Hassan Al-Wazzan (of her complete name Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad Al-Zayyātī Al-Fāsī Al-Wazzān ) (1488-1548), known as Leon the African , is a diplomat and exploring Musulman of North Africa of the 16th century.

Biography

Hassan Al-Wazzan was born in 1488, with Grenade in Moslem Andalusia. After the catch of the city in 1492 by the Kings Catholiques, Isabelle de Castille and Ferdinand II of Aragon, its family had to take refuge with the Morocco in the town of Fès. Hassan will follow there her studies of theology in several madrasas of Fès and with the Quaraouiyine. It is by his/her maternal uncle that its life will begin from diplomat, because it will invite it to accompany it at the time of a mission near the sovereign of the Empire Songhai, the Askia Mohammed Touré. At the 20 years age, it engages definitively on the roads and the way of the diplomacy. Its life, will be that of a large traveller and a negotiator: its political and commercial missions will carry out it through all Morocco: Rif with the Under, of the Doukkala to the Tadla, of the Tafilalet at the pre-Saharan zones… like in all the countries of the the Maghreb, the Arabia, the Saharan Africa , with Constantinople and in Egypt.

In 1518, of return of the one of its voyages, its sailing ship is attacked. Captured by the knights about Saint Jean who impressed by his knowledge and his culture offered it in present to the Pope Leon X, which adopts it like wire, the fact catéchiser then of baptizing under his own names, Jean Leon. He then becomes Jean-Leon of Médicis , known as “Leon the African”. During its stay in Italy, it was initiated with Italian and Latin, and taught Arabic with Bologna. On request of the Pope, he wrote his famous Cosmographia de Affrica , published in Venice under the title Description of Africa . This reference book, which carefully prevents giving information in military matter, is the only source of information on the life, manners, the customs and habits in the world Musulman of the 16th century, it is in particular thanks to him that Tombouctou will become a mythical city in imaginary European, it will be the inspirer of Rene Caillé left to his discovery. This book will be the Bible of all the diplomats and explorers interested by Africa. It is deceased in 1548.