The Arab Slave Trade: Routes, Scale and Lasting Impact

The Arab slave trade, also called the Eastern slave trade, operated from the 7th century to the mid-20th century. Historians estimate that millions of Africans, alongside Europeans and Asians, were enslaved through networks across North Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia. Major routes included the Trans-Saharan network from West Africa to North Africa, as well as Red Sea and Indian Ocean routes linking East and Central Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, Persia and India. Ottoman and Crimean traders also captured people from parts of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Mediterranean. Enslaved people were used for domestic work, agriculture, military service and concubinage. Many male captives were also subjected to castration for palace and military roles, a practice associated with severe suffering and high mortality. Although Islamic legal traditions provided some rules on slavery and manumission, the capture, forced movement and exploitation of enslaved people caused lasting human and social damage. Historical accounts from academic and media sources document the trade's wide reach and long duration.

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