Published in Ramon Llull. Seventh centenary

Keywords: Keywords: 13th century, Alfonso X, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Castille, Moors.

The present work analyzes how the Muslims are represented, particularly in the Marian songbook produced by Alfonso X of Castile in the second half of the 13th century (“Cantigas de Santa Maria”), in order to verify if the ethnic cultural differences of the Islamic populations, both of the Iberian Peninsula, and from North Africa and the East are reflected in the documentation. In addition, it seeks to ascertain whether it is possible to affirm ignorance on the part of Christians in relation to the internal divisions of the Islamic world, or whether missing information is due to the specific political agenda.