Introduction: “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire”
In the book “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire and its Demise,” Y. Hakan Erdem emphasizes the institutional existence of slavery throughout the Ottoman Empire. It is crucial to appreciate that throughout the Ottoman tenure, slavery remained a legally recognized institution.
The first chapter of the book, titled “Employment of Slaves in the Classical Ottoman Empire,” lays down the historical significance of slavery throughout the classical time period. Here, Y. Hakan Erdem discusses the legal status of slaves and the different purposes for which they were employed. The first part of the chapter explains the Ottoman military-governmental slave system. The author narrates that the distinguishing factor among the Ottoman military-governmental slave system and its historical Muslim counterparts was the presence of child-levy in the latter.
The next part of the chapter deals with the legal status of slaves as soldiers and the authoritative position of administrators providing for their elevated legal status. The author explains the dimensions of slavery prevalent during the Ottoman rule. Further, the authoritative position of administrators and their respective control over the slaves is highlighted in this section.
The following part of the chapter elucidates the employment of slaves for agricultural purposes. Y. Hakan Erdem details the various ways in which slaves were recruited and the tasks they were required to perform. The author goes on to list the use of slaves in the industry, detailing the disparate ways in which slaves were employed for industrial purposes.
Historical Practices in “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire”
In the second chapter, titled “Traditional Ottoman Policies towards Slavery before the Tanzimat,” Y. Hakan Erdem details Ottoman administrative policies concerning slaves. The author explains the historical practices employed by Ottoman administrators in relation to slaves.
Y. Hakan Erdem goes on to describe the use of the pencik tax, narrating how policymakers introduced it to maintain a monopoly on the market. The next part of the chapter deals with the mechanism regulating the enslavement of Muslims and their subsequent sale as slaves. Here, the author details the legal procedures involved in the enslavement of Muslims. In the subsequent section, the author provides criteria by which the legal status of the enslavement of non-Muslim subjects is determined. Y. Hakan Erdem lays down legal rules by which the enslavement of non-Muslim subjects is differentiated into lawful or unlawful.
The next section of the chapter outlines the procedure for the recruitment of slaves by non-Muslims in the Ottoman Empire. Specific rules govern the treatment of war captives, and Ottoman administrators are required to adhere to these rules when dealing with captives. Y. Hakan Erdem goes on to narrate the use of slaves for illegal purposes and lays down the supervisory machinery employed for overseeing the activities of slave-dealers. The last section of the chapter addresses the restriction on slave trade with Egypt during the Ottoman tenure.
Means of Enslavement and “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire”
In the third chapter, titled “Means of Enslavement and Slave Acquisition in the Late Ottoman Empire: Continuation of Ottoman Slavery after 1839,” the author lists the procedures involved in the recruitment of slaves. Y. Hakan Erdem narrates the means by which slaves were recruited and traded. The subsequent part of the chapter focuses on the reinstitution of the Ottoman slave system. Erdem goes on to detail the ethnic backgrounds of the slaves within the Ottoman Empire, who were employed for various tasks.
British Policy and “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire”
In the fourth chapter, titled “British Policy and Ottoman Slavery,” Y. Hakan Erdem elucidates the British policy regarding Ottoman slavery. The author discusses the argument of whether the British contributed to the 1840 revolt and lists propositions both in favor and in opposition to British involvement in the turmoil. The next section of the chapter details British sentiments regarding a ban on African slave trade and presents diverging viewpoints among the British regarding slavery. Erdem explains that the British heavily relied on popular Muslim opinion when devising their policy regarding the affairs of the Ottoman Empire.
Moving on to the fifth chapter, titled “Ottoman Policy during the Tanzimat Period, 1846-76,” it details policy orientations during the Tanzimat era. The first section of the chapter deals with the abolition of the Istanbul Slave Market in 1846, discussing the factors that led to its removal. The next part details Ottoman anti-slave trade practices until 1857 when there was a complete prohibition on black slave trade within the Ottoman Empire. The subsequent section elucidates the practices adopted by Ottoman officials to ensure the eradication of internal slave trade.
In the sixth chapter, titled “Ottoman Policy during the Reign of Abdülhamid II and the Advent of the Young Turks, 1876-1909,” Y. Hakan Erdem discusses Ottoman policy during Abdülhamid II’s era and the impact of the Young Turks. The author explains the practices implemented for eradicating slavery during Abdülhamid II’s reign. The next section of the chapter deals with the signing of the Anglo-Ottoman Convention in 1880, where Erdem explains the background to the signing of the Convention. Subsequent sections of the chapter list the draft laws of 1882 and 1883, the law of 1889, and the General Act of the Brussels Conference in 1890. The last section of the chapter lays down the structural changes in the aftermath of the advent of the Young Turks.
Emancipation and “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire”
In the seventh chapter, titled “The Emancipation and Care of Slaves in the Late Ottoman Empire,” Y. Hakan Erdem describes the method adopted for the care of slaves during the late half of the nineteenth century. The author discusses the argument of whether manumission was automatic in the late Ottoman Empire or not. The next section of the chapter deals with the legal status of fugitive slaves within the Ottoman Empire. Lastly, Erdem lays down the procedure by which emancipated slaves were cared for. The author has done remarkable work in outlining the legal status of slaves within the Ottoman Empire.
Works Cited: “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire”
- Erdem, Y. Hakan. Slavery in the Ottoman Empire and its demise, 1800-1909. Diss. University of Oxford, 1993.
Relevant Questions: “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire and Its Demise” by Y Hakan Erdem
- How does Y. Hakan Erdem’s work, “Slavery in the Ottoman Empire and Its Demise,” contribute to our understanding of the historical context and factors leading to the decline of slavery within the Ottoman Empire?
- What role did slavery play in the socio-economic structure of the Ottoman Empire, and how did societal attitudes and legal frameworks evolve over time as discussed in Erdem’s work?
- Can you highlight key events or turning points explored by Y. Hakan Erdem that influenced the abolition of slavery in the Ottoman Empire, and how did these events shape the subsequent cultural and social landscape of the region?
