There is a good book on the subject, “Ghengis Khan and the Making of the Modern World” by Jack Weatherford. The monguls swept all the way to Europe which made the way safe for trade, resulting in postal delivery and modern banking. Unfortunately it also resulted in the transport of fleas from China that carried the black plague. I guess you’ve gotta take the bad with the good.
So the plague swept from east to west. I guess the first Euro cities hit would be those on the Mediterranean and possibly Moscow?
Spent the last hour and half watching his video of two guys from Queens who retraced Marco Polo’s route in the early 90’s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmAuJ4Y7Aa0
This thread has been a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
Oops, meant to say Sunday morning.