Unfree Lives : : Slaves at the Najahid and Rasulid Courts of Yemen.

• Superior document: Studies in Global Slavery Series ; v.16
• Author: Moorthy Kloss, Magdalena.
• Place / Publishing House: Boston : : BRILL,, 2024.; ©2024.
• Year of Publication: 2024
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in Global Slavery Series
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (248 pages)

This first detailed study of slavery in medieval Yemen examines the lives of enslaved women and men who were trafficked as children and then placed in various subaltern positions - from domestic servant to royal concubine, from quarryman to army commander.

Table of Contents

Front Cover -- Half Title -- Series Information -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Preliminary Remarks -- Maps -- Introduction -- 1 Historical Context and Sources -- 1 The Najahids - a Dynasty of (Former) Slaves -- 1.1 Al-Ḥakamī's Chronicle of the Najahid Era -- 1.2 Rise of the Najahids -- 1.3 Early Najahid Rule and First Setbacks -- 1.4 Saʿīd and Jayyāsh Retaliate -- 1.5 Jayyāsh Reconquers Zabīd -- 1.6 Internal Strife and Rule of the Viziers -- 1.7 The Dynasty's Demise -- 2 The Rasulids -- 2.1 Nūr al-maʿārif: a Collection of Rasulid Administrative Texts -- 2.2 Al-Khazrajī's Chronicle and Biographical Collection -- 2.3 Legal Sources on Slavery -- 2 The Medieval Slave Trade to Yemen -- 1 Overview -- 2 The Unknown Origins of Enslaved Soldiers in Medieval Yemen -- 3 Trade Procedures to Rasulid Yemen -- 3.1 The Horn of Africa in the 7th/13th Century -- 3.2 The Slave Trade Reflected in Nūr al-maʿārif -- 3.3 Prices Paid for Slaves in Ethiopia -- 3.4 Additional Expenses Associated with the Slave Trade to Yemen -- 4 Import Taxes -- 5 Transport Charges and Travel Provisions -- 6 Trade Procedures in Yemen -- 6.1 Selection by the Rasulid Administration -- 6.2 Sale on the Public Market -- 7 Conclusion -- 3 Eunuchs -- 1 Eunuchs in Islamic Foundational Texts -- 2 The Eunuch Institution in the First Islamic Centuries -- 3 Terminology -- 4 Early Lives -- 4.1 Castration Abroad -- 4.2 The Question of Origins -- 5 Digression: Slave Names and the Loss of Origins -- 5.1 Mamluks' Names -- 5.2 Eunuchs' Names -- 6 Beginnings in Yemen -- 7 Eunuchs in the Rasulid Military and Political Administration -- 7.1 Biographical Texts as Windows into Eunuchs' Public Lives -- 7.2 Military and Political Positions Occupied by Eunuchs -- 7.3 Case Study: the Chief Eunuch Ahyaf -- 8 Eunuchs and Rasulid Women.

8.1 The Naming of Rasulid Women after Their Eunuchs -- 8.2 Evidence from Nūr al-maʿārif -- 8.3 Evidence from al-Khazrajī's Works -- 9 Eunuchs as Educators of Royal Children -- 10 Scholarly and Religious Activities -- 11 Patronage of Pious Endowments -- 12 Conclusion -- 4 Enslaved Women and Girls -- 1 Types of Female Slave Labour in Medieval Yemen -- 2 Concubines' Biographies in al-Ḥakamī's Chronicle -- 2.1 ʿAlam: from Concubine to Queen -- 2.2 Warda: Object of Desire and Assertive Actor -- 3 Rasulid Case Studies -- 3.1 Nukhba's Story: Female Slavery at the Rasulid Court -- 3.2 A Poet's Perspective on the Impact of Concubinage -- 4 Conclusion -- 5 Enslaved workers of low rank -- 1 Evidence from Nūr al-maʿārif -- 2 Kitchen Service -- 3 Employment in Palace Storage Facilities -- 4 Protective Services -- 5 Stable Duties -- 6 Craftsmanship and Other Specialized Work -- 7 Agriculture -- 8 Mining -- 9 Conclusion -- Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Index -- Back Cover.