Tracing the Stories of Russian Fugitive Slaves in 16th Century Üsküdar

<p>In the 16th century, Üsküdar Law Court registers were filled with hundreds of brief and standardized entries concerning Russian fugitive slave cases, in a way that was rarely seen in other districts of the empire or historical periods. In order to interpret this anomalous historical phenomenon, this study examines the historical context of the 16th-century Black Sea slave trade and categorizes and analyzes the most common case types through hundreds of nearly identical records.</p> <p>The article seeks to find answers to why almost all of the runaway slaves were of Russian origin and were caught only in the Üsküdar district. It situates the dramatic boom of Russian fugitive slave cases within the broader context of the Black Sea slave trade, emphasizing the importance of the Crimean Khanate as the major supplier of slaves to Ottoman markets. The socio-economic conditions of 16th-century Crimea made the Khanate’s finances heavily dependent on slave raids into today’s Ukraine and Russia, which became a profitable enterprise involving numerous investors, traders, and military gangs.</p> <p>The article argues that the enormous magnitude of the Black Sea slave trade and 16th-century Üsküdar’s position as a pivotal transit hub between Istanbul and Asia explain why these fugitive slaves were dominantly Russian and captured in Üsküdar. By examining court entries, the study shows glimpses of how Ottoman legal mechanisms both regulated and perpetuated slavery. Almost all escaped and captured slaves ended up being returned to their former owners, left for alimony, or sold at auction. Ultimately, the article traces and sheds light on the tragic stories of Russian fugitive slaves in 16th-century Istanbul.</p>