Marco Polo
Marco Polo was born in Venice, Italy
In 1260 Marco's uncles went to China. They had already met the Emperor Kublai Kahn in China . He told them to return later. When they did return in 1271, they brought 17 year-old Marco Polo with them. For the next twenty years Marco became the diplomat for Kublai Kahn. He traveled on missions for the empire and then recorded what he saw.
In 1293 Marco and his uncles left Asia to escort the princess to her wedding in Persia. Two years later they returned to Venice.
Marco didn't write anything about his travels until he was captured during a war between Venice and Genoa. His fellow prisoner happened to be a writer. Together they made Description of the World(now called Travels). It became one of the best known books before printing press was invented.