Resources by Theme

On this page, the medieval sources available on this website have been grouped thematically to assist comparison across geographical, temporal, and cultural boundaries.

Agency

• Cali or Theodora?
• Criminal Trials of Slaves in Venice
• Demandes de Libertat: Enslaved Mothers Suing for Freedom in Late Medieval Iberia
• The Early Life of Baybars
• Execution of a Mamluk Slave Woman
• Felix Fabri’s Wanderings in the Holy Land
• A Former Slave Deceives Ibn Khalīl
• The Guide Book for Obtaining Divine Favors and Avoiding Divine Punishment
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• ‘No One Sees and Every Man Does as He Sees Fit’: Slavery and Masculinity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt
• Slave Labor and Free Service in Genoa
• The Slave Women of al-Manṣūr Ḥajjī

Birth

• Cali or Theodora?
• Canon Law concerning the Children of Free Men by Enslaved Women
• Concerning Persons and Divisions of Persons
• Slave Women and Their Children in Venetian Crete

Captives

• Aztec Slaves
• Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England
• Cali or Theodora?
• The Capture of Vardapet Vanakan by the Mongols
• La Cautiva Marcelina
• Christian Capture of Muslim Captives and Slaves in the Thirteenth-Century Crown or Realms of Aragon
• Concerning Persons and Divisions of Persons
• The Early Life of Baybars
• A Former Slave Deceives Ibn Khalīl
• Indian soldiers from the province of Coritiba, bringing back captives
• Initial Q from the Vidal Mayor: Two Soldiers Leading Two Slaves before a King
• Khubilai Khan Hunting
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• Laxdæla Saga
• Life of Saint Findan
• Miracles of Saint Opportuna
• Misdeeds of Catalan Corsairs
• Prisoner Taking and Human Sacrifice by the Moche of Ancient Peru
• The Sabil-Kuttab of Yusuf Agha Dar al-Saʿadat in Cairo
• Warfare in Illinois Indian Culture
• Yanoáma: The Story of Helena Valero

Captive Narratives

• The Capture of Vardapet Vanakan by the Mongols
• La Cautiva Marcelina
• Indian soldiers from the province of Coritiba, bringing back captives
• Life of Saint Findan
• Miracles of Saint Opportuna
• Yanoáma: The Story of Helena Valero

Children

• Acts of Child Sale in the Black Sea
• Aztec Slaves
• Canon Law concerning the Children of Free Men by Enslaved Women
• Childcare and Slavery in Barcelona
• Demandes de Libertat: Enslaved Mothers Suing for Freedom in Late Medieval Iberia
• The Early Life of Baybars
• The Florentine Register of Slaves
• The Guide Book for Obtaining Divine Favors and Avoiding Divine Punishment
• The Law of Enslaving Starving Children
• Recruitment of Mamluks
• Slave Women and Their Children in Venetian Crete
• A Slave Sale Contract from Venice
• The Training of Mamluks

Elite Slaves

• Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England
• The Capture of Vardapet Vanakan by the Mongols
• The Early Life of Baybars
• Execution of a Mamluk Slave Woman
• The Guide Book for Obtaining Divine Favors and Avoiding Divine Punishment
• Khubilai Khan Hunting
• Laborers, Servants, and “Chosen Women” in the Inca Empire
• Laxdæla Saga
• Medieval Slavery in Zuwīla: Archaeological and Textual Sources
• Recruitment of Mamluks
• The Sabil-Kuttab of Yusuf Agha Dar al-Saʿadat in Cairo
• The Slave Women of al-Manṣūr Ḥajjī
• The Stories of Shāriya in the Book of Songs (Kitāb al-Aghānī)
• The Training of Mamluks

Eunuchs

• The Guide Book for Obtaining Divine Favors and Avoiding Divine Punishment
• Recruitment of Mamluks
• The Sabil-Kuttab of Yusuf Agha Dar al-Saʿadat in Cairo
• The Training of Mamluks

Flight

• The Capture of Vardapet Vanakan by the Mongols
• A Deed of Sale of Yumn, a Young Slave Woman, in Third/Ninth-Century Egypt
• Felix Fabri’s Wanderings in the Holy Land
• A Former Slave Deceives Ibn Khalīl
• Life of Saint Findan
• Miracles of Saint Opportuna
• Visigothic Manumission Charters

Images

• Aztec Slaves
• Indian soldiers from the province of Coritiba, bringing back captives
• Initial Q from the Vidal Mayor: Two Soldiers Leading Two Slaves before a King
• Khubilai Khan Hunting
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• Laborers, Servants, and “Chosen Women” in the Inca Empire
• The Law of Enslaving Starving Children
• Medieval Slavery in Zuwīla: Archaeological and Textual Sources
• Prisoner Taking and Human Sacrifice by the Moche of Ancient Peru
• The Sabil-Kuttab of Yusuf Agha Dar al-Saʿadat in Cairo

Kidnapping

• Bobali
• La Cautiva Marcelina
• Christian Capture of Muslim Captives and Slaves in the Thirteenth-Century Crown or Realms of Aragon
• Indian soldiers from the province of Coritiba, bringing back captives
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• Life of Saint Findan
• Miracles of Saint Opportuna
• Misdeeds of Catalan Corsairs
• Yanoáma: The Story of Helena Valero

Labor

• Canon Law concerning the Children of Free Men by Enslaved Women
• Childcare and Slavery in Barcelona
• Criminal Trials of Slaves in Venice
• Concerning Sellers of Male and Female Slaves
• Foreign Slaves of Guangzhou
• The Guide Book for Obtaining Divine Favors and Avoiding Divine Punishment
• Khubilai Khan Hunting
• Laborers, Servants, and “Chosen Women” in the Inca Empire
• Laxdæla Saga
• Medieval Slavery in Zuwīla: Archaeological and Textual Sources
• ‘No One Sees and Every Man Does as He Sees Fit’: Slavery and Masculinity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt
• Recruitment of Mamluks
• Slave Labor and Free Service in Genoa
• The Slave Women of al-Manṣūr Ḥajjī
• The Stories of Shāriya in the Book of Songs (Kitāb al-Aghānī)
• The Training of Mamluks
• Vestiges of Mongol Enslavement

Law

• Acts of Child Sale in the Black Sea
• Cali or Theodora?
• Canon Law concerning Slave Marriage to Free People
• Canon Law concerning the Children of Free Men by Enslaved Women
• Christian Capture of Muslim Captives and Slaves in the Thirteenth-Century Crown or Realms of Aragon
• Concerning Persons and Divisions of Persons
• Criminal Trials of Slaves in Venice
• A Deed of Sale of Yumn, a Young Slave Woman, in Third/Ninth-Century Egypt
• Demandes de Libertat: Enslaved Mothers Suing for Freedom in Late Medieval Iberia
• The Florentine Register of Slaves
• A Former Slave Deceives Ibn Khalīl
• Initial Q from the Vidal Mayor: Two Soldiers Leading Two Slaves before a King
• The Law of Enslaving Starving Children
• Manumission in Cyprus
• Manumission in Genoa
• Misdeeds of Catalan Corsairs
• ‘No One Sees and Every Man Does as He Sees Fit’: Slavery and Masculinity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt
• Slave Labor and Free Service in Genoa
• Slave Sale Contracts from Genoa
• A Slave Sale Contract from Venice
• Slave Women and Their Children in Venetian Crete
• Visigothic Manumission Charters

Life after Manumission

• Concerning Persons and Divisions of Persons
• Demandes de Libertat: Enslaved Mothers Suing for Freedom in Late Medieval Iberia
• Manumission in Genoa
• Slave Women and Their Children in Venetian Crete
• Visigothic Manumission Charters

Manumission

• Cali or Theodora?
• Childcare and Slavery in Barcelona
• Demandes de Libertat: Enslaved Mothers Suing for Freedom in Late Medieval Iberia
• Manumission in Cyprus
• Manumission in Genoa
• Slave Women and Their Children in Venetian Crete
• Visigothic Manumission Charters

Medicine

• Childcare and Slavery in Barcelona
• Criminal Trials of Slaves in Venice
• Concerning Sellers of Male and Female Slaves
• A Deed of Sale of Yumn, a Young Slave Woman, in Third/Ninth-Century Egypt
• Foreign Slaves of Guangzhou
• Slave Sale Contracts from Genoa
• A Slave Sale Contract from Venice
• The Slave Women of al-Manṣūr Ḥajjī

Men

• Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England
• Bobali
• Criminal Trials of Slaves in Venice
• Demandes de Libertat: Enslaved Mothers Suing for Freedom in Late Medieval Iberia
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• Medieval Slavery in Zuwīla: Archaeological and Textual Sources
• ‘No One Sees and Every Man Does as He Sees Fit’: Slavery and Masculinity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt
• Prisoner Taking and Human Sacrifice by the Moche of Ancient Peru
• Vestiges of Mongol Enslavement
• Warfare in Illinois Indian Culture

Music

• La Cautiva Marcelina
• The Slave Women of al-Manṣūr Ḥajjī
• The Stories of Shāriya in the Book of Songs (Kitāb al-Aghānī)

Property

• Acts of Child Sale in the Black Sea
• Childcare and Slavery in Barcelona
• Christian Capture of Muslim Captives and Slaves in the Thirteenth-Century Crown or Realms of Aragon
• A Deed of Sale of Yumn, a Young Slave Woman, in Third/Ninth-Century Egypt
• The Florentine Register of Slaves
• Initial Q from the Vidal Mayor: Two Soldiers Leading Two Slaves before a King
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• The Law of Enslaving Starving Children
• Manumission in Genoa
• Slave Labor and Free Service in Genoa
• Slave Sale Contracts from Genoa
• A Slave Sale Contract from Venice
• Slave Women and Their Children in Venetian Crete
• The Stories of Shāriya in the Book of Songs (Kitāb al-Aghānī)
• Vestiges of Mongol Enslavement
• Visigothic Manumission Charters

Race

• Bobali
• Cali or Theodora?
• Concerning Sellers of Male and Female Slaves
• The Florentine Register of Slaves
• Foreign Slaves of Guangzhou
• A Former Slave Deceives Ibn Khalīl
• Initial Q from the Vidal Mayor: Two Soldiers Leading Two Slaves before a King
• Khubilai Khan Hunting
• The Sabil-Kuttab of Yusuf Agha Dar al-Saʿadat in Cairo
• The Training of Mamluks
• Vestiges of Mongol Enslavement

Raiding

• Bobali
• La Cautiva Marcelina
• Christian Capture of Muslim Captives and Slaves in the Thirteenth-Century Crown or Realms of Aragon
• Initial Q from the Vidal Mayor: Two Soldiers Leading Two Slaves before a King
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• Life of Saint Findan
• Medieval Slavery in Zuwīla: Archaeological and Textual Sources
• Miracles of Saint Opportuna
• Warfare in Illinois Indian Culture

Ransom

• Aztec Slaves
• Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England
• The Capture of Vardapet Vanakan by the Mongols
• Life of Saint Findan

Religion

• Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England
• Cali or Theodora?
• Canon Law concerning Slave Marriage to Free People
• Canon Law concerning the Children of Free Men by Enslaved Women
• The Capture of Vardapet Vanakan by the Mongols
• Concerning Sellers of Male and Female Slaves
• Felix Fabri’s Wanderings in the Holy Land
• A Former Slave Deceives Ibn Khalīl
• The Guide Book for Obtaining Divine Favors and Avoiding Divine Punishment
• Initial Q from the Vidal Mayor: Two Soldiers Leading Two Slaves before a King
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• Life of Saint Findan
• Miracles of Saint Opportuna
• ‘No One Sees and Every Man Does as He Sees Fit’: Slavery and Masculinity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt
• Prisoner Taking and Human Sacrifice by the Moche of Ancient Peru
• Recruitment of Mamluks
• The Training of Mamluks
• Visigothic Manumission Charters
• William of Malmesbury, The Life of Wulfstan

Rental

• Slave Sale Contracts from Genoa
• Visigothic Manumission Charters

Self-Sale

• Aztec Slaves
• Concerning Persons and Divisions of Persons
• Visigothic Manumission Charters

Sexual Slavery

• Canon Law concerning the Children of Free Men by Enslaved Women
• Childcare and Slavery in Barcelona
• Criminal Trials of Slaves in Venice
• Concerning Sellers of Male and Female Slaves
• Demandes de Libertat: Enslaved Mothers Suing for Freedom in Late Medieval Iberia
• The Guide Book for Obtaining Divine Favors and Avoiding Divine Punishment
• Laxdæla Saga
• ‘No One Sees and Every Man Does as He Sees Fit’: Slavery and Masculinity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt
• Slave Women and Their Children in Venetian Crete
• William of Malmesbury, The Life of Wulfstan

Social Death

• Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England
• The Early Life of Baybars
• Foreign Slaves of Guangzhou
• Laborers, Servants, and “Chosen Women” in the Inca Empire
• The Law of Enslaving Starving Children
• Laxdæla Saga
• Slave Labor and Free Service in Genoa
• Warfare in Illinois Indian Culture

Trade

• Acts of Child Sale in the Black Sea
• Aztec Slaves
• Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England
• Bobali
• Christian Capture of Muslim Captives and Slaves in the Thirteenth-Century Crown or Realms of Aragon
• Concerning Sellers of Male and Female Slaves
• A Deed of Sale of Yumn, a Young Slave Woman, in Third/Ninth-Century Egypt
• The Florentine Register of Slaves
• A Former Slave Deceives Ibn Khalīl
• Kilwa: Slavery on the East African Coast
• The Law of Enslaving Starving Children
• Laxdæla Saga
• Medieval Slavery in Zuwīla: Archaeological and Textual Sources
• Misdeeds of Catalan Corsairs
• Recruitment of Mamluks
• Slave Sale Contracts from Genoa
• A Slave Sale Contract from Venice
• The Stories of Shāriya in the Book of Songs (Kitāb al-Aghānī)
• The Training of Mamluks
• Visigothic Manumission Charters
• William of Malmesbury, The Life of Wulfstan

Violence

• Aztec Slaves
• The Capture of Vardapet Vanakan by the Mongols
• Christian Capture of Muslim Captives and Slaves in the Thirteenth-Century Crown or Realms of Aragon
• Criminal Trials of Slaves in Venice
• Execution of a Mamluk Slave Woman
• Felix Fabri’s Wanderings in the Holy Land
• The Guide Book for Obtaining Divine Favors and Avoiding Divine Punishment
• Life of Saint Findan
• Miracles of Saint Opportuna
• Prisoner Taking and Human Sacrifice by the Moche of Ancient Peru
• The Slave Women of al-Manṣūr Ḥajjī
• Warfare in Illinois Indian Culture

Women

• Bobali
• Canon Law concerning the Children of Free Men by Enslaved Women
• La Cautiva Marcelina
• Childcare and Slavery in Barcelona
• Concerning Sellers of Male and Female Slaves
• Criminal Trials of Slaves in Venice
• A Deed of Sale of Yumn, a Young Slave Woman, in Third/Ninth-Century Egypt
• Demandes de Libertat: Enslaved Mothers Suing for Freedom in Late Medieval Iberia
• Execution of a Mamluk Slave Woman
• The Florentine Register of Slaves
• Indian soldiers from the province of Coritiba, bringing back captives
• Laborers, Servants, and “Chosen Women” in the Inca Empire
• Laxdæla Saga
• Manumission in Cyprus
• Medieval Slavery in Zuwīla: Archaeological and Textual Sources
• ‘No One Sees and Every Man Does as He Sees Fit’: Slavery and Masculinity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt
• Slave Women and Their Children in Venetian Crete
• The Slave Women of al-Manṣūr Ḥajjī
• The Stories of Shāriya in the Book of Songs (Kitāb al-Aghānī)
• Vestiges of Mongol Enslavement
• William of Malmesbury, The Life of Wulfstan
• Yanoáma: The Story of Helena Valero