Kublai Khan was a very good host to the Polos. Too good. He didn’t want them to leave. But after 17 years in China, the three were eager to go home.
Then the Polos got a lucky break. The ruler of Persia (now Iran) was a great-nephew of Kublai. He sent representatives to ask Kublai for a Mongolian bride. Kublai chose Kokejin, a 17-year-old princess. But how would she get there? Wars made a land trip back to Persia dangerous. Marco had just come back from a sea voyage to “Indie” (India or the Indies). So the Persian group asked the khan to let the Polos go with them to Persia by sea. Kublai agreed, but he wasn’t happy about it. He was in his 70s and in poor health. It didn’t seem like he would ever see them again.
