The Mercedarians

Tisquantum, an Indian befriended by Capt John Smith, captured to sell into Barbary slavery by Capt Hunt, was ransomed by a Catholic order in Spain, What was that Order?

The Mercedarians – The Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.

In the thirteenth century, as in all previous and subsequent centuries, the scourge of captivity and slavery of Christians by the Saracens (Barbars) of the Ottoman Empire was a horror throughout the Mediterranean. Not only captive sailors, but whole coastal communities –  men, women and children – were swept up to be used, discarded, when no longer fit, or ransomed. It has been estimated that well over one million captives were taken over that period.

From The Order of The Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy 1218-1992 – A Historical Synthesis – translated from the original Spanish by Colette Joy Dees, Mercedarian Press 1998

“…the phenomenon of captivity in Saracens’ hands was a problem without a political solution because it was one of the firm pillars supporting the economy of Moslem (sic) society, …(which) had the sale of Christians captured at sea or on Spanish coasts as their main source of stable income. “

“…the real risk of captivity of a Christian captive in the power of the Saracens was the danger of renouncing the true faith. Therefore, captivity was basically a religious problem…..”

“The lives of Christian captives in Moorish power were certainly not comfortable because, in addition to their loss of freedom, they were subject to all the hardships inherent in slavery; forced labor in construction and in the fields, the infernal torment of rowing in the galleys, lack of food, diseases,  dungeons, the conquerors’ scorn, the mistreatment “on purpose in order to obtain a greater ransom from them” and the tempting offers of the advantages they would have if they converted to Islam.”

“The idea of liberation, recovery or redemption … of Christians, temples of the most Holy God, in the power of Moslems, stirred up the conscience of medieval Christianity.”

“The most important liberating institution of the medieval church was the emergence of Redemptive Religious Orders. They resolutely placed themselves at the service of the faith, not through arms but rather with the fervor of charity, with their own wealth and funds obtained from alms. One in France and the other, the Order of Our Lady of Mercy, founded in Spain…”

“…The most usual procedure for the liberation of large masses of poor Christian captives was redemption: it involved payment of the ransom in hard cash or in kind, previously arranged with the captive’s owner through a third party…”