Marco Polo is one of the most fascinating and enigmatic figures in world history. At just 17 years of age, he set off for the Far East with his father and uncle.

Long presumed dead, he returned from the distant land of the Tatars after 24 years, not only with afortune in treasure but with a wealth of stories and adventures besides. The tales of his adventures might well have gone with him to the grave, had not war broken out between the two great trading powers, Venice and Genoa.

The decisive battle took place off the island of Curzola, reputed to be the home of the Polo family. (Marco Polo’s house is a popular tourist attraction on the island, which now belongs to Croatia.

)The naval battle was won by the Genoese fleet. Most of the Venetian galleys were destroyed and the wealthiest citizens of Venice were taken prisoner.

While in prison in Genoa, Marco Polo dictated the story of his adventures in the Far East to a fellow captive, Rusticiano da Pisa. For centuries, explorers and world travellers relied on the resulting account as their bible.

In 1981, Rónaszegi’s exciting, educational novel won a Hungarian literary prize, awarded to markInternational Children’s Year. www.

ronaszegimiklos. com.