The Tsar's Abolitionists

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, at least, slaves from the Caucasus were prized. Islamic rulers particularly bought them for the harem and to train for administrative offices. Kurtynova-D'Herlugnan (history, Northwestern University) relates the history of the attempts by the Russian Empire to abolish this practice. The story involves the desire of the Tsars to be accepted by Western monarchies and to distance themselves from their rival, the Ottoman Empire. The protagonists were as diverse as Enlightenment liberals and hide-bound aristocrats. Kurtynova-D'Herlugnan explains the paradox of the state of Russian serfs being ignored while the fate of Caucasian slaves was passionately embraced at all levels of society. She also describes how the people of the Caucasus, especially in the northwest, had long based their society on capturing and selling slaves. This is a complex tale, told in lively style, with many parallels to the current tensions among Russia, Islamic countries and the Euro-west. It should interest both historians and students of contemporary politics. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Liubov Kurtynova-D'Herlugnan, Kandidat (1989) in History, Institute of African and Asian Studies, Moscow State University, Ph.D. (1997) in History, State University of New York, Binghamton, specializes in Middle Eastern and Caucasian cultures. She is currently teaching courses on Russian history and modern Turkey at Northwestern University.