"Unveiling Bonds: Italian States and the Dynamics of Atlantic Slavery"

In embarking upon this scholarly exploration of enslavement in the Italian Peninsula and close territories, this dissertation endeavours to dissect and illuminate the multifaceted dimensions of human bondage that have intricately woven themselves into the socio- political and economic fabric of these regions from the late medieval period through the onset of modernity. This investigation is not an academic exercise but a contribution to the ongoing discourse on the pervasive yet often overlooked narratives of enslavement and African integration following Italian unification. By meticulously examining historical perceptions and realities, this study aims to challenge entrenched misconceptions, particularly the reductionist view that confines Italian slavery to a benign form of domestic servitude or a belated vestige of medieval serfdom. Through a comprehensive and rigorous analysis, the dissertation seeks to foreground the significant but obscured presence of Black slaves and other enslaved individuals in public and private spheres, thereby reshaping our understanding of their roles and contributions.