When it comes to the slave trade in the Ottoman Empire, most people think of the Crimean Tatars and Algerian pirates who preyed on young Christian girls, who were then sold in the slave markets of Istanbul.
However, few people know that older women were also in demand. Their trade also brought considerable profit, and the Ottomans had very definite reasons for buying even elderly captives.
Why were elderly women a valuable commodity?
One curious point: the very system of taxation in the Ottoman Empire made the trade in elderly women a lucrative endeavor. One of the key fiscal levies was the penjik, a tax that originally applied to military captives. As the sultans consolidated their power, the old custom of leaving captured warriors at the disposal of the victors was replaced by a system of taxation: every fifth prisoner (male or female) became the property of the sultan.
Later, the penjik turned into a tax on the slave trade, allowing the slave market to be controlled and the state treasury to be filled. It is thanks to these records that information about the scale of the slave trade survives, including the surprising fact that a significant number of elderly women were sold into slavery.
The capture of Cyprus in 1571 by Sultan Selim II was one example of the massive sale of elderly women into slavery. After conquering the island, Ottoman slave traders bought about 6,000 women, each of whom was taxed. Among them were more than 1,200 elderly women, identified in documents as «ajuse», which translates as «grandmother».
A legitimate question arises: why would anyone want to acquire such captive women?
Slave traders
To whom and why were elderly captives sold?
Old women, contrary to stereotypes, could bring a considerable income. They were used for various purposes, but there were 3 main ones:
1.Ransom from relatives — Noble captives of advanced age could be returned to their families for a generous reward. Often the ransom for an elderly mother or grandmother was higher than for a young girl.
2. Servants for noble ladies — Women from wealthy families preferred servants who did not pose a threat to their marriages, making older women the preferred workers.
3. Begging — The most common option. In the major cities of the Ottoman Empire, beggars organized themselves into a kind of «guilds» led by professional beggars who controlled the territory and distributed the profits.
How did beggars work?
The practice of industrial begging has existed in the Islamic world since ancient times. Giving alms was considered a godly deed, and social assistance to the poor was regulated by religious norms. Wealthy citizens regularly made donations through the system of waqfs, charitable foundations that were dedicated to supporting the poor. In large cities, entire guilds controlled professional beggars, distributing among them favorable places to collect alms.
Streets of Istanbul
Older women were especially trusted by the beggars, as old age was associated in society with wisdom and poverty. Slave traders marketed them to the «masters» of these guilds, who used old women as a tool for profit.
Why were foreign women preferred?
It may seem strange that it was captives rather than local women who were used as beggars. However, the Ottoman Empire was a unique state where the upper class was often made up of former slaves. There was virtually no nationalism in the modern sense: alms were given to all those in need, regardless of their origin.
Moreover, in the Islamic world it was customary to conceal one’s piety and give alms anonymously. People rarely wondered who was standing in front of them with an outstretched hand; the main thing was to fulfill a religious duty.
Ironically, even in a world where youth was traditionally valued more highly, old age could bring significant benefits to those who knew how to capitalize on it.