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Bonsenyor, Astruc (2)

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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Bonsenyor, Astruc

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Bonsenyor, Isaac

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From 1259, if not earlier, dragoman and Arabic secretary to Jaime I. of Aragon; died 1280. He was a native of Barcelona. He accompanied the king on his campaigns, acting as interpreter, and in that capacity rendered valuable services. In 1265 the king sent him as one of a commission to Murcia, to deal with the besieged Saracens.

Bonsenyor stood in special favor with the king, who gave him permission to add doors and windows to his house, which was in the Jewish quarter and adjacent to the Plaza del Rey and the Monastery of San Domingo. He was also allowed to make other architectural changes. He is mentioned in a Barcelona document of the year 1258 (Jacobs, "Sources of Spanish-Jewish History," No. 159).