Marco Polo's Influence Marco Polo was born in Venice, Italy in 1254. His father, Nicoḷ, and uncle Maffeo were both Italian merchants. When it was around 1269, Marco Polo finally met his father and uncle after their travels from China. They talked about Kublai Khan, a Mongol leader them, who sent them on mission to get European scholars to teach Christianity. They were Kublai's ambassadors to the Pope; they helped Kublai ask for 100 intelligent men "acquainted with the Seven Arts". They were to also return to China because they had to bring some oil from the lamp burning at the Holy Sepulchre in J