José Vizinho

Who is José Vizinho?

José Vizinho, was a Portuguese Jew, born in the town of Covilhã, court physician and scientist at the end of the fifteenth century.

He was a pupil of Abraham Zacuto, under whom he studied mathematics and cosmography, on which latter subject he was regarded as an eminent authority by John II of Portugal. He was sent by the king to the coast of Guinea, there to measure the altitude of the sun, doubtless by means of the astrolabe as improved by Jacob ben Machir.

When, in 1484, Christopher Columbus laid before the king his plan for a western route to the Indies, it was submitted to a junta, or commission, consisting of the Bishop of Ceuta, "Mestre José", the court physician Rodrigo, a Jewish mathematician named Moisés, and Martin Behaim. The junta finally decided against Columbus' plans; and when the matter came up before the council of state Pedro de Menezes opposed them also, basing his arguments upon José Vizinho's criticisms. Though Vizinho did not favor Columbus, the latter had personal intercourse with him, and obtained from him a translation of Zacuto's astronomical tables.