Final answer:
The statement about Marco Polo being a famous Mongol leader is false. He was a Venetian explorer who visited Kublai Khan's court and wrote about his travels in Yuan China, which later inspired other explorers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement Marco Polo was a famous Mongol leader is false. Marco Polo was not a Mongol leader but a Venetian merchant, explorer, and writer who gained fame through his travels to the court of Kublai Khan in Yuan dynasty China. He and his family, who were part of a Venetian trade caravan, left Venice in 1271 and spent nearly 25 years in Mongol lands. During his time there, Marco Polo served as an official in the court of Kublai Khan, learned the Mongolian language, and became familiar with several other languages. His Travels of Marco Polo, a book which details his journey and experiences, would go on to inspire future explorers like Christopher Columbus. The accounts he provided offered Europeans a glimpse of the riches and splendor of Yuan China, as well as its administrative systems and trade goods, such as paper money and coal.