History of the Jews in the Balearic Islands of their coreligionists in France (1306), the Jews of Majorca, after the death of the humane Jaime I., addressed themselves (1311) to the new king, Sancho I., with a request for protection; and he confirmed their privileges. Evil times for the Jews in the Balearic Isles began with the Council of Vienne (1312), which prohibited all intercourse between Jew and Christian, and urged the clergy to the conversion of Jews. Nonetheless, the Jews of the islands converted to Judaism (1314) two Christians from Germany, who had been refused admission to Judaism by a number of Spanish rabbis, even by those
Balearic Islands Phoenician origin; perhaps the islands were sacred to the god Baal and the resemblance to the Greek root ΒΑΛ (in /"ballo") is accidental. Indeed, it was usual Greek practice to assimilate local names into their own language. But the common Greek name of the islands is not /"Baleareis", but /"Gymnesiai". The former was the name used by the natives, as well as by the Carthaginians and Romans, while the latter probably derives from the light equipment of the Balearic troops /"gymnetae". The Balearic Islands are on a raised platform called the Balearic Promontory, and were formed by uplift. They are