Maria ter Meetelen
Encyclopedia
Maria ter Meetelen was a Dutch writer of an autobiography. Her biography is considered to be a valuable witness statement of the life of a former slave (1748).
Meetelen was a child from the slum. She enlisted in the Spanish army disguised as a man in 1725. After this, she lived in Spain as a nun
until she married. The couple was on a ship destined for the Netherlands in 1731, when it was captured by pirates and all the passengers sold as slaves in Morocco. Her spouse died, and to avoid being taken to the harem
of the sultan, Abdallah of Morocco
, she refused to convert to Islam
and married the spokesperson of the sultan's slaves, Pieter Janszn. Iede; the couple provided the non-Muslim slaves with alcohol
and lived quite well at the court. In 1743, the Dutch slaves where bought free by the Dutch state and returned to the Netherlands. She emigrated to South Africa
in 1751, where the traces of her disappear.
Meetelen was a child from the slum. She enlisted in the Spanish army disguised as a man in 1725. After this, she lived in Spain as a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
until she married. The couple was on a ship destined for the Netherlands in 1731, when it was captured by pirates and all the passengers sold as slaves in Morocco. Her spouse died, and to avoid being taken to the harem
Harem
Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
of the sultan, Abdallah of Morocco
Abdallah of Morocco
Sultan 'Abu Abbas Mulay 'Abdu'llah bin Ismail as-Samin was the Sultan of Morocco 1729-1734, 1736, 1740–1741, 1741–1742, 1743-1747* and 1748-1757.He was born after 1678 as a son of Ismail Ibn SharifHe ascended the throne numerous times,fighting his brothers...
, she refused to convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and married the spokesperson of the sultan's slaves, Pieter Janszn. Iede; the couple provided the non-Muslim slaves with alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and lived quite well at the court. In 1743, the Dutch slaves where bought free by the Dutch state and returned to the Netherlands. She emigrated to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1751, where the traces of her disappear.