Muslim Slave System in Medieval India c14.11

c14.11

Alauddin Khaljis Market Control has become famous in medieval Indian history. He fixed the price of every commodity, including slaves. The sale price of slaves was like this. The standard price of a working girl was fixed at from 5 to 12 *tankahs*, and that of a good looking girl suitable for concubinage from 20 to 30 and even 40 *tankahs*. The price of a man slave (*ghulam*) usually did not exceed 100 to 200 *tankahs*. The prices of handsome boys were fixed from 20 to 30 *tankahs*; the ill-favoured could be obtained for 7 to 8. The price of a child slave (*ghulam bachchgan naukari*) was fixed at 70 to 80 *tankahs*. The slaves were classified according to their looks and working capacity. In the case of bulk purchases by traders who had ready money and who had the means to carry their flock for sale to other cities,¹⁹ prices were fixed accordingly.