Slavery in the Holy Roman Empire

Abstract

This chapter provides an introduction to the multifaceted history of slavery in the principalities of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in the early modern period. Utilizing the tripartite structure proposed by the editors, it explains the heterogeneous and often ill-defined character of slavery in the Empire. Besides describing the various entryways of enslaved individuals into the Empire and the disparate expressions of slavery encountered there, the chapter aims to provide readers with a clear understanding of how slavery interacted with and was often obscured by a range of conditions of dependency and hierarchy permeating early modern German society.