Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c5.s4.t4.18

c5.s4.t4.18

In practice, the position of a slave was very different. He was usually a prisoner of war, and according to the military usage of the age, his life was at the mercy of his captor, who had full power of killing him or of otherwise disposing of him. This was clearly understood on both sides long before a military engagement commenced. So when a conqueror (now master of the slave) chose to spare the life of a slave and employ him for menial work, it was an act of favour and of special benevolence on the part of the former. Similarly, when the prisoner of war had been sold in the market and bought by a purchaser, he was as much the property of the buyer as any other commodity, and as such, could be given away as a gift or disposed of in any other way.¹ No shrewd captor or buyer, however, neglected to take good care of his property which, given proper attention, could be converted into ready money, perhaps with a good deal of profit. This property in a slave was widely recognized and even finds expression in a legal precept where a Sultan is enjoined to pay proper compensation if he desires to release a slave from the custody of a master.² In other respects, a slave was not considered to be a free agent at law and could only be punished in the presence of his master.³