Marco Polo premieres this Friday, December 12 on Netflix. While the sprawling series attempts to push us into a new era for streaming, it also takes us back to one of the most exciting times in human history. See, Marco Polo was a real adventurer and he actually lived in the court of one of the most influential monarchs of all time: Kublai Khan. The Mongolian empire’s speedy rise united territories in both Russia and China forever and at one point stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. It was kind of a big deal.

However, we get it if you missed the chapter on the Mongolian Empire in 10th grade history class. We also get it if you’re a little rusty on your Silk Road lore. So, to help you dive in to Marco Polo, we’re going to give you a quick overview of what was happening in history at that time so you don’t feel completely lost.

So, Who Was Marco Polo?

Believe it or not, but Marco Polo’s life had nothing to do with playing blind man’s bluff in a pool.

Marco Polo was a merchant and adventurer who was born in Venice during Medieval times. No, he didn’t live in the restaurant Medieval Times. He lived during actual Medieval times. This refers to the period of time between the Dark Ages (the doom and gloom centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire) and the Renaissance (the time period when Europe got its shit together and figured out science). Basically, think of Europe as being in its bratty teenaged years. There are tons of wars over territory, a rather surprising lack of cultural sophistication, and everyone is still Catholic. Italy isn’t even a thing yet. It’s still a bunch of warring “city-states” and Venice is one of the most wealthy and powerful ones. Why? Well, it had nothing to do with tourism, but rather trade.

Merchants sailed ships all over the Mediterranean and traded with different cities, lands, and cultures. And the most enterprising of these merchants boldly traveled The Silk Road. Marco Polo’s dad, Niccolo Polo, and Maffeo Polo, spent decades traveling the Silk Road, establishing contacts, and trading precious gems, spices, and fabrics with the East. Eventually, they returned to Venice, picked up a teenaged Marco, and brought him along for the ride. That’s how Netflix’s Marco Polo starts…

Wait. Hold up. What’s “The Silk Road?”

Glad you asked. The Silk Road was an ancient trade route that connected Europe and the Middle East with Eastern Asia. It’s vast and crazy, and in the days before cars, trains, and planes, took years to travel. It was called the Silk Road because Chinese silk was considered the most valuable commodity that you could buy, sell, or trade on it. There is evidence that silk from China made it all the way to Egypt via this route as early as 1070 BC.

At the time of Marco Polo’s adventures, the Silk Road ran through the Mongolian Empire, and was therefore under the control of the great Kublai Khan.

Who Is Kublai Khan?

Kublai Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan, the great general who unified Mongolia and started conquering much of Asia. Kublai carried on this tradition and set his sights on ruling China, and by extension the entire world. He also had a sweet “pleasure dome” that an extremely-high-on-opium Samuel Taylor Coleridge once wrote a cool poem about in the late 1700s. That pleasure dome was full of crazy talented sex workers and, yes, you will see it in the first episode of Marco Polo.

Go back. What’s the Mongolian Empire?

You know how at one point Rome ruled most of Europe and we called it the Roman Empire? Well, at one point in the 13th century, the Mongolians ruled 22% of the world. They were master horseman and used this ability to plow through rival forces. (And if you don’t know where Mongolia is on a map, it’s basically between Russia and China. Basically.) If only there was a quick video where someone with a calm and soothing voice explained the rise of the Mongol empire in simple terms! Oh, wait. I googled “Mongolian Empire” and found one.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Ol0IJkU7c]

Marco Polo arrives on the scene when Kublai Khan is in the midst of civil war with his brother, and while he is campaigning to conquer the Song Dynasty – the last walled stronghold in China. It’s kind of an exciting time to be in Mongolia. You almost hope that decades after his sojourn in Kublai Khan’s court, that maybe Marco should, like, I don’t know, retell his adventures. It’s not like most Europeans ever traveled on the Silk Road or that they had access to the court of a major Eastern monarch during a tumultuous time in history. You know, it would just make for a good story.

And that’s what the historical Marco Polo did. He retold his adventures and that’s why he’s famous and that’s why Netflix is banking on Marco Polo being a bit hit.

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[Photos: Netflix]