Muhammad al-Wazzan, later known as Leo Africanus, the titular character and the narrator of the book. Muhammad al-Wazzan, Hasan's father, a weighmaster in the Emirate of Granada. Salma, Hasan's mother and Muhammad's Arab wife. Warda, Hasan's stepmother and Muhammad's Castilian wife. Abu Marwan or Khali, Hasan's maternal uncle and a diplomat and statesman in the Kingdom of Fez. Harun the Ferret, Hasan's closest friend in Fez and later known as Harun Pasha, a diplomat with the Ottoman Empire. Hiba, a Numidian slave girl gifted to Hasan by an African lord, as well as Hasan's romantic interest. Nur, a Circassian princess and the widow of Selim I's rival claimant of the Ottoman throne, whom Hasan married in Cairo. Pope Leo X, Hasan's master after he was captured and enslaved. Later he freed Hasan and baptized him John-Leo. Francesco Guicciardini, an Italian statesman and one of Leo's friends in Rome. Julius de' Medici, later Pope Clement VII, Leo's benefactor after the death of Leo X. Abbad the Soussi, a merchant who was captured together with Hasan, and later became known as Master Abbado, a successful merchant in Naples, and Leo's friend in Italy. Further reading "On a Camel Moving Forward in Time" (a review of Amin Maalouf, Leo Africanus. Norton, 1989), The New York Times Book Review, March 12, 1989 1986 French novels Biographical novels French-language novels Novels by Amin Maalouf Novels set in the Renaissance Novels set in the 16th century 1986 debut novels