Unfree Lives : Slaves at the Najahid and Rasulid Courts of Yemen / Magdalena Moorthy Kloss.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Moorthy Kloss, Magdalena, author.

Series:

Studies in global slavery ; Volume 16.

Studies in Global Slavery Series ; Volume 16

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Slavery--Yemen (Republic)--History.

Slavery.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (248 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Leiden, The Netherlands : Brill, [2024]

Summary:

This first detailed study of slavery in medieval Yemen examines the lives of enslaved women and men who were trafficked as children and then placed in various subaltern positions - from domestic servant to royal concubine, from quarryman to army commander.

Contents:

Front Cover

Half Title

Series Information

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Acknowledgements

Preliminary Remarks

Maps

Introduction

1 Historical Context and Sources

1 The Najahids - a Dynasty of (Former) Slaves

1.1 Al-Ḥakamī's Chronicle of the Najahid Era

1.2 Rise of the Najahids

1.3 Early Najahid Rule and First Setbacks

1.4 Saʿīd and Jayyāsh Retaliate

1.5 Jayyāsh Reconquers Zabīd

1.6 Internal Strife and Rule of the Viziers

1.7 The Dynasty's Demise

2 The Rasulids

2.1 Nūr al-maʿārif: a Collection of Rasulid Administrative Texts

2.2 Al-Khazrajī's Chronicle and Biographical Collection

2.3 Legal Sources on Slavery

2 The Medieval Slave Trade to Yemen

1 Overview

2 The Unknown Origins of Enslaved Soldiers in Medieval Yemen

3 Trade Procedures to Rasulid Yemen

3.1 The Horn of Africa in the 7th/13th Century

3.2 The Slave Trade Reflected in Nūr al-maʿārif

3.3 Prices Paid for Slaves in Ethiopia

3.4 Additional Expenses Associated with the Slave Trade to Yemen

4 Import Taxes

5 Transport Charges and Travel Provisions

6 Trade Procedures in Yemen

6.1 Selection by the Rasulid Administration

6.2 Sale on the Public Market

7 Conclusion

3 Eunuchs

1 Eunuchs in Islamic Foundational Texts

2 The Eunuch Institution in the First Islamic Centuries

3 Terminology

4 Early Lives

4.1 Castration Abroad

4.2 The Question of Origins

5 Digression: Slave Names and the Loss of Origins

5.1 Mamluks' Names

5.2 Eunuchs' Names

6 Beginnings in Yemen

7 Eunuchs in the Rasulid Military and Political Administration

7.1 Biographical Texts as Windows into Eunuchs' Public Lives

7.2 Military and Political Positions Occupied by Eunuchs

7.3 Case Study: the Chief Eunuch Ahyaf

8 Eunuchs and Rasulid Women.

8.1 The Naming of Rasulid Women after Their Eunuchs

8.2 Evidence from Nūr al-maʿārif

8.3 Evidence from al-Khazrajī's Works

9 Eunuchs as Educators of Royal Children

10 Scholarly and Religious Activities

11 Patronage of Pious Endowments

12 Conclusion

4 Enslaved Women and Girls

1 Types of Female Slave Labour in Medieval Yemen

2 Concubines' Biographies in al-Ḥakamī's Chronicle

2.1 ʿAlam: from Concubine to Queen

2.2 Warda: Object of Desire and Assertive Actor

3 Rasulid Case Studies

3.1 Nukhba's Story: Female Slavery at the Rasulid Court

3.2 A Poet's Perspective on the Impact of Concubinage

4 Conclusion

5 Enslaved workers of low rank

1 Evidence from Nūr al-maʿārif

2 Kitchen Service

3 Employment in Palace Storage Facilities

4 Protective Services

5 Stable Duties

6 Craftsmanship and Other Specialized Work

7 Agriculture

8 Mining

9 Conclusion

Conclusions

Bibliography

Index

Back Cover.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Print version: Moorthy Kloss, Magdalena Unfree Lives

ISBN:

9789004693784