Marco Polo (1254 – 1324) was a Venetian explorer and merchant and a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins. He was well educated, learning merchant subjects including foreign currency, appraising and the handling of cargo ships. Marco served an important role in the Brotherhood as he ensured the recovery of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's codex from the Mongols. He also played a key role in the formation of the Auditore family, who would become the leading body of the Italian Assassins.