Presence of Russian slaves in the Mediterranean region in the 13th-15th centuries

The author first presents the prominent position of Venice and Genoa in long-distance sea trade as resulting from the economic privileges granted them by emperor Michael III Palaeologus, and their possession of colonies and trade factories in the East. Then she goes on to discuss the functioning of sea links with the East both republics established, especially with the main ports in the eastern Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. The goods in trade included mainly spices, silk, cotton, grain, alum, furs, skins, rugs, pearls, and other luxury items. In addition to goods brought by Italian merchants from the East, slaves started to appear from the late 13lh century who were counted as anime or teste. Greatest numbers of slaves were brought from Genovese and Venetian colonies located on the Black Sea coast, especially the Crimea, as well as on the Sea of Azov and in the Caucasus Mountains. Chief trade centers included KhafTa, Tana, La Copa, Cembalo. From there, hundreds of slaves: Tartar, Mongolian, Circassian, Abkhazian, Mingrelian, Gothic, and also Russian were dispatched to Western Europe, dispersed in the eastern Mediterranean, or delivered to Egypt. The presence of Russian slaves is confirmed between the 13lh and 15th centuries in the eastern Mediterranean: in the Genovese colony Pera-Galata, in Constantinople, on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Cyprus, and Rhodos, on Venetian Crete (its public slave auctions were the largest in the region), in Syrian and Palestinian ports, and in Peloponnesian cities. From the late 13lh century on, large numbers of slaves, male and female, some Russian, were delivered to Egyptian sultans’ courts, where the men were enlisted in Mameluke forces and the women were placed in harems. Most slaves brought by Italian traders from the East reached Genoa and Venice, where they were sold at public auctions of which much was heard in the West. Some remained there, while others were dispatched to various Western cities, mainly in the Iberian Peninsula (Catalonia). Based on notary records analyzed, both printed and handwritten, at the Archivio di Stato in both cities, the author concludes that in 15lh century Genoa and Venice the largest group of working slaves were Russian, of whom 80-90 per cent were women. An exceptionally large Russian slave group made an appearance in Venice in 1434-1440. Summing up, in addition to Tartar, Greek, North African, and Caucasian slaves sold from the 13th century on in the Mediterranean there were also slaves of Russian origin. Most of them had been taken prisoner during Tartar-Muscovite clashes, but some had been captured into slavery during Tartar invasions in territories of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth