Compare And Contrast Ibn Battuta And Marco Polo

Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo are both known for being the world’s greatest long distance travelers, however, because of their different backgrounds it had influenced the way in which each traveler wrote about their experiences in China. This contrast is dominantly believed to have been influenced by their different religious backgrounds, and how each had viewed the world. This was ultimately is influenced by ones cultural and religious background. In this essay I will examine the different experiences that both Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo had experienced during their visits in China.

Ibn Battuta, a well-educated Islamic scholar born and raised by a wealthy family in Tangier, Morocco, he had begun his journey at the age of 21. Ibn Battuta left

Polo was known as best known long distance traveler during the Mongol time. Polo and his father traded by legal traders who wanted to trade silk and precious stones. When he was seventeen years old he travelled to China around 1271, along with his father and uncle, and had explored about 20 countries and amongst the places he explored was India and he remained in China for 17 years working aside Kublai Khan the grandson of Genghis Khan. Because of his lack of intellect when he was arrested he would create a story telling narrative to entertain his audience. This audience is believed to be his sell mates, and through one of the cell mates whom had written down the stories, and the result of this came to be known as the travels of Marco Polo. Marco Polo became Europe’s primary source of information about China until the 19th century, and even since then people did not completely believe his stories as he did not write it himself, they are of no value as sources of what he observed on his travels. Many doubt Polo going to China as his stories do not mention for example the Great Wall, and many other advances during his time there and even before he reached there. Although Polo’s credit of being in China is believed to have been due to one of the things he had brought back such as printing and explosive