Turkish Abductions

Europeans being sold at the slave market in Algiers, Ottoman Algeria, 1684

The Turkish Abductions (Icelandic: Tyrkjaránið [ˈtʰɪr̥caˌrauːnɪθ]) were a series of slave raids by pirates from Algier that took place in Iceland in the summer of 1627.[1]

The adjectival label "Turkish" (Icelandic: Tyrkja) does not refer to ethnic Turks, country of Turkey or Turkic peoples in general; at the time it was a general term for all Muslims of the Mediterranean since the majority were from or subjects of the Ottoman Empire.[2]

The pirates came from the cities of Algiers and Salé.[2] They raided Grindavík, the East Fjords, and Vestmannaeyjar.[1] About 50 people were killed[1] and close to 400 captured and sold into slavery.[1] A ransom was eventually paid, 9 to 18 years later,[3] for the return of 50 individuals.[1]

The pirates of Algiers who were at the event then took part of the island.

  1. ^ a b c d e Þorsteinn Helgason. "Hvaða heimildir eru til um Tyrkjaránið?". Vísindavefurinn (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  2. ^ a b Þorsteinn Helgason. "Hverjir stóðu raunverulega að Tyrkjaráninu?". Vísindavefurinn (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  3. ^ Þorsteinn Helgason. "Hvað gerðist í Tyrkjaráninu?". Vísindavefurinn (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2019-06-10.

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