Supervisors info:
Σοφία Μεργιαλή-Σαχά, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Ιστορίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Αικατερίνη Νικολάου, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Ιστορίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Γεράσιμος Μέριανος, Κύριος Ερευνητής, Τομέας Βυζαντινών Ερευνών, Εθνικό Ίδρυμα Ερευνών
Summary:
The purpose of this thesis is to present and analyze the phenomenon of the slave trade during the Late Byzantine Era, marking it as an important event for a period that was characterized by the escalating competition between the political forces in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The period being studied is significant for the Byzantine Empire, which appears to be a failing state, unable to protect the freedom of its population against a variety of foreign invaders. The fact that no state power had the absolute sovereignty in the region, was instrumental in creating a fragmented political scene suitable for the development of piracy.
The slave trade developed greatly in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 13th century, which prompted not only the regeneration of the old markets but also the creation of new ones. A major factor contributing to this phenomenon was the continuing demand for new slaves from the Mamluk State of Egypt. This demand was for men for their armies, and women for the harems of the sultans. In addition to the needs of the Mamluks for slaves, the search for a permanent workforce by Latin settlers that had property in former Byzantine territories was also an important factor.
The 13th and especially the 14th century were a golden age for pirates in the Aegean, which as a geographical area became increasingly dangerous for its inhabitants. This deterioration was observed after the territorial expansion of the Turkish emirates and their consolidation on the south coast and west coast of Asia Minor. This marked the beginning of continuous mass enslavement of the byzantine populations that inhabited the islands and coastal regions of the Aegean. The efforts of the Byzantine state to prevent this situation and to once again become an important force in the region were unsuccessful, especially after the end of the dynamic reign of Michael VIII Palaeologus. The first Palaeologan emperor made considerable efforts to build and maintain a fleet capable of curbing the phenomena of piracy, but his actions did not have a lasting effect.
Significant events for the time period as well as the geographical area being studied, are the arrival of the Catalan Company in Asia Minor as well as the rise of the Ottoman Turks and their consolidation at the expense of the other Turkish emirates in the 14th century. It is obvious that this is a very interesting geographic region, where important events took place, which had serious political and social impact. Research of these events shows that there were certain characteristics of slavery that made it an extremely important political, religious and military factor.
The thesis starts with a brief look at slavery and the slave trade in the Byzantine Empire until the 14th century, which is mainly based on byzantine legal texts. This section of the work aims at presenting the evolution of the slave trade over the centuries, before the Byzantines permanently lose control of it and it becomes part of the multilateral political and commercial developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. There is also a brief reference to the terms that were used in the late Byzantine period in relation to the slave trade.
The fragmented and fluid political situation in the Eastern Mediterranean is presented as the ideal backdrop for the rise of two related phenomena: piracy and the slave trade. The most important consequence of the slave trade at the time, which was the capture and sale of a large number of Byzantines, is then analyzed. An approximation is also attempted of the transnational agreements between the Byzantine Empire and the Egyptian Mamluks, concerning the slave trade. In addition, reference is made to the consequences of the arrival of Byzantine slaves in the regions of Western Christianity. Finally, evidence from Italian notary documents suggesting the involvement of Byzantines in the slave-trade network, is presented.
Keywords:
Palaeologan Era, Slave Trade, Slavery, Piracy
