A historical Analysis of Migration in the Mediterranean in the early modern Age

Abstract

Migration has played a very pivotal role in history and specifically in the Mediterranean during the early modern age. Over the years, various patterns of migration have come to light; forced migration, maritime migration, and urbanization. Many other patterns like forced labor and the like existed, however, this research will focus on the aforementioned. The motives, consequences, and migratory routes will be explored. The Mediterranean due to its strategic position has fostered interaction among various civilizations, hence region has a ton of languages, each with its literature, a widespread nationalism too was a very crucial part of the region that fostered the development of history. The rise and decline of empires have significantly affected the history of the Mediterranean because these empires have left a long-lasting blueprint for the Mediterranean to follow suit in various aspects like administrative structures, approaches to language, and religion which set apart the Mediterranean lands from Northwest Europe, South, and East Asia. War and politics induced migration in the Mediterranean. Slavery in a way was a form of migration, especially in the Atlantic trade system which still has its roots in the Mediterranean. The classification of who a slave is, the model of slavery, the institutions of slavery across the sub-Saharan and Mediterranean regions, and how slavery persisted despite its abolition will be considered. From a religious perspective, it is where Judaism, Christianity, and Islam began. Christianity and Islam especially are very significant for many people around the world which gives a sense of belonging and a common ground. Inequality was prevalent since a class system emerged, religion became a struggle, it brought about secularism, an identity crisis, and a division like Latin, orthodox, and Muslim Mediterranean. The latter part of this research will focus on contemporary migration and draw a comparison with that of the early modern age