ABSTRACT
Through the counsel of advisors, King Alfonso X, known as the Wise because of his passion for scholarship, issued his famous code of law, Las siete partidas, in which he established what was permitted or not of various inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula, including the Jews and Muslims. Among other aspects, in this code he offered incentives for conversion. Alfonso X is famous for establishing Arabic and Latin schools. He was often criticized for not making enough effort to convert Muslims to Christianity. The following segment—eleven laws— is devoted to the Jews. For instance, no Jew was allowed to hold an "esteemed position or public office so as to be able to oppress any Christian in any way whatsoever." This code, nonetheless, was not implemented thoroughly. Alfonso X was also responsible for issuing astronomical tablets, the so-called Alfonsine Tables, which two Jewish astronomers prepared on his behalf, and which Columbus used in his journeys.
