Re: Slavery in the european 15th century?

["jlrreed-at-ix.netcom.com"]

Hakan,

Chattel slavery existed and persisted even in Northern Europe in certain
locales - it was not exclusively an Italian phenomenon by any means. In 
Southern France it was a commonplace, and the most common slaves kept were
girls and *boys* of Balkan origin (white slavery) - they were less choosey
than Church stricture demanded, Orthodox believers seen as heretical or
heterodoxal were as acceptable as slaves as pagans and muslims. The sons
and daughters born to them were considered slaves, and were sold for profit
if not kept for labour, so it was true chattel slavery in every sense of
the word, akin to North American chattel slavery of the 18th and 19th
centuries - even to the phenomenon of slaveowners sexually exploiting their
slaves, and then selling the ensuing progeny as slaves.

Slavery is an ugly phenomenon we as civilized people recoil at the thought
of, and reject (righfully so). It is as universal a phenomenon as
prostitution, occuring in all societies - Unfortunately, it is a topic
hushed up, and most people do not want to think their ancestors were
involved in such horrific practises. Avoiding or denying the factual data
to feel better about oneself does not change the past, and what actually
occured, but unfortunately that is a common phenomenon in modern industrial
countries, from the 19th century onward, in America and Europe both. It
only  blinds us to areas where chattel slavery is still practised to this
very day, in North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia.

The subject is briefly touched on as well in Peter Spuffords latest work,
and I have an older book somewhere that has some lurid details regarding
the phenomenon of slavery in Southern France, as the briefest aside to the
main topic, concerning the political machianations of the main players on
the European stage in the 15th century.


Cheers,

Bob Reed



Original Message:
-----------------
From: Hakan Hugosson hakan.hugosson-at-epfl.ch
Date: Sun, 09 May 2004 23:43:29 +0200
To: living-history-at-companie-of-st-george.ch
Subject: Slavery in the european 15th century?


Dear all,

I'm reading a book on Venetian history (A History of Venice, by John 
Julius Norwich), and in it is mentioned that rumour had it that a 
Venetian doge (Pietro Mocenigo), who died in February 1476, did so 
because of the attentions of the 10 turkish slave girls he kept as 
concubines.

So my question is to what extent were slaves kept in the european 15th 
century? I guess the regional differences are enormous, and one needs 
some definition of slavery (working for no pay against one's will?), but 
I have very little insight into the history of slavery so any and all 
information is, as usual, welcome. Prisoners of war used as slaves, etc.?

As far as I know slavery was forbidden in for example Sweden 1335, but 
for other countries I don't know, slavery was generally abolished by 
European countries in the 19th century as far as I know . Differences 
between christian and non-christians held as slaves? Slaves are for 
example archetypically used for galley rowing, but my book also mentions 
that from the begining (in Venice - it later changed, but when?) rowing 
the galleys was done by highly paid and trained soldiers - who also 
joined in the fighting. I also remember an article on slavery attempting 
to total the slave trade over time and here a great number of slaves had 
european destinations.

Just a small aside that someone might help clear up for me,

Yours,
    /haakan



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