The Forgotten Slave Trade: The White European Slaves of Islam

by (Historian) Simon Webb

Although the expression was not coined until the Second World War, the removal of entire populations from islands in the Mediterranean may best be regarded as an instance of ethnic cleansing. Depopulating areas of Christians made perfect sense for a nation intent upon expanding both its territory and religion. The Ottomans were engaged in open warfare with Venice and both sides took any chance they could to disrupt the other’s trade and influence. Physically removing Christians from islands on the Italian coast both demonstrated in a very direct and brutal way that the Mediterranean belonged to the Muslims rather than the Christians and also provided the manpower necessary to propel the galleys of the Muslim ships. This may be seen with great clarity when we look at the events leading up to the siege of Malta in 1565, of which the attack on the island of Gozo was a prelude.