given to revenge but would marry the daughter or wife of those that they conquered.
3. They would discipline children at a young age as soldiers only to sacrifice as many as 20,000 of them at a Kahn’s death for the belief that they would support that Kahn in the afterlife.


1. Therefore they created bridges with a signaling system of warning passed down from the Kahn. Ten men per bridge were assigned to 10,000 bridges in one city alone.
2. In the political institution of marriage they allowed for polygamy which gave rulers access to the best possible breeding practice of rulers marrying the conquered ruler's offspring.
3. The funerals of the Mongols became elaborate affairs which gave ample warning of the spontaneous violent behavior of the grieved.

Taken from Marco Polo and His Travels

Finally the long journey was nearly over and the Great Khan had been told of their approach. He sent out a royal escort to bring the travelers to his presence. In May 1275 the Polos arrived to the original capital of Kublai Khan at Shang-tu (then the summer residence), subsequently his winter palace at his capital, Cambaluc (Beijing). By then it had been 3 and half years since they left Venice and they had traveled total of 5600 miles on the journey. Marco recalled it in detail on the greatest moment when he first met the Great Khan

" They knelt before him and made obeisance with the utmost humility. The Great Khan bade them rise and received them honorably and entertained them with good cheer. He asked many questions about their condition and how they fared after their departure. The brothers assured him that they had indeed fared well, since they found him well and flourishing. Then they presented the privileges and letters which the Pope had sent, with which he was greatly pleased, and handed over the holy oil, which he received with joy and prized very highly. When the Great Khan saw Marco, who was then a young stripling, he asked who he was. 'Sir' said Messer Niccolo, 'he is my son and your liege man.' 'He is heartily welcome,' said the Khan. What need to make a long story of it? Great indeed were the mirth and merry-making with which the Great khan and all his Court welcomed the arrival of these emissaries. And they were well served and attended to in all their needs. They stayed at Court and had a place of honor above the other barons."