The Slave Girls of Baghdad: The Qiyan in the Early Abbasid Era

From the refined Geisha of the Imperial Court to the learned hetaerae of Ancient Greece, the captivating history of courtesans and slave girls transcends countless cultural boundaries and fields of academic study. The Slave Girls of Baghdad explores the origins, education and art of the ""qiyan"" -- indentured girls and women who entertained and entranced the caliphs and aristocrats who worked the labyrinths of power within ninth-century Baghdad and throughout the Abbasid Empire. Through a detailed analysis of Islamic law, historical sources and poetry, F. Matthew Caswell examines the qiyans' unique place in Abbasid society and their contested moral standing, providing a comprehensive overview and cultural comparison of an elusive and alluring institution. This fascinating history will be essential reading for all interested in the story of slavery along with the rich world of the Abbasid Empire more widely.