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Biography. Son of illustrious merchants of the Venetian Republic, Marco Polo was born in 1254 to travel and leave testimony ("The Discovery of the World", "The Million" or "Book of the Wonders of the World") of the way of life of Chinese civilization, its myths, wealth and customs. He became one of the most famous Westerners, standing out both for his determination and for the writings he left as vestiges since his trip through Asia lasted 24 years. He reached further than any of his predecessors, beyond Mongolia and became a confidant of Kublai Khan (1214-1294). He traveled throughout China and returned to tell the story, in the largest travelogue.
Legend has it that in 1260, two Venetian merchants, Maffeo and Niccilo Polo, arrived at Sudak, the Crimean port to trade for a year, but their plans were affected by a civil war and it was impossible for them to return home taking the same route. At the same time, the Mongol ambassador convinced the brothers that the Great Khan Kublai (the Emperor) would be delighted to meet with them because he had never seen any Latin. The Polo brothers were very well received and aroused the interest of the Emperor who immediately wanted to learn more about European culture. So much so that he asked Pope Clement IV to send him 100 wise men who could teach his people about Western science and Christianity.
Travel. Marco Polo was only 17 years old when, together with his father and uncle, he embarked on his first trip to Cathay (China). Being a talented linguist, he became a favorite of the Emperor who showed him absolute trust. Soon he began to assign him important missions in China, Burma or India, offering Marco the opportunity to get to know the places and customs of the people. The idea of replacing gold and silver with paper in business was a surprise even to the Polo merchants and their astonishment grew as they traveled around the country. They discovered the enormous power of China, its wealth and the complex social structure with an internal economy that left that of Europe behind.
Marco Polo travel map
The Cinquedea. It is usually a broad sword at the base of the blade, hence its name "five fingers." It enjoyed a brief period of popularity between the 15th and 16th centuries. Ewart Oakeshott, a British illustrator and collector who wrote about medieval weapons and armor, states that before 1460 this sword was unknown and there is no evidence to confirm its manufacture after 1520. It only achieved popularity in Italy and, unlike other fashions of the Italian Renaissance, the Cinquedea did not spread to the rest of Europe.
It was considered a fashionable civilian weapon, rather than a piece of military equipment, and its possession represented a high social status. It was worn in a leather sheath on the back of the belt. It was placed horizontally so that it could be easily removed with the left hand. Oakeshott speculates that the Cincedea is derived directly from Mycenaean swords, used in the late Bronze Age.
One of the most striking qualities of this sword is the width of its blade, which becomes an excellent canvas for engraving and, in fact, many specimens are literally covered with works of art, even the simplest models.
The Renaissance was a time when classical values flourished, and more importantly, a time when these values were systematically applied to everyday objects to improve them in terms of appearance and function. The Cinquedea swords and daggers represent an interesting change in weapons and their use. Although Cinquedea ultimately lost the battle to novelty, there is no doubt that it remains a unique sword, very popular in those times and today.
SEE CINQUEDEA TYPE SWORDS
