Hayrettin Effendi, The Last Black Eunuch in Turkey

Abstract

Background: For centuries child trafficking was a widespread practise in those countries and regions of Europe, Asia and Africa that had fallen under Ottoman domination. Generally known as "blood tax", this practise was organized for the various palaces of the Ottoman sultan in Constantinople (Istanbul). White and black children were the victims of this form of enslavement. The fate of young girls was to join the harem as concubines or to become servants. The boys served in the Ottoman army or administration and were used for menial or domestic labour. Some of them would be used as pageboys at the palace or eunuchs in the sultan's harem.