The Elbian Region as Predatory Landscape, 900–1200 CE: Enslavement, Slaughter, and Settler Colonialism
Lisa Wolverton
The Elbian Region as Predatory Landscape, 900–1200 CEEnslavement, Slaughter, and Settler Colonialism Lisa Wolverton My aim in this article is simple: to draw the attention of community scholars interested history enslavement lands along east river Elbe central Middle Ages.1 Michael McCormick's research has suggested that, throughout ninth century, Franks were actively supplying slaves vast markets Islamic world, Byzantines, Venetians, Bohemians, many others.2 Prisoners Carolingian warfare, "subjugated by violence," became "mobile merchandise," his words.3 Many those captured enslaved Slavs, an ethnic designation for different peoples occupying broad stretches Central Eastern Europe period. Insofar kind military campaigning that potentially fed captives into slave trade persisted region under Ottonians tenth through Second Crusade mid-twelfth, long afterward, it seems logical consider whether human trafficking also continued period after study leaves off, is, year 900.4 Were still seized sale distant markets? To what degree captivity regular features life communities beyond Elbe? What conditions facilitated traffic persons shaped fates its victims? Asking fundamental questions about region, even absence definitive answers, timely. compendious volume was published twenty years ago now; have absorbed, sometimes contested, conclusions, they begun transelbian brought differing assumptions bear. Alice Rio, her recent book, [End Page 101] Slavery Rome 500–1100, argues against active Slavs Germany's eastern frontier—in part extension critique thesis; displacing slaving activities further north east, well Frankish borders; drawing on hoard analyses like Marek Jankowiak.5 Jankowiak himself sees long-distance transport coming end ca. 950 CE, account changing economic world decreasing demand Saqaliba (the contemporary Arabic term Slavs).6 However, simultaneously with Rio Jankowiak's works, Ittai Weinryb stated unequivocally mined copper felled forests necessary fabricate famous bronze doors Hildesheim early eleventh so stress fundamentally colonialist irony these monuments missionary efforts convert Christianity resulted from their simultaneous enslavement.7 glaring discrepancies between views suggest important issues 900 remain unresolved. Everywhere globe, discovering telling histories people extremely difficult. First foremost, hampered very marginalization slaves, de facto or iure, within where lived worked some all lives. For societies whose pasts are poorly documented—because cultures oral, not written; because written records failed survive present; genres authorship extant materials discourage aspects everyday life—these problems compounded. Archeologists, part, recently grapple directly problem discerning slavery among material evidence.8 "Slavery," Alex Woolf notes, "creates invisible people."9 Yet, despite obstacles, our frequent inability know details certitude, there remains little question forms been widely practiced societies. It can be found nearly times places; small-scale large industrialized economies; mines, brothels, agriculture, at sea; high-minded base. overwhelming imbalance ubiquity scarcity evidence lives must first acknowledged to...
Mediaevalia