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The origins ofslavery in France can be traced back to theMerovingian dynasty in the 4th century. At least fiveFrankish queens during that period were former slaves:Ingund,Fredegund,Bilichild,Nanthild, andBalthild.[1][2][3] Slavery continued under theCarolingian Empire and was successively abolished by theFrench Republic amid theFrench Revolution.
In 1198, theTrinitarians were founded, with the purpose of redeeming war captives. This was one of the earliest steps towards eliminating slavery in France.
In 1315,Louis X published a decree, known as the Ordonnance royale du juillet, 1315 abolishingslavery and proclaiming that "France signifies freedom", with the effect that any slave setting foot on French soil should be freed.[4] However, slavery continued until the 17th century in some of France's Mediterranean harbours inProvence, as well as until the 18th century in some ofFrance's overseas territories. Most aspects of serfdom were alsode facto abolished between 1315 and 1318.[5] Louis X died two years after this event. In 1318, KingPhilip V abolished serfdom on his domain.[6]
TheSociety of the Friends of the Blacks was founded inParis in 1788, and remained active until 1793, during the midst of theFrench Revolution. It was led byJacques Pierre Brissot, who frequently received advice from British abolitionistThomas Clarkson, who led theabolitionist movement inGreat Britain. At the beginning of 1789, the Society had 141 members.[7]
A series of events took place from 1791 which led to the abolition of institutionalized slavery in France, including the establishment of thenational convention and the election of the first Assembly of theFirst Republic (1792–1804), on 4 February 1794, under the leadership ofMaximilien Robespierre, culminating in the passing of theLaw of 4 February 1794, which abolished slavery in all French colonies.
TheAbbé Grégoire and the Society of the Friends of the Blacks were part of the abolitionist movement, which had laid important groundwork in building anti-slavery sentiment inMetropolitan France. The first article of the law stated that "slavery was abolished" in the French colonies, while the second article stated that "slave-owners would be indemnified" with financial compensation for the value of their slaves. The French constitution promulgated in 1795 declared in itsDeclaration of the Rights of Man that slavery was abolished.
The abolition of slavery in France was enacted with theDecree abolishing Slavery of 27 April 1848 [fr].
In particularMartinique was the first French overseas territory in which the decree for the abolition of slavery actually came into force, on 23 May 1848.[8]
Gabon was founded as a settlement for emancipated slaves.[9]
At about the same time, France started colonizing Africa and gained possession of much of West Africa by 1900. In 1905, the French abolished slavery in most ofFrench West Africa. The French also attempted to abolish Tuareg slavery following theKaocen Revolt. In the region of the Sahel, slavery has long persisted.
The abolition wasn't strictly enforced. Several French territories kept practicing slavery until 1904 as was the case inSenegal or 1894 inFrench Sudan.[10]
Passed on 10 May 2001, theTaubira law officially acknowledges slavery and the Atlantic slave trade as acrime against humanity. 10 May was chosen as the day dedicated to recognition of the crime of slavery.
Since the abolition of slavery proclamation in 1848, additional efforts were made to eliminate other forms of slavery. In 1890, theBrussels Conference Act (a collection of anti-slavery measures aimed at ending the slave trade on land and sea, especially in the Congo Basin, the Ottoman Empire, and the East African coast) was signed, followed in 1904 by theInternational Agreement for the suppression of the White Slave Traffic. Only France, the Netherlands and Russia applied the treaty to the entirety of their colonial empires with immediate effect. In 1926, theSlavery Convention was ratified by France and other nations.
Although slavery has been outlawed for over a century, many criminal organizations still practicehuman trafficking. For this reason, on July 25, 2013, France recognized modern-day slavery as a crime punishable by up to 30 years in jail.[11]