Slavery in al-Andalus
Practice of slavery in Muslim era Spain
Slavery in al-Andalus was a practice throughout Al-Andalus and the Iberian Peninsula (present-day Spain and Portugal) between the 8th century and the 15th century. This includes the periods of the Emirate of Córdoba (756–929), the Caliphate of Córdoba (929–1031), the Taifas (11th century), Almoravid rule (1085–1145), Almohad rule (1147–1238), and the Emirate of Granada (1232–1492).
Slavery in al-Andalus was regulated in accordance with Islamic law. Non-Muslim foreigners were viewed as legitimate targets of enslavement. Since al-Andalus was situated in the religious border zone, it had the conditions necessary to become a center of slave trade between Christian and pagan Europe and the Muslim Middle East.
Slaves were trafficked to al-Andalus via a number of different routes.
The centuries long reconquista between Muslim and Christian Iberia resulted in numerous Christian slaves captured during the constant warfare and slave raids across Iberian borders.
Christian Europe exported Pagan Europeans as slaves to al-Andalus via the Prague slave trade through Christian France.
Pagan Vikings exported Christian slaves captured in Christian Europe to the Muslims in al-Andalus.
Muslim Saracen pirates captured and sold Christian Europeans captured in slave raids along the shores of the Mediterranean to the slave markets of al-Andalus.
The public source identifies “Slavery in al-Andalus” as practice of slavery in Muslim era Spain. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Slavery, al-Andalus and Practice.
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This entry incorporates text from “Slavery in al-Andalus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.