Christian Slaves, Muslim Masters: White Slavery in the Mediterranean, The Barbary Coast, and Italy, 1500-1800 (Early Modern History: Society and Culture) Paperback – 16 Sept. 2003

This book reveals facts about the history of slavery of which most people are totally ignorant. It places events into chronological order and traces slavery before the more widely known Atlantic Slave Trade.

Slavery is a very sensitive subject, no matter who is being enslaved. Davis explains the causes and the reaction of slavery on its victims . We normally assume slavery was of the African native by the rich Northern Americans,however, the author reveals that there was a big market in white slaves by Middle Eastern enslavers. This trade stretched from Iceland to Tunisia to Ireland. Some of the enslaved were reluctant to return many died in the service of their captors. The trade seemed to be a cash cow to some smaller nations for several years. Not an easy read and the book is expensive but interesting.

This book is written without any polemical intent, it is pure historical research. Yet it shows light on a very important aspect of how the muslim world interacted with Europe. It also shows a new light on slavery as a whole, and it is important to teach this aspect of things that have generally been forgotten / hidden in European history manuals.

A detailed and in-depth study of a phenomenon which is little known in contemporary Europe, and perhaps should be more widely understood. For instance, the whole North African colonial adventure by France makes more sense when you understand that the European slave trade was only permanently halted when the French invaded Algeria and Tunisia. Also, the theological justifications for the enslavement of non-Muslims is even now being discussed on broadcast and print media throughout the Middle East at the present time.Davis' book is thick with facts and analysis which provide an absorbing insight into the economic and social impact of this unpleasant trade. The lack of a human narrative might put casual readers off, but it is definitely worth making an effort to grasp the subject matter, but there is nevertheless plenty of objectively presented examination of personal accounts of the cruelty and barbarism of the slave-takers and owners. Tantalisingly, Davis touches on the possibility that many of the European converts to Islam who so enthusiastically enslaved their former compatriots, and who wore their own Islam so lightly, may have included homosexuals escaping Church persecution, given that many of these European renegades were alleged to have sexually abused their male captives.Davis also cautions against contrasting the European slave trade with the trans-Atlantic variety. Indeed, as early as the seventeenth century savants were asking how, if it was wrong for a Muslim to enslave a Christian, it could be right for a Christian to enslave a pagan African.If I have a complaint about this book it was that Davis limits his analysis to the Turkish vassal states in Barbary, whose slaving, while it occasionally reached out to the British Isles and beyond, predominantly attacked the Mediterranean coasts of Europe. The Moroccan slavers, who more frequently attacked Britain and Ireland, are not covered.

We all know about the triangular Atlantic trade. But the Muslims also did a lively African slave trade. Islam's Black Slaves: A History of Africa's Other Black Diaspora. "Christian slaves" is about the Mediterranian slaving. Both Muslims and Christians took and used slaves. This book is about the Muslim part of that misbehavior.

Great Service and very interesting book.Advise anyone who likes the full picture and context about a subject which is generally treated in a two dimensional way to have a read of this book

Interesting study of an important and neglected chapter of European history! Very well written.

An extraordinarily interesting book on an almost unknown and a little explored subject. Very factual, rather than a story.