Something interesting. So, starting pretty early on in the Ottoman Empire (~500 years ago or so), it became the common practice that black eunuchs were in charge of the Sultan's harem. There were other eunuchs, and many, many slaves from Europe, the Middle East, India, etc., but the eunuchs in charge of the harem were only black Africans.

The Ottomans purchased black eunuchs from Coptic Christians who lived in Upper Egypt (that's southern Egypt). The Ottoman court kept buying eunuchs until the end of the sultanate, right around World War I.

Something interesting. So, starting pretty early on in the Ottoman Empire (~500 years ago or so), it became the common practice that black eunchs were in charge of the Sultan's harem. There were other eunuchs, and many, many slaves from Europe, the Middle East, India, etc., but the eunuchs in charge of the harem were just black Africans.

The Ottomans purchased black eunuchs from Coptic Christians who lived in Upper Egypt (that's southern Egypt). The Ottoman court kept buying eunuchs until the end of the sultanate, right around World War I.