Queens, Eunuchs and Concubines in Islamic History, 661-1257

Abstract

The book provides a critical and systematic analyses of the role of queens, eunuchs and concubines in medieval Islamic history. Spanning over six centuries. It explores gender and sexual politics and power from the time of the Prophet Muhammad through the Umayyad and Abbasid empires to the Mamluks in the 15th century. Based on primary sources, documents, the study looks at the role of women, mothers, wives, concubines, and their close political relationship with eunuchs and atabegs to secure their interests. The book examine in details how, despite the male dominated society, women managed to come to power under the Abbasids and their impacts. The creation of the eunuch institution, and its transformation from a body associated with the –Harem- to eunuch rulers under the Abbasids. The book unravel the military-political power of eunuchs and their relations with women under the Abbasids and the appearance of the first sovereign eunuch ruler and army commander. Also the gradual rise of female power under the Fatimids, and the appearance of the first queen in Islamic history. The book also examines the power of the Turkmen women in politics and how and why they introduced the unique post of atabeg. Examines the role of the first Sunni queen in Islam, Dayfa of Aleppo and how she paved the way for another queen, Shajar al-Durr in Egypt in mid 13th century. This book is the first comprehensive study of sexual politics in medieval Islam. It challenges the traditional Muslim institutions spread in vast area in the Muslim world, which think of women as children of a lesser God according to their patriarchal readings of Islamic laws, and exposes the misogynist doctrine of organizations such as IS, Qaida, Buko Haram.