1235-1316
Missionary

Family and Personality. Ramon Lull, a lay brother from Majorca, did not begin his life as a zealous missionary. During his early years he had married (1257), had two children, and was surrounded by lively company. As seneschal or chief steward in the household of the king of Aragon, he supervised the royal feasts and ceremonies, and, as he later wrote, even enjoyed the pleasures of "sinful companionship." However, after several visions of Christ dying on the Cross in July 1266, Lull abruptly ended his career as seneschal. He turned to the life of a mendicant preacher and by October 1266 had sold all of his property because of his new convictions. Lull's stubborn adherence to his calling prompted some contemporaries to concur with his description of himself as "Ramon the fool."

Enterprise of Conversion. Lull believed that he had a sacred duty to convert the Muslims...