By The Arab Conquest And The Birth Of The African Slave Trade
The Arab Incursion into North Africa and the Rise of Islamic Enslavement
Long before the European transatlantic slave trade, Africa had already endured the grievous impact of bondage. The Arab slave trade, which began in the 7th century AD, heralded the onset of a bleak era in African history. More than 700 years before European colonizers arrived, Arabs had established their foothold in North Africa, unleashing a wave of conquests and subjugation that would irreversibly transform the region.
The initial Arab penetration into Africa occurred through Kemet (ancient Egypt). In their pursuit of supremacy, Arab invaders seized the wealth and treasures of the Kemetic civilization. Artistic relics, coffins, and the grandeur of the pyramids were plundered and bartered for profit. Yet, the Arabs sought more than mere material gain—they aimed to extend their dominion through military conquest and control.
Slavery was not only a means of economic exploitation but also a mechanism to spread Arab influence. With the advent of the Islamic slave trade, many North Africans were forcibly converted to Islam by their Arab overlords. This system of domination intertwined religious conversion with enslavement, as entire populations were Islamized under the rule of their Arab captors.
Today, the shadow of this early slave trade lingers deeply within the cultural tapestry of North Africa. Many Africans continue to embrace Islam, often unaware of the violent history of enslavement that accompanied the religion’s spread. This epoch, frequently eclipsed by later European colonization, remains a pivotal moment in African history—one that reshaped the continent’s political, cultural, and religious landscapes.
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