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— CH. 1 · SALAMANCA BIRTH AND ACADEMIC ROOTS —

Abraham Zacuto

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  • Abraham Zacuto entered the world on the 12th of August 1452 within the stone walls of Salamanca, Castile. He studied astronomy at the University of Salamanca before teaching there to a new generation of scholars. His academic journey later took him to Zaragoza and then Carthage as he spread his knowledge across Iberia. This early period established his reputation as a man deeply versed in Jewish Law who served as the rabbi of his community. Historical records note that he was actually Abraham Zacuto III, descending from an ancestor who authored the Sepher ha-Mishpotim in 1311. That ancient text now resides in the library of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. His family had lived in Iberia since the expulsion of Jews from France in 1306. A brother-in-law named Rabbi Abraham ben Eliezer Halevi practiced kabbalism alongside him.

  • The Catholic Monarchs issued the Alhambra Decree in 1492 ordering the expulsion of all Jews from Spain. Zacuto fled to Lisbon where King John II invited him to court due to his fame in academic circles. The king nominated him Royal Astronomer and Historian, a position held until the early reign of Manuel I. John II consulted Zacuto on the possibility of finding a sea route to India. Zacuto supported and encouraged this ambitious project with his expertise. He became one of the few individuals to escape Portugal during the forced conversions enacted by King Manuel I. These prohibitions aimed to keep Jews in Portugal as nominal Christians for foreign policy reasons. The persecution targeted both Jews and Muslims under the new monarch's rule.

  • Zacuto first fled to Tunis after escaping the Portuguese restrictions on departure. He later moved to Jerusalem seeking refuge within the Jewish community there. Reports suggest he probably died in 1515 in Jerusalem though other accounts place his final home in Damascus. Some records indicate his death occurred in 1520 instead of 1515. Like giants such as Saadia Gaon and Maimonides, he followed the custom believed to have begun in the Babylonian captivity. This tradition required burial as close to Jerusalem as possible. Zacuto had announced his wish to make his death pilgrimage at a Passover gathering before his passing. His journey from Spain to Tunisia and finally to the Holy Land marked a tragic end to his life in Europe.

  • Ha-hipbur ha-gadol became known as The Great Book and contained data in a simple almanac format. Positions of a planet could be easily interpolated between entries making it quite easy to use for sailors. The first Castilian translation was undertaken in 1481 by Juan de Salaya from the University of Salamanca. Zacuto's Portuguese disciple Joseph Vizinus translated it into Latin under the title Tabulae tabularum Celestium motuum sive Almanach perpetuum. He arranged for its publication in 1496 by Samuel d'Ortas in Leiria, Portugal. This book was one of the first published in Portugal with a movable type printing press. Vasco da Gama made use of Zacuto's tables and the astrolabe on his maiden trip to India in 1497. Although it took time to adapt, pilot João de Lisboa indicated that the use of astrolabe and tables were already perfected and routine by 1514. Christopher Columbus also used Zacuto's tables during his voyages. One story claims he predicted an eclipse which saved his life when attacked

  • by natives.

    In 1504 while in Tunisia Abraham Zacuto wrote a history of the Jewish people titled Sefer yuhasin. The text started with the Creation of the World and went up to the year 1500. It included several other astronomical and astrological treatises alongside the historical narrative. The History was highly regarded and reprinted in Cracow in 1581. Subsequent editions appeared in Amsterdam in 1717 and in Königsberg in 1857. A complete uncensored edition was published by Herschell Filipowski in London in 1857. Another edition followed in Brooklyn, New York in 1994 under the title Renaissance Hebraica. This work traced Jewish history from ancient times through the expulsion era providing a vital record for future generations.

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Common questions

When and where was Abraham Zacuto born?

Abraham Zacuto entered the world on the 12th of August 1452 within the stone walls of Salamanca, Castile. He studied astronomy at the University of Salamanca before teaching there to a new generation of scholars.

Why did Abraham Zacuto flee from Spain and Portugal?

The Catholic Monarchs issued the Alhambra Decree in 1492 ordering the expulsion of all Jews from Spain which forced him to flee to Lisbon. He later escaped Portugal during the forced conversions enacted by King Manuel I because these prohibitions targeted both Jews and Muslims under the new monarch's rule.

What astronomical work did Abraham Zacuto create for sailors?

Ha-hipbur ha-gadol became known as The Great Book and contained data in a simple almanac format that allowed positions of a planet to be easily interpolated between entries. Vasco da Gama made use of Zacuto's tables and the astrolabe on his maiden trip to India in 1497 while pilot João de Lisboa indicated that the use of astrolabe and tables were already perfected and routine by 1514.

Where did Abraham Zacuto die and when?

Reports suggest he probably died in 1515 in Jerusalem though other accounts place his final home in Damascus. Some records indicate his death occurred in 1520 instead of 1515 and he had announced his wish to make his death pilgrimage at a Passover gathering before his passing.

Which book written by Abraham Zacuto covers Jewish history up to 1500?

In 1504 while in Tunisia Abraham Zacuto wrote a history of the Jewish people titled Sefer yuhasin which started with the Creation of the World and went up to the year 1500. A complete uncensored edition was published by Herschell Filipowski in London in 1857 and another edition followed in Brooklyn, New York in 1994 under the title Renaissance Hebraica.

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