African slaves in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire

Abstract

This thesis examines the life stories of enslaved African people throughout the 19th century Ottoman Empire in the light of archival and fictional texts. Orthodox historical literature on the institution of Ottoman slavery, along with contemporary public opinion regarding it, suggests that slavery in the Ottoman Empire was a benign social mechanism. Since slaves were considered to be “daughters” or “sons” of the houses they served, according to this perception, it is assumed that there were no imminent peril of abuse regarding the slaves and their lives were fairly easy in comparison to their comrades in the Americas. This study, focusing particularly on domestic and elite slaves, questions this perception and attempts to demonstrate that slavery was a harsh reality even for those who were relatively well-protected and best integrated. Additionally, by applying the bottom-up methodology to different types of sources, this thesis argues that slaves were not only subject to maltreatment but also carried the stigma of slavery even after “freedom”.