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The Eunuchs During Islamic Colonization Of Bengal

“…. There was widespread castration of slaves in Bengal during Mughal Emperor Jahangir, which had become a widespread practice in India. It appears that since Bhaktiyar Khilji’s conquest of Bengal in 1205, it had become a leading source of enslavement and castration for supplying eunuchs. On his way back to Venice from Kublai Khan’s Court, Marco Polo visited India in the late thirteenth century: he found Bengal as a major source of eunuchs. Duarte Barbosa in the late sultanate period (1206-1526) and Francois Pyrard in the Mughal period (1526-1857) also found Bengal as the leading supplier of castrated slaves. Ain -i-Akbari (compiled 1590s) also affirms the same (Moreland, p, 93). Some 22,0000 individuals were emasculated in 1659 in Golkunda during Aurangzeb. Said Khan Chagtai of Jahangir’s reign owned 1,200 eunuchs, Even kind-hearted Akbar employed eunuchs in large numbers. According to Ain-i-Akbari, Akbar’s harem “contained 5,000 ladies, each of whom had separate apartment… watched in successive circles by female guards, eunuchs, Rajputs and the porters at the gates … (Moreland, p 87, 88). (Khan, p, 313-314).

References:

M. A. Khan (2009). Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Imperialism, Forced Conversion, and Slavery. iUniverse, NY.

W. H. Moreland (1995). India at the Death of Akbar. Low Price Publication, New Delhi.

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