Domestic slavery in Syria and Egypt, 1200-1500
This study investigates domestic slavery in Syrian and Egyptian society from the thirteenth century to the fifteenth century. It focuses on the agency of slaves in the context of master-slave relationships within households and in wider society. It argues that the ability of slaves to shape the world around them was underpinned by a constant process of negotiation within the master-slave relationship and that intermediaries such as the court system channelled the agency of slaves. The principal sources for this study are purchase contracts, listening certificates, marriage contracts, and estate inventories in combination with scribal, market inspection, and slave purchase manuals as well as chronicles. The structure of the study broadly follows the life cycle of slaves from importation to integration, accommodation, procreation, the possibility of manumission, and death. The first chapter investigates the topography and the commercial practices of slave markets, where owners chose slaves and initiated a deeply unequal personal bond which assigned a new function and identity to newly imported slaves. The second chapter provides two case studies based on manuscript collections in order to historicize and problematize
Hagedorn, Jan Hinrich
History ; Islamic studies ; Social history ; Middle Ages ; Middle East ; Mediaeval history ; Middle Eastern studies ; Syria ; Egypt ; Mamluk ; Mamluk studies ; Mamluk Empire ; Mamluk social history ; Slavery ; Slaves ; Agency ; Household ; Manuscripts ; Slave trade ; HT1316.H2 ; Slavery--Middle East--History ; Slavery--Syria--History--To 1500 ; Slavery--Egypt--History--To 1500 ; Slaves--Middle East--Social conditions ; Mamelukes
Domestic slavery in Syria and Egypt, 1200-1500. This study investigates domestic slavery in Syrian and Egyptian society from the thirteenth century to the fifteenth century. It focuses on the agency of slaves in the context of master-slave relationships within households and in wider society. It argues that the ability of slaves to shape the world around them was underpinned by a constant process of negotiation within the master-slave relationship and that intermediaries such as the court system channelled the agency of slaves. The principal sources for this study are purchase contracts, listening certificates, marriage contracts, and estate inventories in combination with scribal, market inspection, and slave purchase manuals as well as chronicles. The structure of the study broadly follows the life cycle of slaves from importation to integration, accommodation, procreation, the possibility of manumission, and death. The first chapter investigates the topography and the commercial practices of slave markets, where owners chose slaves and initiated a deeply unequal personal bond which assigned a new function and identity to newly imported slaves. The second chapter provides two case studies based on manuscript collections in order to historicize and problematize
domestic slavery syria egypt study_investigate domestic slavery syrian egyptian society focus agency slave context master slave relationship within_household wide society argues ability slave shape world_around underpin constant process negotiation within master slave relationship intermediary court system channel agency slave principal_source study purchase contract listen certificate marriage contract estate inventory combination scribal market inspection slave purchase manual well chronicle structure study broadly_follow life_cycle slave importation integration accommodation possibility death first investigate topography commercial practice slave market owner choose slave initiate deeply unequal personal bond assign new function identity newly import slave second provide two_case study base_manuscript collection order