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White gold: the extraordinary story of Thomas Pellow and North Africa's one million European slaves
In the summer of 1716, a Cornish cabin boy named Thomas Pellow and 52 of his comrades were captured at sea by the Barbary corsairs. Their captors - fanatical Islamic slave traders - had declared war on the whole of Christendom. Thousands of Europeans had been snatched from their homes and taken in chains to the great slave markets of Algiers, Tunis and Sale in Morocco to be sold to the highest bidder. Pellow was bought by the tyrannical sultan of Morocco, who bragged that his white slaves enabled him to hold all of Europe to ransom. The sultan was constructing an imperial pleasure palace of enormous scale and grandeur, built entirely by Christian slave labour. Thomas Pellow was selected to be a personal slave of the sultan and he would witness first-hand the barbaric splendour of the imperial Moroccan court, as well as experience of daily terror. For 23 years, he would dream of his home, his family and freedom. He was one of the fortunate few who survived to tell his told. Drawn from unpublished letters and manuscripts written by slaves and by the padres and ambassadors sent to free them, this shocking and extraordinary story reveals a disturbing and forgotten chapter of our history.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2004
202 people are currently reading
2409 people want to read
About the author
Giles Milton
40 books583 followersBritish writer and journalist Giles Milton was born in Buckinghamshire in 1966. He has contributed articles for most of the British national newspapers as well as many foreign publications, and specializes in the history of travel and exploration. In the course of his researches, he has traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, Japan and the Far East, and the Americas.
Knowledgeable, insatiably curious and entertaining, Milton locates history's most fascinating—and most overlooked—stories and brings them to life in his books.
He lives in London, where he is a member of the Hakluyt Society, which is dedicated to reprinting the works of explorers and adventurers in scholarly editions, some of which he uses in his research. He wrote most of Samurai William in the London Library, where he loves the "huge reading room, large Victorian desks and creaking armchairs". At home and while traveling, he is ever on the lookout for new untold stories. Apparently he began researching the life of Sir John Mandeville for his book The Riddle and the Knight after Mandeville’s book Travels "literally fell off the shelf of a Paris bookstore" in which he was browsing.
Copyright BookBrowse.com 2007
Knowledgeable, insatiably curious and entertaining, Milton locates history's most fascinating—and most overlooked—stories and brings them to life in his books.
He lives in London, where he is a member of the Hakluyt Society, which is dedicated to reprinting the works of explorers and adventurers in scholarly editions, some of which he uses in his research. He wrote most of Samurai William in the London Library, where he loves the "huge reading room, large Victorian desks and creaking armchairs". At home and while traveling, he is ever on the lookout for new untold stories. Apparently he began researching the life of Sir John Mandeville for his book The Riddle and the Knight after Mandeville’s book Travels "literally fell off the shelf of a Paris bookstore" in which he was browsing.
Copyright BookBrowse.com 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
February 1, 2013
Initially I was under the impression that this book is a historical novel, so I wasted first 20 pages waiting for the novel to start. Once I realised it was actually historical non fiction I started really enjoying it. Milton unearthenes some little known part of world history and delivers it to us in a very exciting form. Who does not like stories about pirates and Moroccan sultans? Here definitely crueler than in Disney films. And the moral is: slavery is bad and all humans are equally capable of inhuman behaviour. It is actually so widespread that I am not sure why it is called 'inhuman' as I can't think of any other species that engages in such behaviour.
Here is some English logic for you:
When then Englishmen were enslaved by the 'Moors' it was because the Moors were 'beasts', as only 'beasts' could do something so barbaric. Now, when the English did the same to Africans around the same time, that was ok because Africans were beasts, so there were no contraindication to enslaving them. And that's how the English managed to sleep with a clear conscience.
I particularly enjoyed this episode recounted by Milton where an English ship with a cargo of Africans destined for slavery in North America gets captured by Moroccans and the whole crew gets sent to slavery in Morocco. And isn't it ironic.. don't you think?
All in all, good book, people. You can read it in two evenings. Sometimes I found Miles' style a little too pompous for my liking. Right now I am reading „The Professor and the Madman” and I am enjoying Simon Winchester's style a lot more because he's got jokes. Though on the other hand when you write about slavery it is probably not ok to joke.
Here is some English logic for you:
When then Englishmen were enslaved by the 'Moors' it was because the Moors were 'beasts', as only 'beasts' could do something so barbaric. Now, when the English did the same to Africans around the same time, that was ok because Africans were beasts, so there were no contraindication to enslaving them. And that's how the English managed to sleep with a clear conscience.
I particularly enjoyed this episode recounted by Milton where an English ship with a cargo of Africans destined for slavery in North America gets captured by Moroccans and the whole crew gets sent to slavery in Morocco. And isn't it ironic.. don't you think?
All in all, good book, people. You can read it in two evenings. Sometimes I found Miles' style a little too pompous for my liking. Right now I am reading „The Professor and the Madman” and I am enjoying Simon Winchester's style a lot more because he's got jokes. Though on the other hand when you write about slavery it is probably not ok to joke.
January 29, 2016
My thoughts in two words: utterly brilliant. This should be required reading in schools along with learning about the Black Slave Trade. I thought this was very well-written, exceptionally well-researched, and an engaging read. That being said, the high amount of descriptions of torture, genital mutilation, beatings, and murder made me - a seasoned reader of violent history works - put it down at times. Although the majority of this book takes place in the eighteenth century (due to Thomas Pellow's story), I nevertheless strongly recommend it for students of the seventeenth century as well, because of the fact that piracy was a big problem throughout the Stuart period.
July 17, 2024
In a time when the far left seeks reparations for slavery this kind of story brings to light a lot of questions. Who should get such reparations and where on earth would you draw the line? I knew nothing of the white slave trade, how pernicious it was and how many humans were trafficked from all across Europe during this time. Its a terrifying read, positioned around the story of a single man, which creates a stronger narrative for the tone of this non fiction work. Very well researched and presented its a critical read to understand the complexities of the slave trade and the difficulty in securing freedom for any person suffering under the tyranny of another man.
May 5, 2025
This is an engaging, vigorous, well researched, almost visceral book describing the North African trade in European slaves, using the real life story of Thomas Pellow (his capture, his time as the personal slave of the vicious and duplicitous Moroccan Sultan Moulay Ismail, and his eventual escape) as a focus for the narrative. The contents of this book has been drawn largely from unpublished letters and journals, but also from contemporary published accounts written by European ambassadors, padres and the slaves themselves. The Arabic sources for this text include 17th and 18th century chronicles, works by Moroccan historians, and letters written by Moroccan courtiers and also by Sultan Moulay Ismail (a contemporary of the French Sun King Louis XIV). Sultan Moulay's extensive building projects at Meknes and temperamental nature, the Barbary Corsairs, and the usually inept attempts of the British government to free or buy back their subjects, form a large part of the narrative, as well as the fate of slaves that ended up in Moulay's clutches. What all the other European/Christian nations were doing (besides a lot of hand-wringing) while their subjects were being stolen is barely given any coverage. An extensively bibliography is, however, included for further research. Interesting.
Short Summary of Thomas Pellow's story: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK...
Short Summary of Thomas Pellow's story: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK...
June 24, 2024
I want my reparations.
March 21, 2019
When I got the book from my parents I was astonished at first. Of course, I knew about black slaves and the triangular trade, but I'd never heard of it before that there were so many white slaves.
The author manages to make his story very lively and to tell the incredible events in great detail, yet exciting.
I do not understand how it can be that so little is known about the white slave trade. The book has given me a new perspective on the history of slavery.
I would recommend anyone to read this book. Not only is it a very well-written book, it also stands out for the extraordinary story it tells.
The author manages to make his story very lively and to tell the incredible events in great detail, yet exciting.
I do not understand how it can be that so little is known about the white slave trade. The book has given me a new perspective on the history of slavery.
I would recommend anyone to read this book. Not only is it a very well-written book, it also stands out for the extraordinary story it tells.
July 14, 2019
This was my second book by Giles Milton, having read and very much enjoyed D Day. What a story! Not pleasant, but so interesting. What mostly disturbed me, however, was the fact that the European slaves had so much effort going into liberating them, whilst so many African slaves were being taken from their homelands, which was somehow seen as acceptable! Slavery is just wrong, whatever the circumstances.
March 8, 2025
Another wonderful book from this talented author who makes history come alive.
This time it’s about the 'white slave trade' when corsairs from North Africa attacked European shipping and raided coastal towns as far north as Iceland, enslaving some one million people, mainly during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
While this is much fewer than those taken by European nations and the USA from Africa across the Atlantic, the conditions those captured in Europe and taken to North Africa experienced were quite horrific. Of course the irony is that while European governments, mainly unsuccessfully, sought their return, they were at the same happily participating in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Most of the book focuses on English slaves captured from British ships and coastal towns and taken to Morocco, with much of the information provided from the writings of Thomas Pellow from Cornwall, captured at age eleven and finally escaping over twenty years later.
The impotence of European governments in the face of this onslaught was quite remarkable. For a period of time, Moroccan pirates even controlled Lundy Island to where I have kayaked. It is situated about ten miles off the north coast of Devon. From that base they attacked passing ships at will. Today, it is a peaceful marine reserve and it is hard to believe what happened there.
A lot of the book is about Moulay Ismail, sultan of Morocco for decades, who had an insatiable appetite for European slaves to build his gargantuan palaces in Meknes. Female slaves were usually sent to the harem.
There’s much murder and torture. If you have the stomach for that it’s a gripping read, as good as any thriller. A book which remembers something largely forgotten.
This time it’s about the 'white slave trade' when corsairs from North Africa attacked European shipping and raided coastal towns as far north as Iceland, enslaving some one million people, mainly during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
While this is much fewer than those taken by European nations and the USA from Africa across the Atlantic, the conditions those captured in Europe and taken to North Africa experienced were quite horrific. Of course the irony is that while European governments, mainly unsuccessfully, sought their return, they were at the same happily participating in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Most of the book focuses on English slaves captured from British ships and coastal towns and taken to Morocco, with much of the information provided from the writings of Thomas Pellow from Cornwall, captured at age eleven and finally escaping over twenty years later.
The impotence of European governments in the face of this onslaught was quite remarkable. For a period of time, Moroccan pirates even controlled Lundy Island to where I have kayaked. It is situated about ten miles off the north coast of Devon. From that base they attacked passing ships at will. Today, it is a peaceful marine reserve and it is hard to believe what happened there.
A lot of the book is about Moulay Ismail, sultan of Morocco for decades, who had an insatiable appetite for European slaves to build his gargantuan palaces in Meknes. Female slaves were usually sent to the harem.
There’s much murder and torture. If you have the stomach for that it’s a gripping read, as good as any thriller. A book which remembers something largely forgotten.
October 25, 2025
I am undecided about this book. It is history but not academic history. It is the kind of history I would write - if I had the talent: journalistic, cut and paste but written up and expanded. While there is no startlingly new research to be presented, the style is smooth and makes for easy reading. All well and good, until one comes to the obvious insinuation: we white folks were in danger of being slaves ourselves so, perhaps, we should not feel so guilty about what we did.
The bulk of the book compares two people: Thomas Pellow, a Cornishman captured and enslaved when he was a boy by Barbary pirates from Morocco; and Moulay Ismail (the variant of his name used in the book), the ruler of the Moroccan kingdom. Ismail comes across as a savage, barbaric warlord, motivated by a greed for power and a love of sadism, all driven by a fervent belief in a religion that despised Christianity and that wished all Christians to be abused to the point of abasement and torturous death.
The feelings of Christian morality in terms of slavery is touched on very lightly. It is mentioned though not so strongly as to arouse much in the way of guilt. Which has to make one wonder if the purpose of the book is not to say: what we Europeans did in Africa was wrong but, come on, we received it as bad as we meted it out. Well, we didn't. For those who suffered, and there were many of all nationalities, the suffering was terrible. However, the European slaves in North Africa always had the possibility that their home governments would ransom them or come to their aid. When that failed to happen their fate was as traumatic as that of any slave, but they at least had hope. The victims of Europe's Atlantic trade had none.
Thomas Pellow's story deserved to be told and the author does it justice. Moulay Ismail's story still needs an unbiased telling, at least outside Morocco. Overall, an easy reading and enjoyable history that papers over too many cracks.
The bulk of the book compares two people: Thomas Pellow, a Cornishman captured and enslaved when he was a boy by Barbary pirates from Morocco; and Moulay Ismail (the variant of his name used in the book), the ruler of the Moroccan kingdom. Ismail comes across as a savage, barbaric warlord, motivated by a greed for power and a love of sadism, all driven by a fervent belief in a religion that despised Christianity and that wished all Christians to be abused to the point of abasement and torturous death.
The feelings of Christian morality in terms of slavery is touched on very lightly. It is mentioned though not so strongly as to arouse much in the way of guilt. Which has to make one wonder if the purpose of the book is not to say: what we Europeans did in Africa was wrong but, come on, we received it as bad as we meted it out. Well, we didn't. For those who suffered, and there were many of all nationalities, the suffering was terrible. However, the European slaves in North Africa always had the possibility that their home governments would ransom them or come to their aid. When that failed to happen their fate was as traumatic as that of any slave, but they at least had hope. The victims of Europe's Atlantic trade had none.
Thomas Pellow's story deserved to be told and the author does it justice. Moulay Ismail's story still needs an unbiased telling, at least outside Morocco. Overall, an easy reading and enjoyable history that papers over too many cracks.
May 12, 2017
A riveting multi-sourced account of a majorly overlooked era of European history, the reasons for which you may make of as you will. Also, the author provides a fab bibliography of further reading of accounts of the Barbary (or White) Slave Trade as told by those who were captured and lived, or the opinions of their contemporaries, and a fantastic introduction to the extraordinary life of Thomas Pellow.
It was Pellow's sharp and smart nature that led him to follow his uncle on his ship, which made slaves of the whole crew, but it was also the same strength of character that allowed him to defy all odds (his uncle died and most of the crew) and become something of a valued slave to Moulay Ismail, ruler of Morocco, in Meknes and beyond. Even his forced apostasy from Christianity to Islam didn't dampen his hopes of returning to England one day, even though apostasy was highly frowned upon back then (but not, might I add, to the death). He was ordered to marry, and his wife bore him a daughter. Still he never gave up hope of escape. It was practically a miracle that his final journey across mountains swarming with bandits, who almost killed him, was a success, and he made it to the British military camp on Gibraltar. It's sad to note on Pellow's return to the little town of Penryn in Cornwall, where neither he nor his parents recognised each other (which is legit enough), he felt rather isolated and alien, with Morocco feeling like home.
To be honest, I'm surprised it's so short, considering the amount of information that seems to be left over from the era, but then again, Pellow's own account is still available, as are others', including a descendent of his family, Captain Edward Pellew, who gave Algiers a whupping (around 100 years after Thomas Pellow was captured by the Moors) causing significant enough damage to the slave city that it led not long after to the complete annihilation of the White Slave Trade by the French.
Milton's research took him to the very heart of the trade, the market in Algiers, which is still extant, though with (I presume) zero human cargo today. He unveils information about part of Europe's past that is shamefully brushed under the carpet, primarily, I would take a gander, because of the modern European obsession with guilt. Interestingly enough, the 300 odd years of the White Slave Trade overlapped with the Black Slave Trade, and so it isn't particularly surprising in the era of apology that millions of Europeans died at the hands of Muslims and their black slaves, and we hardly know the damnedest about it. Slavery is slavery, and it really doesn't matter where it's coming from, only that it's ended, which Europe did for both trades, consequently.
It was Pellow's sharp and smart nature that led him to follow his uncle on his ship, which made slaves of the whole crew, but it was also the same strength of character that allowed him to defy all odds (his uncle died and most of the crew) and become something of a valued slave to Moulay Ismail, ruler of Morocco, in Meknes and beyond. Even his forced apostasy from Christianity to Islam didn't dampen his hopes of returning to England one day, even though apostasy was highly frowned upon back then (but not, might I add, to the death). He was ordered to marry, and his wife bore him a daughter. Still he never gave up hope of escape. It was practically a miracle that his final journey across mountains swarming with bandits, who almost killed him, was a success, and he made it to the British military camp on Gibraltar. It's sad to note on Pellow's return to the little town of Penryn in Cornwall, where neither he nor his parents recognised each other (which is legit enough), he felt rather isolated and alien, with Morocco feeling like home.
To be honest, I'm surprised it's so short, considering the amount of information that seems to be left over from the era, but then again, Pellow's own account is still available, as are others', including a descendent of his family, Captain Edward Pellew, who gave Algiers a whupping (around 100 years after Thomas Pellow was captured by the Moors) causing significant enough damage to the slave city that it led not long after to the complete annihilation of the White Slave Trade by the French.
Milton's research took him to the very heart of the trade, the market in Algiers, which is still extant, though with (I presume) zero human cargo today. He unveils information about part of Europe's past that is shamefully brushed under the carpet, primarily, I would take a gander, because of the modern European obsession with guilt. Interestingly enough, the 300 odd years of the White Slave Trade overlapped with the Black Slave Trade, and so it isn't particularly surprising in the era of apology that millions of Europeans died at the hands of Muslims and their black slaves, and we hardly know the damnedest about it. Slavery is slavery, and it really doesn't matter where it's coming from, only that it's ended, which Europe did for both trades, consequently.
August 23, 2014
The story of white slavery in the 18th century generally, but following specifically the story of Thomas Pellow, an eleven year old cabin boy, who was captured by the Moroccan Corsairs in 1716. North Africa - Morocco and Algeria mainly, but making use of markets in Tunisia and Libya also, engaged in piracy, and ravaged the coasts of Spain, Portugal, France and Britain, taking prisoners from land and capturing ships seemingly at will. It seems amazing the Barbary Corsairs were so much more dominant than what is made to sound a feeble British and French Navy.
Twenty three years Thomas Pellow remained captive in Morocco. First as a slave, then tortured into renouncing Christianity and taking up Islam, he is considered a renegade, but in reality is no less free. His intelligence and guile, some remarkable luck and an ability to recover from his injuries keep him alive long enough to serve the Sultan as a labourer, a personal servant, and interpreter and then as a soldier.
Rewarded with a wife, a child follows, and this family restrains his ambition to return home, while he tries to plan their escape from Morocco. Outliving the Sultan, and surviving the turmoil of another three Sultans (in quick succession) he makes two unsuccessful escape attempts before a third, and makes his return to his home on the Cornish coast.
Well paced, well written, readable and enjoyable.
Twenty three years Thomas Pellow remained captive in Morocco. First as a slave, then tortured into renouncing Christianity and taking up Islam, he is considered a renegade, but in reality is no less free. His intelligence and guile, some remarkable luck and an ability to recover from his injuries keep him alive long enough to serve the Sultan as a labourer, a personal servant, and interpreter and then as a soldier.
Rewarded with a wife, a child follows, and this family restrains his ambition to return home, while he tries to plan their escape from Morocco. Outliving the Sultan, and surviving the turmoil of another three Sultans (in quick succession) he makes two unsuccessful escape attempts before a third, and makes his return to his home on the Cornish coast.
Well paced, well written, readable and enjoyable.
January 25, 2011
Giles Milton is one of my favourite authors, bringing history to life with some remarkable personal tales of the people and places involved in some of the most significant, yet nevertheless obscure, historical events of the last few centuries.
This book is no exception. He brings the story of the million European slaves taken by the Barbary corsairs between the 16th and beginning of the 19th centuries via Thomas Pellow, a young cabin boy from Cornwall who, kidnapped at 12, would spend 23 years as a slave in the service of Moulay Ismail and subsequent Sultans of Morocco. Pellow's story is full of adventure in the grandest sense and gives us a rich and terryfying picture of life in Morocco in the early 18th century.
I heartily recommend this book to everyone, as I recommend Milton's other historical novels.
This book is no exception. He brings the story of the million European slaves taken by the Barbary corsairs between the 16th and beginning of the 19th centuries via Thomas Pellow, a young cabin boy from Cornwall who, kidnapped at 12, would spend 23 years as a slave in the service of Moulay Ismail and subsequent Sultans of Morocco. Pellow's story is full of adventure in the grandest sense and gives us a rich and terryfying picture of life in Morocco in the early 18th century.
I heartily recommend this book to everyone, as I recommend Milton's other historical novels.
December 21, 2025
Extraordinary is right! What a ride!
If I were in charge, this book would be mandatory reading for every high school student in America.
An important suppressed story, deftly told with sensitivity and nuance by the author. Highly recommended.
If I were in charge, this book would be mandatory reading for every high school student in America.
An important suppressed story, deftly told with sensitivity and nuance by the author. Highly recommended.
August 4, 2014
This book, typically of its author, was thoroughly engrossing and a remarkable historical tale. I found it fascinating that Thomas Pellow could survive in spite of the adversity of spending 23 years as a slave in Meknes, Morocco. He was captured and taken into slavery aged 11 and yet outlived those who were captured along with him, even though he was so young.
The cruel and barbarous treatment of white slaves during this period piqued my interest, which remained high throughout the duration of the book. Pellow has a style which allows the reader to feel connected personally with the key characters, in spite of them living several centuries previously. This grips the reader and takes him along on a whirlwind adventure, which could easily be taken from a high budget Hollywood film.
Overall, a great book and definitely worth reading for anyone but particularly those with an interest in history and/or adventure.
I didn't find the book quite as interesting however, as Samurai William (hence me giving it only 3 stars).
The cruel and barbarous treatment of white slaves during this period piqued my interest, which remained high throughout the duration of the book. Pellow has a style which allows the reader to feel connected personally with the key characters, in spite of them living several centuries previously. This grips the reader and takes him along on a whirlwind adventure, which could easily be taken from a high budget Hollywood film.
Overall, a great book and definitely worth reading for anyone but particularly those with an interest in history and/or adventure.
I didn't find the book quite as interesting however, as Samurai William (hence me giving it only 3 stars).
September 24, 2014
I enjoyed learning about the history of western North Africa. I found and read the original narrative by Thomas Pellow (in pdf online), which is the basis for Milton's book. The original was very interesting to read.
I had some problems with Milton's narrative. Milton tried to do too much with all of his research. I had to read outside quite a bit to fully understand the story and its context. But I enjoy digging deeper into a subject, so thank you Mr. Milton for getting me started.
Milton totally confused me on page 164 by inserting a brief personal rant. He called the Europeans who were intolerant toward apostasy [forced conversion to Islam] among the captives “anti-Islamic bigots.” This judgment on Giles’ part was completely out of context. I wondered how he could fail to see one of the central problems of the times, which is the union of religion and state. This is the problem with Islam today. Yet, in keeping with 21st Century fashion, Milton could not bring himself to judge the behavior of the central characters of his book (the Sallee Rovers and the Sultan of Morocco), or to identify them “anti-Christian bigots.”
I also was disappointed by how Milton ignored the importance of Thomas Pellow's Christian faith to his own survival. Indeed, it is often the power of personal faith that helps captives survive. It's impossible to miss this when reading Thomas' original narrative.
For example, Thomas wrote: "Therefore, rather than undergo fresh torments [in addition to the torture and compulsion to convert to Islam], I also complied with it [the demand to wear Muslim clothing], appearing like a Mahometan; and I make no doubt but some ill-natured people think me so even to this day. I pray God to forgive them, and that it may never be their mishap to undergo the like trials; and which, if it should, that they may maintain their Christian faith no worse than I did mine."
It occurred to me that on some level, the story of Thomas Pellow parallels the slave narrative of Joseph (one of my favorite stories from the Bible).
I had some problems with Milton's narrative. Milton tried to do too much with all of his research. I had to read outside quite a bit to fully understand the story and its context. But I enjoy digging deeper into a subject, so thank you Mr. Milton for getting me started.
Milton totally confused me on page 164 by inserting a brief personal rant. He called the Europeans who were intolerant toward apostasy [forced conversion to Islam] among the captives “anti-Islamic bigots.” This judgment on Giles’ part was completely out of context. I wondered how he could fail to see one of the central problems of the times, which is the union of religion and state. This is the problem with Islam today. Yet, in keeping with 21st Century fashion, Milton could not bring himself to judge the behavior of the central characters of his book (the Sallee Rovers and the Sultan of Morocco), or to identify them “anti-Christian bigots.”
I also was disappointed by how Milton ignored the importance of Thomas Pellow's Christian faith to his own survival. Indeed, it is often the power of personal faith that helps captives survive. It's impossible to miss this when reading Thomas' original narrative.
For example, Thomas wrote: "Therefore, rather than undergo fresh torments [in addition to the torture and compulsion to convert to Islam], I also complied with it [the demand to wear Muslim clothing], appearing like a Mahometan; and I make no doubt but some ill-natured people think me so even to this day. I pray God to forgive them, and that it may never be their mishap to undergo the like trials; and which, if it should, that they may maintain their Christian faith no worse than I did mine."
It occurred to me that on some level, the story of Thomas Pellow parallels the slave narrative of Joseph (one of my favorite stories from the Bible).
August 16, 2010
Until reading Giles Milton's book I hadn't realised the extent of "White Slave Trade" in 18th century Europe and America.Moroccan pirates or Corairs were regularly both captury vessels at sea and selling their crews and passengers into slavery or carrying out raids on England's South-West coast and kidnapping men, women and children for this lucrative trade.
The slaves were treated with great brutality and many died in captivity, their only hope of improving their situation was to convert to Islam,however this made them outcasts and illegiable for ransom by their governments.
Ransom was rare as most governments including the Britsh seemed reluctant to intervene in any meaningful way.
This book features the story of eleven year old Thomas Pellow who spent twenty three years in the service of the Morrocan Sultan before escaping back to England.
Two things struck me while reading this book, firstly at the same time as the British population were urging their government to stop seamen and the costal population being sold into slavery, huge profits were being made by British merchants selling slaves from Africa to the new World and sedcondly that today the British goverment are similarly impotent against modern day pirates now operating out of Somalia. As they say those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it .
The slaves were treated with great brutality and many died in captivity, their only hope of improving their situation was to convert to Islam,however this made them outcasts and illegiable for ransom by their governments.
Ransom was rare as most governments including the Britsh seemed reluctant to intervene in any meaningful way.
This book features the story of eleven year old Thomas Pellow who spent twenty three years in the service of the Morrocan Sultan before escaping back to England.
Two things struck me while reading this book, firstly at the same time as the British population were urging their government to stop seamen and the costal population being sold into slavery, huge profits were being made by British merchants selling slaves from Africa to the new World and sedcondly that today the British goverment are similarly impotent against modern day pirates now operating out of Somalia. As they say those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it .
July 16, 2011
I read this book at a time when I had no plans of travelling to Morocco. Having just done so (it was an odd combination of events and research needs that made it happen), I cannot recommend this book too highly.
I'm glad to say that conditions have improved a great deal, but Giles Milton captures a sense of the time remarkably well, allowing the modern visitor on a rapid culture vulture tour to put things in context.
My only regret is that I didn't re-read it just before going: I lent it to a friend who travelled with us, but she was able to remind me of what I had forgotten. Now I am reading it again.
What a pity there's a limit of five stars!
I'm glad to say that conditions have improved a great deal, but Giles Milton captures a sense of the time remarkably well, allowing the modern visitor on a rapid culture vulture tour to put things in context.
My only regret is that I didn't re-read it just before going: I lent it to a friend who travelled with us, but she was able to remind me of what I had forgotten. Now I am reading it again.
What a pity there's a limit of five stars!
January 11, 2013
This book was spectacular! It reads like fiction novel but is actually a heavily researched histroy book. Very eye opening and rekindled my interest in Mideival North Africa and the middle east. Provides an accurate historical account of what life was like at the upper ends of society in the 17th century in Northwest Africa. Would love to see Werner Hertzog turn this into a movie. I particularly liked the descriptions of Mountain communities, as well as the descriptions of the royal court and of course the royal debauchry that took place there. The slave accounts are truly unbelievable.
September 4, 2021
i don’t like non fiction lol
October 3, 2011
So, as I'm reading the first part of this book, about how the Brits and other Europeans were snatched — sometimes right from their homes — and then transported in unthinkably awful conditions to slave pens almost as bad and then sold at auction as slaves, all I could think was how remarkably familiar it should all sound to anyone who's ever heard of the black slave trade. And I just kept waiting for Milton to draw the parallel, and remind us that it's not skin colour that makes this whole proposition offensive. After I'd just about given up on him, he finally did, and then my faith in humanity was once again shaken as he pointed out that while the British and the rest of the Europeans were all appalled and aghast at this sort of treatment, they all still considered it a perfectly reasonable thing to do to others. Yes, I know, I know, perceptions were different, and blacks were considered subhuman at best by most of the white world at this time, but I still have trouble wrapping my head around that, and as someone who is notorious for playing devil's advocate (why yes, I'm a Libra. Why do you ask?), the idea that you can't watch a basically identical situation and see that it's basically identical is something else I have trouble with, regardless of the prevailing notions at the time.
Anyway, once we moved past the initial capture, we moved onto discussions of the horrific treatment the slaves (mostly, but not all, white christians, for the record) received at the hands of the sultan. And it was horrific. The one thing the black slave trade had going for it — And here I'd just like to take a moment and state that I am in no way condoning slavery in any form. It doesn't matter how well your master treats you, owning other people is simply not acceptable. One of the few blanket statements I'm willing to make wholeheartedly and without reserve. Slavery = bad, no matter what. However. With the black slave trade being as spread out and common as it was, slave owners ran the gamut. So while some of them certainly didn't treat their slaves much better than Moulay Ismail treated his, at least there was some chance that a slave could end up with a master who had some degree of humanity and would take care of his slaves at least as well as his livestock, or other property that he valued. Their value may have been considered strictly in monetary terms, but at least they had some, which meant that in many cases, they were at least fed reasonably well, had access to medical care when necessary. Still slaves, still not acceptable, but I for one would take that over living my entire time in captivity in a fetid cell with no air and full of vermin and flooding and way too many other people, and no way to ever clean anyone or anything, on far too few rations of water and food, for a guy who'd just as soon behead me (one of his least creative torture/execution methods) as look at me. So as slave owners go, this guy was definitely up there with the worst of the worst. Certainly in terms of sheer numbers who died on his watch, he can't have had too much competition.
All that said, I found this book started to get really repetitive. There was just so much re-iteration of the fact that conditions sucked, the work was intensely hard on the body (this is a severe understatement), and the slaves were treated with extreme brutality. I just got bored, which is not the response you want, I think, to a book about this much human suffering.
It actually is surprising, though, how little one ever hears about this particular part of history. It went on for decades — centuries, even , I think — involved people from pretty much all of Europe, and the outrage over this treatment of white people was so high at the time. This plus the fact that the history we see in the Western world tends to be so white European-centric makes it somewhat surprising that you almost never hear about it. It's interesting.
In any case, I learned some interesting stuff, but I wish the book were shorter and less repetitious.
Anyway, once we moved past the initial capture, we moved onto discussions of the horrific treatment the slaves (mostly, but not all, white christians, for the record) received at the hands of the sultan. And it was horrific. The one thing the black slave trade had going for it — And here I'd just like to take a moment and state that I am in no way condoning slavery in any form. It doesn't matter how well your master treats you, owning other people is simply not acceptable. One of the few blanket statements I'm willing to make wholeheartedly and without reserve. Slavery = bad, no matter what. However. With the black slave trade being as spread out and common as it was, slave owners ran the gamut. So while some of them certainly didn't treat their slaves much better than Moulay Ismail treated his, at least there was some chance that a slave could end up with a master who had some degree of humanity and would take care of his slaves at least as well as his livestock, or other property that he valued. Their value may have been considered strictly in monetary terms, but at least they had some, which meant that in many cases, they were at least fed reasonably well, had access to medical care when necessary. Still slaves, still not acceptable, but I for one would take that over living my entire time in captivity in a fetid cell with no air and full of vermin and flooding and way too many other people, and no way to ever clean anyone or anything, on far too few rations of water and food, for a guy who'd just as soon behead me (one of his least creative torture/execution methods) as look at me. So as slave owners go, this guy was definitely up there with the worst of the worst. Certainly in terms of sheer numbers who died on his watch, he can't have had too much competition.
All that said, I found this book started to get really repetitive. There was just so much re-iteration of the fact that conditions sucked, the work was intensely hard on the body (this is a severe understatement), and the slaves were treated with extreme brutality. I just got bored, which is not the response you want, I think, to a book about this much human suffering.
It actually is surprising, though, how little one ever hears about this particular part of history. It went on for decades — centuries, even , I think — involved people from pretty much all of Europe, and the outrage over this treatment of white people was so high at the time. This plus the fact that the history we see in the Western world tends to be so white European-centric makes it somewhat surprising that you almost never hear about it. It's interesting.
In any case, I learned some interesting stuff, but I wish the book were shorter and less repetitious.
October 10, 2019
Fascinating! An area I've read very little about. Interesting to think about millions of Europeans sold into slavery in Africa was a real thing for generations with slave ships raiding as far as Iceland to capture people to be shipped to Africa to be slaves. Our popular culture has plenty of stories we tell reflecting people from Africa being sent into slavery into other parts of the world but basically nothing about Europe to Africa.
Some of the stories of brutality were pretty horrifying. Plenty of stories of abuse of slaves from all time periods and places but some unique stories here.
Some of the stories of brutality were pretty horrifying. Plenty of stories of abuse of slaves from all time periods and places but some unique stories here.
May 5, 2008
A fascinating account of one white slave in particular and the white slave trade in general. Here's an excellent portrayal of the Barbary Corsairs and their trade in white slaves during the course of the mid 17th century until the destruction of Algiers in the early 19th century.
Highly recommended, my favourite Milton to date.
Highly recommended, my favourite Milton to date.
April 19, 2012
Briefly: I read this book because my husband is Moroccan and we spend a lot of time in Morocco. As a matter of fact, we just bought a house In Sale. Sale was the port where slaves were sent before being sent to Moulay Ismael.
This book is well written and because of my personal connection it was enthralling.
Final lesson is that people in all cultures can be brutal.
This book is well written and because of my personal connection it was enthralling.
Final lesson is that people in all cultures can be brutal.
July 31, 2024
I had some serious hesitations going into 'White Gold'. At first glance, this is a story that seemed perfect for the far-right bigots to use as an example for why the "West" should not be guilt tripped into feeling bad about their part in slavery. "There were both white and black slaves! Thus its canceled out and the stain of slavery is absolved." Having been a former conservative, I can speak confidently that this thought process is more common than one might think. The subtitle of this book checks multiple boxes for these freaks to go on a tangent about, 'ISLAM's One Million WHITE Slaves', and I'm happy to report that Giles Milton does not use this tragic event as a springboard to prop up these racist rants.
Giles simply saw an underappreciated event that effected the lives of millions of people and wanted to bring attention to it. That is all. There is no ulterior motive other than a historian's honest work. And work it must have been; Giles had to dig through untapped letters and records to bring together this forgotten story. It focuses on Thomas Pellow, an English sailor whose ship was hijacked by pirates and its crew sold into slavery. It follows him for the 23 years of forced servitude he endured under multiple Sultans in Morocco. At least, that's the case for some of the book.
The biggest problem I have with 'White Gold' is the lack of direction and focus. While I understand that context is important when explaining any event, here it almost become filler. It seemed to me that Pellow's story wasn't enough to write a full book on so Milton had to fish for extra details to pad it out. While the book advertises Pellow's survival and eventual escape, you'll be exposed to a heap of political and social discussion surrounding the Sultan and his desire for the world's biggest palace, the process of choosing an heir upon death, the bumbling attempts from British diplomats to secure the freedom of these white slaves, and much more. This isn't me saying Milton should have left these parts out, I just wish they were integrated better with Pellow's story.
It's a short and sweet book that kept my attention long enough to finish it. If you want to learn more about the white slave market that was so prevalent throughout the 1600-1700s, the conditions of the million+ white captives, and how the Barbary Pirates and Sultans fit into this slave market, I urge you to read this book. Just remember that the suffering of these white slaves does not purge the sins of the same nations who enslaved millions of Africans during this same time.
Giles simply saw an underappreciated event that effected the lives of millions of people and wanted to bring attention to it. That is all. There is no ulterior motive other than a historian's honest work. And work it must have been; Giles had to dig through untapped letters and records to bring together this forgotten story. It focuses on Thomas Pellow, an English sailor whose ship was hijacked by pirates and its crew sold into slavery. It follows him for the 23 years of forced servitude he endured under multiple Sultans in Morocco. At least, that's the case for some of the book.
The biggest problem I have with 'White Gold' is the lack of direction and focus. While I understand that context is important when explaining any event, here it almost become filler. It seemed to me that Pellow's story wasn't enough to write a full book on so Milton had to fish for extra details to pad it out. While the book advertises Pellow's survival and eventual escape, you'll be exposed to a heap of political and social discussion surrounding the Sultan and his desire for the world's biggest palace, the process of choosing an heir upon death, the bumbling attempts from British diplomats to secure the freedom of these white slaves, and much more. This isn't me saying Milton should have left these parts out, I just wish they were integrated better with Pellow's story.
It's a short and sweet book that kept my attention long enough to finish it. If you want to learn more about the white slave market that was so prevalent throughout the 1600-1700s, the conditions of the million+ white captives, and how the Barbary Pirates and Sultans fit into this slave market, I urge you to read this book. Just remember that the suffering of these white slaves does not purge the sins of the same nations who enslaved millions of Africans during this same time.
April 23, 2018
If you think you are having a bad day, think of Thomas Pellow. At the age of 11 he is captured and sent to the court of the sultan of Morocco as a slave. He is starved and tortured to convert to Islam. He becomes part of the tyrannical and mad sultan Moulay Ismail's court and witnesses countless beheadings and other barbaric acts. Later he becomes part of the sultan's army and fought various rebellions. After two failed escape attempts and 24 years in slavery he finally returns to Cornwall.
Pellow's life reads like a Rider Haggard tale except it is true and forms the substance behind Milton's very readable book. In the 1700s, white slaves were used to build the sultan's palaces, forge weapons, fight his wars and as pawns in diplomatic games. The English attempt to free it's citizens were farcical, Moulay Ismail makes Attila the Hun look like a choir boy and Pellow was one smart but lucky guy.
Pellow's life reads like a Rider Haggard tale except it is true and forms the substance behind Milton's very readable book. In the 1700s, white slaves were used to build the sultan's palaces, forge weapons, fight his wars and as pawns in diplomatic games. The English attempt to free it's citizens were farcical, Moulay Ismail makes Attila the Hun look like a choir boy and Pellow was one smart but lucky guy.
August 21, 2011
This was a very interesting book, bringing to light a part of history I had never been aware of before, and showing once again the amazing contradictions of humans. On one side the incredible cruelty and disregard for human life and suffering, and on the other side the amazing strength of the human spirit. Although written in a very factual way, this was still a good read, and certainly an eye-opener!
May 12, 2017
Quite simply, superb. The story of countless numbers of white slaves in Morocco, Algiers, and Tunis in centuries gone by. In particular, the focus on Cornish boy Thomas Pellow captured by Barbary corsairs whilst at sea makes for a fascinating tale.
December 8, 2012
I could not put this book down. Fascinating and terrifying at the same time.
August 11, 2013
excellent - well written, good pace, plenty of fact - I'm off to the bookshop to find more of Giles Milton's writing!
May 28, 2016
A swashbuckling, fantastically-told history of the Barbary Pirates and their (300 year!) trade in white slaves. Interesting and riveting.
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