Part 4/9:
Polo’s tales are not only fantastical stories but also reflect the socio-political climate of the time. Arriving in a heavily militarized Mongol Empire, Polo’s family would have navigated through treacherous regions. They reached Kublai Khan’s court in Shangdu (modern-day Beijing) and began to document details that, at times, seem implausible—his vivid accounts of imperial ceremonies or the regal adornments of the Khan.
Historian Hans Ulrich Vogel emphasizes that Polo's vast descriptions of the Mongol culture align with contemporary records, presenting an intricate portrait of Kublai Khan’s palace and its operations.