[Sca-cooks] Slavery in Europe

[Suey]

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa wrote:

> Now I'm completely lost-- what country are we in? Slavery had become 
> uncommon in most European countries by approximately the 12th century. . .
 From Romans time slavery was known to have existed From 711, during the 
700 years of Moorish rule in Spain. black slaves were introduced to 
Andalusia and owners prided in the color of their skin to which they 
added gold tonalities by rubbing it with caraway dissolved in water. 
Slaves remained common in Iberian for centuries. Human Immunology, 
62(9):871-874 (2001) points out that repopulation of Andalusia after 
being reconquered by Christians included Moorish and black slaves 
imported from Africa to work in households and as field laborers, see  
_Legal History of the Color Line: The Rise and Triumph of the One-Drop 
Rule_ - page 218 by  Frank W. Sweet.  
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1017/p05s01-woeu.html indicates: "Columbus 
was also a strong supporter of slavery, refusing to baptize the 
indigenous people of Hispaniola so that he could enslave them (Spanish 
law prohibited the enslavement of Christians), and auctioning Spaniards 
into slavery. . ." As late as 1772 ownership of slaves in England was 
considered a status symbol. France was the first to abolish slavery in 
1794 but Napoleon revoked the act which was not reenacted until 1848. 
Portugal, the Netherlands and Spain followed between 1856-1868.