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Why did Kublai Khan ask the Polos to bring learned Christians from Europe?
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Marco Polo
Marco Polo, undated coloured woodcut.
When the Polo familyâNiccolò and Maffeoâfirst visited the court of Kublai Khan, they established friendly relations with the Mongol emperor. Upon their departure, Kublai Khan commissioned them to act as his ambassadors to the pope.
He specifically requested that they bring back 100 intelligent men who were "acquainted with the Seven Arts" to provide instruction in the Christian faith and Western knowledge. Additionally, he asked the Polos to return with oil from the lamp burning at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This request reflected the Khan's interest in diverse religious and intellectual traditions, which he sought to incorporate into his court.12