HistoryExtra podcast Slavery in the Islamic world
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Feb 27, 2026 
Justin Marozzi, historian and journalist and author of Captives and Companions, maps slavery across the Islamic world from the 7th century to modern day. He traces routes from sub-Saharan Africa to Central Asia. He explores legal frameworks, diverse roles like soldiers and concubines, shifting hierarchies and modern legacies in places such as Mali and Mauritania.
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Conquest, Birth, And Rare Social Mobility Examples
- Early enslavement often followed conquest during Arab-Muslim expansions (632–750), with soldiers taking people, animals, and treasure as booty.
- Marozzi cites Bilal ibn Rabbah, an Ethiopian born into slavery who became Islam's first muezzin, showing rare social mobility.
Enslaved Voices Are Elusive But Occasionally Found
- First-person voices of enslaved people are sparse and often mediated by outsiders like British missionaries or thin administrative records.
- Marozzi managed modern interviews in Mali and Mauritania, which are rare direct testimonies of 21st-century slavery.
Multiple Distinct Slave Trades Within The Islamic World
- Multiple distinct slave trades existed: Saharan caravans, Ottoman Devshirme recruiting Christian boys, Circassian concubines, and eunuch markets.
- Devshirme could be voluntary and brought white Christian boys from the Caucasus into Janissary service.
