Murat Reis was my ancestor through his son who came to New Amsterdam and brought the first Koran to the colonies. The USA truly is a country of countless global stories.
Like another commenter, I have been to Iceland (a couple of times), but was unaware of these historical events. I knew about Barbary pirates attacking other European countries, and the Algerian slave markets, but had no idea slaves had been taken from so far north. I live in England, which also provided slaves for the Ottomans, but I think that’s not widely known about by many English people today; all the concern seems to be Europe’s role in the Atlantic slave trade.
Hi Jason . . . First off, just rest and let yourself recover. People surely can understand your challenges and sympathize with your situation, always keeping you in prayer. Secondly, this was amazing column. The devil has always been stealing, killing, and destroying, no matter in what year, and this writing underscores the presence of this demonic activity, whether in those days or now. It's the same evil and the same spiritual battle.
I sympathize with your loss of physical vision and pray that recovery will continue. And I note that your spiritual vision remains clear. We all benefit from that.
Oh Sovereign Lord, please heal Jason quickly, strengthen and encourage him through this painful process! (I perfectly understand the continuing pain a year after surgery, and frustration with the slowness of recovery.)
Praying that your heart may be filled by God’s peace and continued presence with you on your healing journey. Healing is hard, but especially when it isn’t linear, or following a prescribed path. Thank you for blessing us with incredible your writing. I’m so grateful for it. Please take your time and heal and rest.
What an amazing account. I was lucky to travel to Iceland with my girls last fall. We likely were in areas affected by this raid, and yet we never heard one whisper of it. I’m sharing your post with my daughters and adding this book to my growing TBR. Thank you—and prayers for patience and speedy healing.
Iceland is populated by the descendants of Viking raiders who enslaved so many Irish women that 50 percent of their DNA is Irish. There's nothing the Ottomans did here that the Icelanders didn't do themselves a few centuries earlier.
You stated a common summary, but it’s not completely accurate. Early Iceland was settled by Norse men who often brought Celtic women from Ireland and Scotland—many of whom were likely enslaved. Genetic studies show that around 60% of Iceland’s maternal ancestry traces back to the British Isles, especially Ireland. But saying “50 percent of their DNA is Irish” oversimplifies the data. Most paternal lines are Scandinavian, and the overall genome is still majority Norse.
As for the comparison to the Ottomans—yes, both cultures practiced slavery. But Viking raids were localized and tribal, not part of a vast imperial bureaucracy like the Ottomans’. The scale, purpose, and historical impact were very different.
It's legitimate to acknowledge the presence of slavery across civilizations. But equating them without context flattens meaningful historical distinctions.
Murat Reis was my ancestor through his son who came to New Amsterdam and brought the first Koran to the colonies. The USA truly is a country of countless global stories.
Like another commenter, I have been to Iceland (a couple of times), but was unaware of these historical events. I knew about Barbary pirates attacking other European countries, and the Algerian slave markets, but had no idea slaves had been taken from so far north. I live in England, which also provided slaves for the Ottomans, but I think that’s not widely known about by many English people today; all the concern seems to be Europe’s role in the Atlantic slave trade.
Hi Jason . . . First off, just rest and let yourself recover. People surely can understand your challenges and sympathize with your situation, always keeping you in prayer. Secondly, this was amazing column. The devil has always been stealing, killing, and destroying, no matter in what year, and this writing underscores the presence of this demonic activity, whether in those days or now. It's the same evil and the same spiritual battle.
Thank you, Trudy! I appreciate your support.
I sympathize with your loss of physical vision and pray that recovery will continue. And I note that your spiritual vision remains clear. We all benefit from that.
Thank you, my friend.
Oh Sovereign Lord, please heal Jason quickly, strengthen and encourage him through this painful process! (I perfectly understand the continuing pain a year after surgery, and frustration with the slowness of recovery.)
Thank you, Jonathan!
Praying for your recovery Jason! Great post. You are to be commended for your prolific publishing despite the surgery.
What a remarkable story. Had never heard of these Barbary pirates attacking Europeans so far north. Thanks for taking the time to research and write!
Praying that your heart may be filled by God’s peace and continued presence with you on your healing journey. Healing is hard, but especially when it isn’t linear, or following a prescribed path. Thank you for blessing us with incredible your writing. I’m so grateful for it. Please take your time and heal and rest.
Thank you, Jen!
What an amazing account. I was lucky to travel to Iceland with my girls last fall. We likely were in areas affected by this raid, and yet we never heard one whisper of it. I’m sharing your post with my daughters and adding this book to my growing TBR. Thank you—and prayers for patience and speedy healing.
Thank you, Cheryl. I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment.
May God hold you in the palms of His mighty hands as you continue your recovery 🙏
Thank you, Andrew!
You’re very welcome, Jason!
Amazing History!🥺😔😮
🌐🇩🇰⚓🌊✝️🕰️🧭🔔Thank you....
⚔️🇹🇷💰🇩🇿☪️⛓️🏴☠️
Thank you, Robert!
Iceland is populated by the descendants of Viking raiders who enslaved so many Irish women that 50 percent of their DNA is Irish. There's nothing the Ottomans did here that the Icelanders didn't do themselves a few centuries earlier.
You stated a common summary, but it’s not completely accurate. Early Iceland was settled by Norse men who often brought Celtic women from Ireland and Scotland—many of whom were likely enslaved. Genetic studies show that around 60% of Iceland’s maternal ancestry traces back to the British Isles, especially Ireland. But saying “50 percent of their DNA is Irish” oversimplifies the data. Most paternal lines are Scandinavian, and the overall genome is still majority Norse.
As for the comparison to the Ottomans—yes, both cultures practiced slavery. But Viking raids were localized and tribal, not part of a vast imperial bureaucracy like the Ottomans’. The scale, purpose, and historical impact were very different.
It's legitimate to acknowledge the presence of slavery across civilizations. But equating them without context flattens meaningful historical distinctions.