Slave trade
See also:
- Slave trade in Slavery in the ancient world
- Slave trade in the Middle Ages
- Slave trade in Islamic World
- Slave trade in Africa
- Slave trade in the Americas
- Slave trade and the British Empire
- Abolition
The slave trade is almost as old as civilisation.
Between 6th and 10th centuries AD the primary source of slaves for Europe and the Middle East were territories of Central and Eastern Europe, especially Slavonic people. This is the reason why the word for slave in many European languages is derived from the word for Slavs (for example English, German and French). After the conquest North Africa and Spain by muslims, the Islamic World became a huge importer of slaves from Central Europe. The trade routes were established between slave trade centres in the Slavonic countries (for example Prague and Wolin) and Arab metropolies in Spain. Because of religious reasons the slave trade was monopolised by Jews who were able transfer the slaves from pagan Central Europe through christian Western Europe to muslim countries in Spain and Africa. Majority of slaves were prisoners captured in wars between Slavonic tribes and states. This trade came to the end in 10th century after christianisation of Central European slavonic countries.