Easily one of my favorite characters of both the history of Asia and the World is Marco Polo. While Polo's journey from Venice, across the Silk Road, into the court of Kublai Khan, and back to Venice is debated, the impact of his tales are unquestionable. The West was awakened to the wonderous mysteries of the East, many of which would not be uncovered until the 19th and 20th centuries. He also lent his name to an extremely popular childrens' "water-tag" game (couldn't resist *grin*). Fact or fiction, it makes for a great reading.

Here's a fantastic resource for learning a great deal about Marco Polo.

Marco Polo and His Travels