That Most Precious Merchandise: The Mediterranean Trade in Black Sea Slaves, 1260-1500

The Black Sea slave trade was a significant source of Mediterranean slaves from ancient Greek colonies to human trafficking networks in the present day. Genoese, Venetian, and Egyptian merchants bought captives taken in conflicts throughout the region, providing profit, prestige, military recruits, tax revenue, and diplomatic influence. Hannah Barker's study of Latin and Arabic sources reveals a common culture of slavery among Mediterranean inhabitants. The Genoese, Venetian, and Mamluk slave trades were entangled, with wide-ranging effects.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 12 July 2022
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

The history of the Black Sea as a source of Mediterranean slaves is a complex and multifaceted tale that spans from ancient Greek colonies to modern-day human trafficking networks. During its peak in the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, the Black Sea slave trade was not the sole source of Mediterranean slaves, but it played a significant role in supplying captives to various regions. Merchants from Genoa, Venice, and the Mamluk sultanate of Egypt and Greater Syria were involved in the trade, and it provided them with profit, prestige, military recruits, tax revenue, and diplomatic influence. However, despite its importance, the Black Sea slave trade has rarely been studied together, and the interactions between the Genoese, Venetian, and Mamluk slave trades have been overlooked.

Hannah Barker's study of Latin and Arabic sources reveals that Christian and Muslim inhabitants of the Mediterranean shared a common culture of slavery, which had wide-ranging effects. The Genoese and Venetian slave trades were deeply intertwined, and their disruption of the Mamluk trade led to reprisals against Italian merchants living in Mamluk cities. Supporters of the crusade movement also criticized the Genoese and Venetian slave trades, demanding that commercial powers use their leverage to weaken the force of Islam.

Barker's analysis of various sources, including notarial registers, tax records, law, merchants' accounts, travel tales, letters, sermons, slave-buying manuals, and literary works, provides a rich picture of the context in which merchants traded and enslaved people met. She highlights the complex dynamics of the slave trade and the various factors that influenced it, including political, economic, and religious factors.

One of the key aspects of the Black Sea slave trade was the role of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans controlled the Black Sea region and used it as a major source of slaves for their empire. They established slave markets in various cities, including Constantinople, and sold slaves to various regions, including the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. The Ottomans also used slaves in their military and administrative systems, and they played a significant role in shaping the cultural and social landscape of the region.

However, the Black Sea slave trade was not without its challenges. The trade was often brutal and inhumane, with slaves being subjected to forced labor, torture, and other forms of abuse. The trade also contributed to the spread of diseases, such as malaria and cholera, which had devastating effects on the populations of the region.

In response to these challenges, various efforts were made to regulate the slave trade. The Genoese and Venetian governments implemented laws and regulations to protect the rights of slaves and to prevent the trade from being conducted in a manner that was harmful to the slaves. The Mamluk sultanate of Egypt and Greater Syria also implemented laws and regulations to protect the rights of slaves and to prevent the trade from being conducted in a manner that was harmful to the slaves.

Despite these efforts, the Black Sea slave trade continued to thrive until the late nineteenth century. The trade was driven by the demand for cheap labor in the industrialized countries of Europe and the United States, and it continued to involve the enslavement of millions of people.

In conclusion, the history of the Black Sea as a source of Mediterranean slaves is a complex and multifaceted tale that spans from ancient Greek colonies to modern-day human trafficking networks. The Black Sea slave trade played a significant role in supplying captives to various regions, and it provided merchants with profit, prestige, military recruits, tax revenue, and diplomatic influence. However, the trade was also brutal and inhumane, and it contributed to the spread of diseases. Various efforts were made to regulate the trade, but it continued to thrive until the late nineteenth century. Today, the legacy of the Black Sea slave trade continues to be felt in the region, and efforts are being made to address the ongoing effects of slavery and to promote human rights and social justice.

Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781512823660