Posted on 10/28/2002 11:59:40 PM PST by chance33_98
Slavery extends beyond American borders
By Eric Ambroso October 23, 2002
A million to a quarter of a million European Christians were enslaved by Muslims of the Barbary Coast from 1530 to 1780, said Robert Davis of Ohio State University in a lecture about "Celebrating Slavery" Tuesday night in Rudder Tower.
The lecture was the second in a series of three to examine cultural issues across Europe's southern boarder. Davis offered information featured in his new book about European Christian slaves in North African ports. Most of the slaves were taken from Spain, France and Italy. It is estimated that half of the slaves died in captivation due to miserable rations, hard work, beatings or plagues, he said.
"Starting in 1500, the idea of slavery became a strategy of warfare," Davis said. "It became a standard operation between countries around the Mediterranean."
Davis said many slaves were taken due to war between the Turks and the Spanish, who fought to a standstill for almost 200 years. Slavery around the Mediterranean was different than American slavery, but the practice started about the same time. Nations at war started systematically taking thousands of people as slaves around 1500.
The tactics were used specifically by Algiers and Tunisia, two nations that were known for staging slave raids. Oar-driven galleys were used to raid fishing and merchant boats around European coasts. Christians were taken in shore raids, which meant they were taken from their houses. Algerians conducted raids in Britain, America, Russia and Japan. Davis said the practice was referred to as "fishing for Spaniards" and there was a saying in Algiers that one could trade Christians for onions.
By the late 1600s, European organizations began ransoming slaves to bring them back to Europe. The Trinitarians, a Catholic order based in Italy, had unusual success in freeing slaves by coordinating with Muslims in North Africa. The sect collected money to pay the ransom of Christian slaves. Davis said many African countries cooperated because they needed money. When slaves were finally heard and ransomed, it was difficult for them to be reincorporated into European society.
"These people had been removed from their families for four, five or six years," Davis said. "One slave by the name of Grandpa had been in captivity for 71 years. The slaves eventually had social death, they had no identity within their own society."
Christian ministries were worried about freed slaves that had begun to drink, gamble and were eventually converted to Islam. After a slave was rescued, he had to be quarantined for a months before he could relearn the social structures of his culture. In rescuing Christian slaves, Europeans sought to redeem themselves, forming a bond of brotherhood that was not existent before, Davis said. They believed through this celebratory activity, one could realize a true Christian community.
"I just generally found this an interesting subject," Davis said. "I suspect that this approach to slavery was important for bringing a halt to slavery in Europe."
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