The Slaves of Baghce Saray (17(th)-18(th) Centuries)

Abstract

This study, which focuses on Baghce Sardy (Bahcesaray) slaves during the 17th and 18th centuries, aims to contribute to research on the history of slavery. Our sources are the data obtained from the estate registers found in the Baghce Saray capital registers of the Crimean Kadi Registers (Kirim Ser'iyye Sicilleri). These cover a 62-year period from 1680 to 1742. In this study 10 registers belonging to this period have been analyzed. It has been concluded from this analysis that : a. Of a total of 1121 registers, 290 contain slave records; this suggests that one person in four owned a slave/slaves. b. Of the 93 people registered at the beginning of the period, 48 own slaves and the total number of slaves is 312. One in two registered persons is a slave owner. The average is 6.5 slaves per person. c. Of the 83 people in the second register, 48 own slaves. One in 1.7 people is a slave owner. The total is 277 slaves. The average is 5.7 slaves per registered person. d. Of the 282 people registered in the third and fourth registers, 46 own slaves. The total is 171 slaves. e. Of the 139 people in the fifth register, 50 are slave owners. The total is 222 slaves. f. Of the 405 people in the sixth, seventh and eighth registers, 72 are slave owners. The total is 239 slaves. g. In the ninth register 23 in 90 people are slave owners. The total number of slaves is 74. h. In the disorganized tenth register 4 in 29 people are slave owners. The total number of slaves is 5. b.-c. group may be regarded as the first 8-year period of the term, d.-f. group as the second 10-year period, and f. alone can be regarded as the third 5-year period. Example g. sheds light on a one-year period of the term.