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
Self-Sale
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