How long has slavery been banned in Westeros and why?

[Taenqyrhae]

Though it may seem like an anachronism that slavery is punished so severely in the Seven Kingdoms, it's not that unrealistic. England (which Westeros is loosely based on) mostly abolished slavery in the 13th century, though they did backslide later. France also abolished slavery relatively early.

However, if Westeros is supposed to be roughly equal to 14th or early 15th century Europe in technology and social development, the ban on slavery would have been a relatively recent thing. Do we have any information on when slavery was banned in the Seven Kingdoms, and why? Was there some equivalent of the Magna Carta at some point in their history?

[Lord Lannister]

I think the Faith declared against slavery and that pretty much wiped it out across the board.

[Petyr's Little Finger]

In Europe the Church was never really against slavery in the same way that the followers of the Seven and the followers of the old gods were.

Slavery was always considered abhorrent in Westeros.

[Garbad]

I don't think we know in world. In real life the Christian/prechristian religions were mostly ok with slavery (see numerous verses in the bible telling slaves to deal with it). But europe had a strong tradition of live free or die smallholders instead of massive estates with slaves/serfs. Slavery usually only exists when there is tons of workers and only a small amount of land, completely the opposite of most of westeros. Although the distinction in slave and serf is pretty academic -- both were extremely limited.

[Ferocious Veldt Roarer]

In Europe the Church was never really against slavery in the same way that the followers of the Seven and the followers of the old gods were.

Slavery was always considered abhorrent in Westeros.

"Always" is a long time.

Source, please?

[Fire Eater]

The Old and New Gods banned the practice of slavery. The First Men practiced thralldom, but that is as close to slavery as we get in the First Men.

[ChillyPolly]

I don't think we know in world. In real life the Christian/prechristian religions were mostly ok with slavery (see numerous verses in the bible telling slaves to deal with it). But europe had a strong tradition of live free or die smallholders instead of massive estates with slaves/serfs.

It is not really accurate to say that "Christianity" was "mostly okay" with slavery; or that opposition to slavery stemmed from paganism.

The wealthy and powerful, throughout history, have always justified anything they could get away with, and this is as true in "Christian" nations and cultures, as it is in any nation or culture. But if we look at the teachings of Christianity themselves, they are virtually impossible to reconcile with slavery in any but (perhaps) its most benign forms. New Testament taught that one should "love thy neighbor as thyself"; and went on to specify that your "neighbor" included not merely the members of one's own tribe or nation, but pretty much the entire world. This is virtually impossible to reconcile with slavery, and particularly with the more dehumanizing forms of chattel slavery; and countless Christians throughout history have come to exactly that conclusion. It is no accident that the Abolitionist movement in the United States was spearheaded by Christians.

[Garbad]

But if we look at the teachings of Christianity themselves, they are virtually impossible to reconcile with slavery

Christians reconciled those teachings with slavery for hundreds of years. In the American Civil War, one of the strongest arguments the south had FOR slavery was the bible. Only after 1500 or so years did some christians start to oppose slavery.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A5

[Raving Stark the Mad]

Christians reconciled those teachings with slavery for hundreds of years. In the American Civil War, one of the strongest arguments the south had FOR slavery was the bible. Only after 1500 or so years did some christians start to oppose slavery.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A5

The other side of that coin was that the abolishionist movement had strong ties to Christianity, Christian language, and Christian churches and congregations.

[Lion of the West]

Though it may seem like an anachronism that slavery is punished so severely in the Seven Kingdoms, it's not that unrealistic. England (which Westeros is loosely based on) mostly abolished slavery in the 13th century, though they did backslide later. France also abolished slavery relatively early.

However, if Westeros is supposed to be roughly equal to 14th or early 15th century Europe in technology and social development, the ban on slavery would have been a relatively recent thing. Do we have any information on when slavery was banned in the Seven Kingdoms, and why? Was there some equivalent of the Magna Carta at some point in their history?

No and no.

Westeros is not based on the 14th or early 15th century Europe but its based on a fantasy version of a general Middle Ages. Technology, but most important social changes, are so different from the Late Medieval Europe that comparisons between them will be false at the best of times. Just look at the total lack of an urban burgher class, which was well established in the Late Middle Ages, and you see the difference.

Nor has there been a Magna Carta as the nobility seems even more powerful in Westeros than they were in Europe.

And finally I would say that its been at least five or six generations since slavery was abolished given how there's about no remnants of it left and no acceptance based on tradition for it. With the exception of the Ironmen's thralls, of course.

[TimJames]

It would have to have been banned around the time Ageon conquered the place

We know that it was practiced before the conquest, as King Harren the Black used slave labor to build his big ass castle/palace (Ageon really f**ked up in destroying the castle instead of simply starving it into submission with a siege).

As for why, I really have no idea. Ageon was perfectly fine with I chest and polygamy, but slavery (which was also a Targaeyen pastime) was somehow a line he felt he couldn't cross. Perhaps he was just a despot who wanted power but didn't bother to do anything with it.

[Mithras]

Others followed the mazemakers on Lorath in the centuries that followed. For a time the isles were home to a small, dark, hairy people, akin to the men of Ib. Fisherfolk, they lived along the coasts and shunned the great mazes of their predecessors. They in turn were displaced by Andals, pushing north from Andalos to the shores of Lorath Bay and across the bay in longships. Clad in mail and wielding iron swords and axes, the Andals swept across the islands, slaughtering the hairy men in the name of their seven-faced god and taking their women and children as slaves.

Dywen Shell and Jon Brightstone, both of whom claimed the title King of the Fingers, went so far as to pay Andal warlords to cross the sea, each thinking to use their swords against the other. Instead the warlords turned upon their hosts. Within a year Brightstone had been taken, tortured, and beheaded, and Shell roasted alive inside his wooden longhall. An Andal knight named Corwyn Corbray took the daughter of the former for his bride and the wife of the latter for his bedwarmer, and claimed the Fingers for his own (though Corbray, unlike many of his fellows, never named himself a king, preferring the more modest style of Lord of the Five Fingers).

Andals were slavers in Essos. Even as conquering the Vale, they practiced slavery.

The First Men practiced thralldom, which is quite different than chattel slavery.

Thralldom was a common practice amongst the First Men during their long dominion over Westeros— further support for the ironborn having descended from the First Men.

Further, thralldom should not be conflated with chattel slavery as it exists in certain of the Free Cities and lands farther east. Unlike slaves, thralls retain certain important rights. A thrall belongs to his captor, and owes him service and obedience, but he is still a man, not property. Thralls cannot be bought or sold. They may own property, marry as they wish, have children. The children of slaves are born into bondage, but the children of thralls are born free; any babe born on one of the islands is considered ironborn, even when both his parents are thralls. Nor may such children be taken from their parents until the age of seven, when most begin an apprenticeship or join a ship’s crew.

However, we know for certain that the First Men abandoned the practice of thralldom at some point.

The Gardeners and the Hightowers were the first to cease paying tribute. When King Theon III Greyjoy sailed against them, he was defeated and slain by Lord Lymond Hightower, the Sea Lion, who revived the practice of thralldom in Oldtown just long enough to set the ironmen captured during the battle to hard labor strengthening the city’s walls.

This last event was most probably during the pre-Andal period, which means the practice of thralldom was abandoned by most of the First Men before the Andals arrived. So, the slaving Andals came to Westeros and in time, they took the local customs of the First Men.

[AdmiralKyrd]

Well, TWOIAF mentions the existence of the Faith Militant all the way back to the origins surrounding Oldtown becoming the center of the Faith in Westeros. I imagine it wouldn't take but one High Septon to outlaw the practice of slavery at some juncture, if nothing else but for some political purpose.

[Taenqyrhae]

Lots of relevant, textually supported data.

Thanks for the great post! You did a great job answering my questions.

[Eiko Dragonhorn]

Who needs slaves when you got serfs? Am I right? /highfive

[PrinceHenryris]

As for why, I really have no idea. Ageon was perfectly fine with I chest and polygamy, but slavery (which was also a Targaeyen pastime) was somehow a line he felt he couldn't cross. Perhaps he was just a despot who wanted power but didn't bother to do anything with it.

Slavery was a Targaryen pastime? I don't see how you can reach that conclusion. Yes, slavery was practiced in the Valyrian Freehold but by Aegon's time the Targaryens had been on Dragonstone for roughly 200 years. The Targs went to Dragonstone 100 years or so before the Doom and it was another 100 or so before the War of Conquest.

I doubt the Targs were practicing slaverly during the majority of that time. Dragonstone doesn't sound like a self-sufficient island. That means they would have had to trade. Before the Doom, they may have been able to trade with Valyrian outposts, but after the Doom, their closest neighbors were Braavos and Westeroos, no fans of slavers.

Aegon and Braavos were, in fact, nominal Allies against Volantis before the conquest.

[SeanF]

It is not really accurate to say that "Christianity" was "mostly okay" with slavery; or that opposition to slavery stemmed from paganism.

The wealthy and powerful, throughout history, have always justified anything they could get away with, and this is as true in "Christian" nations and cultures, as it is in any nation or culture. But if we look at the teachings of Christianity themselves, they are virtually impossible to reconcile with slavery in any but (perhaps) its most benign forms. New Testament taught that one should "love thy neighbor as thyself"; and went on to specify that your "neighbor" included not merely the members of one's own tribe or nation, but pretty much the entire world. This is virtually impossible to reconcile with slavery, and particularly with the more dehumanizing forms of chattel slavery; and countless Christians throughout history have come to

exactly that conclusion. It is no accident that the Abolitionist movement in the United States was spearheaded by Christians.

Slave-trading is condemned in the Bible, though not the institution per se. I think the view of the early Christians was that among believers, social distinctions, such as those between rich and poor, or slave and free, would cease to be important.

There seems to be an element of this in the series, in the cult of R'hllor. Many of the priests are slaves, but the distinction between slave and free isn't important in their religion. Slaves can rise to the highest positions.

[Jaak]

Slave-trading is condemned in the Bible, though not the institution per se.

Where does Bible object to slave trade?

[Bright Blue Eyes]

Where does Bible object to slave trade?

Must be another passage than the one where she advises on the proper price to sell a daughter as a slave.

[Knight Of Winter]

It can't be that recent (after all, Westeros doesn't have to copy literally everything from real Middle Ages). The way condemnation of slavery is so widespread and staunch, I'd expect it's at least few hundreds years long tradition, and probably more.

By the way, Bright Blue Eyes, can you please provide a quote for this, or tell which part of Bible is it from? I have a friend who loves collecting such "pearls".

ETA: thanks :)