This course will examine how different forms of slavery functioned as political, legal, and social institutions in the broader Mediterranean world from antiquity to the mid-nineteenth century. We will begin with slavery in the ancient Mediterranean, with particular attention to Ancient Rome, before examining the legal foundations of slavery in Christian and Islamic societies and tracing the main Black and white slave trade routes from the Black Sea, across North Africa, to Central Asia. Specific attention will be given to legal, political, and social aspects of the Ottoman systems of kul (imperial slavery) and devşirme (the levy of Christian boys), including women and eunuchs of the harem, janissaries, and domestic slaves. In the context of religious conflict at sea, we will also discuss corsairs, galley slavery, and daily life among converts and renegades. The course will extend into the nineteenth century to examine gradual processes of abolition and the persistence of slavery in practice in the Ottoman Empire. Placing Mediterranean slavery in a global context, we will consider the connections and differences between forms of slavery in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic world, and the roles of legal systems, war, and commercial interests in shaping them. We will draw upon a combination of sources, including legal texts, archival records, and testimony of enslaved people. Each week, we will focus on a historical figure, such as Cervantes, Roxelana, or Joseph Pitts, to connect broader themes to individual narratives. Students will complete discussion board posts, two short reflection papers, and one primary source analysis. Students will gain the skills to analyze slavery as a historical and evolving institution that took different forms across Mediterranean societies and changed significantly over time.