Joseph C. Miller Memorial Lecture by Pernilla Myrne

How did Islamic law change the status of slave mothers and their children?
While granting certain protections, such as freedom upon the owner's death and inheritance rights for their children, the integration of slave women into families as sexual partners wasn't always smooth. This talk examines the implications of slave concubinage on family dynamics, as depicted in medieval Arabic literature, particularly in three erotic manuals spanning from the tenth to the early fourteenth centuries. These texts grapple with justifying and defending sexual slavery while navigating the delicate balance between satisfying desires and maintaining family harmony.