350 years ago "...the justices of Cornwall complained to the Lord Lieutenant that in one year the Turks had taken no less than a thousand Cornish Mariners, while Looe alone, in the ten days before the letter was written, had lost 80 men." [quote from St Keverne Local History Society pages]
Does this mean we have a Cornish diaspora in North Africa? Interesting in terms of some of the debates that have been going on in these forums?? :wink:
It seems that many of the captured Cornish along with others were taken for ransom or slavery and were generally well treated and some even became domestic slaves and converted to Islam and prospered which wouldn't please C'Intifada. At that time quite a number of those people taken by the North African raiders would have been monoglot Cornish speakers. Interesting thought.
Obviously Ian has never read a book on the subject called White Gold.
So being taken from your home forcibly and made to work, or even becoming a domestic servant, is akin to being 'generally well treated'? Being taken into slavery, Ian, is not what I would call well treated.
Perhaps Ian would like to go to North Africa for a working holiday with no wages and see if he finds the experience so good he'll convert to Islam and prosper.
I haven't read the book either, but i'd guess they all died grim deaths in the hands of the Islamisits.
On an historical note, however,
Saint Patrick (of Ireland), was not Irish.
He was a Strathclyde Briton captured by an Irish raiding party as a boy.
He "did OK".
A Christian going into north Africa at that time would have had a rougher ride.
I wouldn't know Abieuan but if you're that Islam phobic then you'll want to believe they all died. Neither being tortured and burned to death by the "Christian" Inquisition or being kidnapped by "Muslim" corsairs was on my birthday wish list!
I have heard of "White Gold" and am aware that some or even many were taken from their homeland, maybe tortured, eviscerated, worked to death in the galleys or ashore, suffered crucifixion or impaling, but it didn't happen to all. No doubt the "Christian" propaganda against Islam and vice-versa at the time was as vociferous as it is currently. Revolting things were done to people in both Christian and Muslim countries - I don't follow either doctrines, but one culture didn't have a monopoly over another when it came to treating people in bestial ways at times.
In the historiacal context I was speaking in An Gof or Flamank might not think English axes less painful on the neck than one used by the Moors. In fact after the executioner had finished with his initial ritual they would have been glad to have the pain ended by such method. As I said one culture doesn't have a monopoly over another when it came to treating people in bestial ways at times. What's the difference in blowing someone or their family up with bomb dropped from a plane or one carried in a rucksack - I condemn them both.
Just a warning - I'll be removing about half the messages from this thread as I am very, very bored of eveything on this board descending into being about islam.
So don't bother adding anything if it is in this vein as you'll be wasting your time!
BTW, I think you'll find 'Guest' is Cornishintifada!
Whilst travelling in Morocco I visited an amazing palace suite that was built by slave labour captured by the Corsairs. Possibly many of these actually came from Cornwall.
Also whilst I was there I had a conversation with a morroccan lad who was convinced I was eqyptian because of my dark colouring (totally Cornish of course!).
Interestingly I have seen a genetic study which places the Cornish closer to morroccan berbers than to east anglian populations. We're a small world aren't we!
Fine with me chris_I - I don't know how I got pulled so easily into responding to Mr Intifada. Apologies Abieuan. Perhaps a reseacher might one day feel that this historical link with North Africa from the days when the Corsairs raided our coast would be an interesting topic.
Anonymous
Posted: 28.07.2005, 20:06
Unregistered User
North African pirates abducted and enslaved more than 1 million Europeans between 1530 and 1780 in a series of raids which depopulated coastal towns from Sicily to Cornwall, according to new research.
"Interestingly I have seen a genetic study which places the Cornish closer to morroccan berbers than to east anglian populations. We're a small world aren't we!"
Well a lot of raping an pilaging was done by Spaniards during the Armada era, which is one reason why there are a lot of dark-skinned Cornish. Given that Spain was ruled for 800 years by the Moors (eg Moroccans) that could explain the Berber blood - although I think the Arabs, not the Berbers did most of the ruling in Spain.
I remember seeing a Moroccan with pale skin, orange hair and freckles in a souk in Marakesh about 10 years ago, so maybe he was one of the desendants of the Cornish slaves?
ummm sorry, not true. this is one of those popular myths. Names like Jose and Pascoe were said to come from this time. Also not true as both names were recorded prior to these events.
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