Did the pirates only trade in white slaves?
James Luca
Ottoman slaves captured by Barbary corsairs could be black, brown or white, Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Jewish or Muslim. In fact, Turks were prized as oarsmen and rarely ransomed. There are many accounts of Christian captives converting to Islam but this did not mean they were freed – only that they might be trusted to manage other slaves. Many women held in harems would convert so they could stay with their children, who were raised as Muslims.