Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant and explorer whose travels to China during the Yuan Dynasty introduced Europeans to the wonders of the East. Traveling with his father and uncle, he spent 17 years in the court of Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan. Polo served as a diplomat and official for the Khan, traveling extensively throughout Asia. Upon his return to Venice, he was captured during a war with Genoa. While in prison, he dictated his stories to a fellow inmate, resulting in 'The Travels of Marco Polo.' The book described technologies unknown to Europe at the time, such as paper money, coal as fuel, and a highly efficient postal system. His detailed accounts inspired future explorers, most notably Christopher Columbus, and played a critical role in expanding European geographical knowledge and the desire for trade with the Orient.