Moses Açan (Ḥazzan) De Zaragua

Spanish poet; born in Catalonia; perhaps the Moses Açan who lived in Cuenca, and who, when King Alfonso X. (the Wise) was staying there in 1271, brought him the news of the conspiracy of the infante Philip with the grandees of Castile. Moses Açan composed a poem in Catalonian on the game of chess, which begins with an account of the creation of the world. In it he condemns gaming and, as especially injurious, card-playing. This poem, which was translated into Castilian about 1350, is in manuscript in the Escorial.

Bibliography:

  * Martyrriço, Historia de la Ciudad de Cuenca, p. 312;
  * Rios, Estudios, pp. 289 et seq.;
  * Steinschneider, Jewish Literature, p. 178;
  * idem, Schach bei den Juden, p. 25;
  * Kayserling, Bibl. Esp.-Port.-Jud. p. 8.



S. M. K.