Circassian Female Slavery

 

 
 

Circassian female slavery can be traced back to at least the time of Saphira, the fair Circassian slave in Solomon’s court. Since then countless women were sold into slavery—a trade staple that filled the coffers of princes and nobles, and afforded poorer families decent living. The upper classes never compromised their progeny, but relied on their subjects for the endless supply of white slaves.

   

Four factors worked to propagate the institution of slavery. The beauty of Circassian women had been legendary since time immemorial. Before Russian encroachment, Circassia had always had an overabundance of people. Selling a few lasses and lads here and there eased the congestion a bit. The wretched situation of some members of the lower classes caused them to exchange their fair ware for handsome pecuniary rewards. Finally, the detachment of feeling between parents and children, a martial trait vigorously inculcated, eased the pain of separation.

 

According to some accounts, it would seem that maids were seldom forced into bondage, instead they themselves opted to enter into this state out of goodwill. They were lured by tales of opulence and luxury in the harems, in which their legendary beauty was at a premium. This contrasted sharply with their Spartan and toilsome existence in Circassia . It was not uncommon for ‘slaves’ to come back home having made a small fortune and thus be able to live comfortably in the old country, sparing female members of their families further drudgery. In a stark show of male dominance, a brother had the right to sell his maiden sisters once their parents were gone. In addition, a man could thus punish his adulterous wife, as long as her family posed no obstacle to such a transaction. However, the bulk of slaves were the children of prisoners who were begotten specifically for the purpose. There are anecdotal accounts of ‘eugenic farms’ that were set up to produce beautiful specimens for the slave market.

 

On the lighter side of things, beautiful maids exerted some influence on the course of history in the North Caucasus . Many an invading khan sought tribute from the Circassians in form of fair lasses. In 1812, the Russians were entreated by the Porte to cede back Anapa, the main slave port on the coast of Circassia , so that the depleted harems could be replenished.

 

Although female slavery in the Caucasus was abolished in 1864, it survived in the diaspora for many years after. According to T. R. Djordjević , one day during his sojourn in Pristina in Kosovo Polje in 1869-70, he witnessed the selling of three Circassian women of extraordinary beauty for 6,000 ghūrūsh (= piaster = 1/100 of a Turkish pound), apparently a tidy sum at the time. Certainly, there were many incidents of this kind all over the Ottoman Empire.

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