The Middle Ages, though marked by plague in Europe, was a time of increased investigation of the world. People from civilizations around the globe--from the Chinese in Asia to a curious Venetian named Marco Polo--sought to understand the world at large and discover its secrets. Exploration in the World of the Middle Ages, 500-1500, Revised Edition is an account of travels, expeditions, discoveries, and cross-cultural contacts in the span of 1, 000 years throughout the world. This era encompassed periods of sophisticated civilization, learning, and outstanding achievement in many cultures around the world.