Eunuchs in Power

[Groot Voel (imported)]

The following could also be source material for castration stories, mixing fact with phantasy.

Eunuchs in Power

There had been many famous eunuchs in history, thought Edris. The shepherd Atys who castrated himself at the incitation of Cybele was his favorite. There was Hermotine, eunuch of Xerxes; Hermias, a disciple of Plato; Bagoa, the favorite of Alexander the Great; Halotus, the accomplice of Agrippina, mother of Nero, who poisoned her husband Claudius; Photius, preceptor of Ptolemy, Pharaoh of Egypt; Eutrope, the Emperor Theodosius's eunuch and the preceptor for his son Arcadius, assassinated by the Empress Eudoxia. There had been Narses, General of Justinian, conqueror of Italy; Saint Germain Doroeus, Bishop of Antioch; Stavrakios, who blinded the son of Empress Irene on her orders and who cut out the tongues of four Caesars; Hassan, an Italian prisoner of war, who was castrated and converted to Islam and as Dey of Algiers defeated Charles V. There was the eunuch Ali, General of Sultan Suleiman II, who reconquered Hungary; and the theologian Abelard, castrated by the Canon of Notre Dame, as punishment for his passion for his niece Heloise.

Byzantine Roman chamberlains were known as cubicularii. The most powerful position was the office of grand chamberlain (praepositus sacri cubiculi), which was "analysed in a classic article by Keith Hopkins." “By the early fourth century, the grand chamberlain held the right of senatorial rank and the title of clarissimus; in 384, his rank was raised to the level of illustris, to which prefects belonged. From 422, grand chamberlains took the title of eminentissimus, shared by only the magister militum and the praetorian prefects.”

Scholten can provide only eight examples of grand chamberlains for whom we have information on origin or social status. These include: Eutherius, an Armenian; Eutropius, an Armenian; Mamas, an Armenian; and Antiochus, a Persian. Looking beyond Scholten's chronological boundary into the sixth century we find another good example, Narses the Armenian. From the information we have, Scholten estimates that for the fourth and fifth centuries the great majority of chamberlains were drawn from Armenia or Persia.

Assyrian Court Eunuchs An edict of Tiglath-pileser III (Middle Assyrian Palace Decree 102-12) Eunuchs are not to look at a woman naked, don't watch women doing anything if it's not your business. The guard eunuch is responsible for punishing wayward eunuchs of lesser rank. "What is interesting about this harem edict is the evidence it provides for rank among the harem eunuchs--those who are simple palace servants who should see and hear nothing, those who patrol the corridors on lookout, and the 'eunuch in front of the palace', who should see and hear everything."

Serving the Persian kings Darius and Xerxes: Artaxares, Artobarzanes, Athoos, Bagapates/Mastabates, Haman, Bazan, Tharra, Boraze, Zantholtha, Abtaza, and Tharaba. The Jewish eunuch Nehemiah was the cupbearer of Artaxerxes I, according to the Hebrew Bible. Later, "Okhos, or Darius, was sole ruler. Three eunuchs were influential at his court, especially Artaxares, secondly Artobarzanes, thirdly Athoos." Artaxares, nicknamed "the kingmaker," conspired against him and was executed by Queen Parysatis. "The Queen Mother Parysatis…is linked to at least twelve eunuchs in the sources, (only two, Artaxares and Bagapates/Mastabetes, are named) but she may have been served by many more." Parysatis tortured and killed the eunuch Bagapates/Mastabates because he killed her favorite son Prince Cyrus on the commands of her other son, Artaxerxes II. Artaxerxes and his wife Stateira were angry with Parysatis for what she had done to the eunuch. Artaxerxes threatened to exile his mother, but gave in to her; Stateira did not give in, and Parysatis poisoned her. The Greek text of Esther says Xerxes had seven chief eunuchs who fetched Vashti: Haman, Bazan, Tharra, Boraze, Zantholtha, Abtaza, and Tharaba. Text “A” of Esther notes a eunuch named Bougaios; in text “B”, he’s called Gai, and in the Hebrew text, Hegai. The Hebrew text provides the most details: when a girl is accepted by the king, she leaves the house of the eunuch Hegai and goes to the house of the eunuch Shaashgaz. Esther’s eunuchs included one named Hachratheus (Greek) or Hathcath (Hebrew). The eunuch Bagoas had a sexual relationship with Darius III and Alexander the Great. King Artaxerxes had a eunuch lover named Tiradates. When Tiradates died, the king was depressed. He was given the Greek Aspasia, daughter of Hermotimos of Phocaea, but was unable to have sex with her until she was dressed in Tiradates' clothing. Peter Tompkins in The Eunuch and the Virgin writes that Bagoas was a eunuch general of Artaxerxes III who helped him conquer Egypt in the fourth century B.C.E. Bagoas poisoned Artaxerxes and was put to death by Darius. In Mary Renault's novel The Persian Boy, Bagoas is little more than a concubine who is passed from Darius to Alexander the Great.

5th century BCE -- Artoxares the Paphlagonian Court eunuch of Artaxerxes I (465-424/3), then chief eunuch of Darius II (423-405). Aspired to become king and wore a false beard and mustache.

c. 405-397 BCE -- Ktesias of Knidos Greek doctor in Persian court

2nd century BCE – court eunuchs Mithridates VI ruled over the Kingdom of Pontus from 120-63 BCE. His Persian dynasty opposed Rome. He punished his own city of Amisus for Roman allegiance by castrating their boys and selling everyone into slavery. "Eunuchs often appear in Appian's account of Mithridates and his court."

circa 1st century – concubines Emperors Tarquin, Octavius, Tiberius, Caligula, Hadrian, and Nero all kept eunuchs as sex slaves. "The eunuch Halotus was supposed to have helped Agrippina poison Claudius with a dish of mushrooms so that her son Nero might succeed as emperor."

189 CE – He Jin Older brother of the Empress Dowager. Promoted to the office of Grand Commandant of the imperial eunuch agency Zhongchangshi. Pressured his sister to get rid of all the eunuchs because they were corrupt. Chief eunuch and marquis Zhang Rang retorted “Who in the palace isn't corrupt?” In September 189, the eunuch Qu Mu, a confidant of Zhang Rang, slew He Jin during a court audience. 2000 eunuchs were slain in retribution. Qu Mu fled with the Empress, but they had to commit suicide and the Empress’s son was deposed. This was the end of the Eastern Han dynasty.

3rd century--Emperor Elagabalus Also called Heliogabalus because of his worship of the sun. Succeeded Caracalla; ruled Rome 218-222 CE; tried to unite the rituals of all religions into one universal practice. Scandalized by Lampridius as having castrated himself as one of Cybele’s Gallae priests and thrown his genitals into a temple. Others claim he pierced his penis to prevent erection. Tompkins doubts the veracity of these claims as their authors were "evidently paid to give him as bad a press as possible."

Late 4th century – Eutropius "Eutropius was an ex-slave eunuch, possibly of Armenian origins, who, as the praepositus sacri cubiculi was in power during the reign of the Eastern Emperor Arcadius (395-408) about 170 years earlier. He was made a Consul in 399 which came to be known as 'The Year of the Eunuch.'" Eutropius was executed within a year after he was appointed as consul. The Egyptian-born poet Claudian (who spoke Greek, wrote Latin, was probably a pagan, but was poet courtier for Christian emperors such as Honorius) penned the famous In Eutropium (against Eutropius).

4th century—Court Eunuchs Christian Bishops Athanasius of Alexandria, Basil of Caesarea, and Cyril of Alexandria all criticized eunuchs. The first two said they were Arians who led emperors Constantius II and Valens (364-78) away from orthodox faith. Hypocritically, Cyril had tried to bribe the eunuchs' support.

4th century – Eusebius Grand Chamberlain (351-361) under Constantius II (337-361). Said to have bribed mutinous soldiers with Constantinus’s money. Criticized by non-Christian Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus. Julian (who had been tutored by a Scythian eunuch, Mardonius, who he admired and who had also tutored his mother Basilina) succeeded Constantius and dismissed his eunuchs. Julian especially hated Eusebius. His tribunal at Chalcedon tried Constantius' supporters and condemned Eusebius to death.

4th century -- Eutherius Grand chamberlain of Caesar Julian, in Gaul, under Emperor Constantius II. Eutherius was born in Armenia, captured as a child in a tribal feud, castrated, sold to the Romans, and brought to Constantine's palace. Ammianus Marcellinus praised him as "conspicuous for his remarkable keenness in devising and solving difficult and knotty problems, he had extraordinary powers of memory; he was eager to do kindnesses and full of sound counsel."

Aristonikos of Alexandria (under Ptolemy V)

Eulaios an imported slave (under Ptolemy VI)

Krateros of Antioch (under Antiochus VII)

Philetairos the Paphlagonian His name means frontispiece. "Strabo in particular details the history of this first Attalid dynast of Pergamum."

4th and 5th century – court eunuchs Severus Alexander never kept eunuchs because they were associated with debauchery and treachery. But “virtually all fourth- and fifth-century emperors associated themselves with powerful eunuch ministers.”

6th century – Solomon In the sixth century Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, there lived a Mesopotamian eunuch named Solomon. He was a Roman patrician, and, as Praefect in Africa, he had "an official staff of 396 people." "Solomon, deserted by his own troops at the Battle of Cillium (Kasrin), had been overcome and slain by the united Moorish tribes in 544." He had a nephew, Sergius, who served as magister militum in Africa.

6th century CE—Narses The Empress Theodora appointed the eunuch Narses as Chamberlain and then General. He threw the Goths out of Italy and lived to be nearly a hundred.

550 CE—Scholasticus A Roman palace eunuch, otherwise unknown) led the imperial army and was defeated by the Sclavini near Hadrianople.

582 CE—Cai Tuoer and Li Shanchang Confidants and advisors of the last emperor of the Chen dynasty (582-9).

8th century – Li Fuguo "Among the most powerful eunuch commanders was Li Fuguo (fl. 756-62), who totally dominated Emperors Suzong and Daizong. And as the eunuchs' inroads into the Tang military establishment grew unabated, they became virtual kingmakers, instrumental in selecting seven of the last eight Tang emperors." In 903, warlord Zhu Quanzhong executed 462 eunuchs in Xian and ordered all military eunuchs to commit suicide. The Tang dynasty ended.

7th century--Stephen the Persian Treasurer (sakellarios) for Justinian II (685-95). When Justinian fell, Stephen was bound at the feet, dragged ot hte Market of the Bull, and burned to death.

8th century – Gao Lishi Old Tang History says that the Tang Court (618-906) had 4600 ranked eunuchs who owned 60% of the property in the capital city and had political influence. They were rewarded for their participation in coup d'etats. "All told, the Tang emperors invested one eunuch prince, twenty-seven eunuch dukes, four eunuch marquises,two eunuch earls, four eunuch viscounts, and seven eunuch barons." The eunuch Gao Lishi was the "de facto ruler of the Tang court" during 745-55 as the aging emperor Ming Huang lost interest.

Gao Lishi owned immense property and wealth, far surpassing those of the princes and the nobles. He gave money to construct Buddha statues and the famous Treasure-Longevity Monastery, as well as a gigantic Daoist temple... At the northwestern corner of the capital, he built a five-wheeled water mill that could grind 300 bushels of wheat daily. After the bell at the Treasure-Longevity Monastery was cast and was ready for use, the entire court came to the monastery to take part in teh ceremony. Courtiers took turns to hit the bell, each hitting it from ten to twenty times. (Old Tang History)

9th century--Damianus the Slav. Chief eunuch. Parakoimomenos of Emperor Michael III (842-67).

Early 10th century--Samonas the Arab Domestic servant in Constantinople. Told Emperor Leo VI 886-912 that his life had been threatened. Leo took him into his court and he eventually became chief eunuch.

Early 10th century -- Constantine the Paphlagonian After being castrated by his father, he became the chief eunuch of Leo VI and subsequently to Leo’s fourth wife Empress Zoe Karbonopsina who was regent for Constantine VII.

949 CE—Carzimasians Italian ambassador Liudprand of Cremona gave four Carzimasians (eunuchs with no penis) to Emperor Constantine VII (913-59) as a gift. The Carzimasians were usually sold in Verdun in Moslem Spain.

10th century – Nicephorus Urason, Eustachius Cymnineanus, and Nicephoros the Logothete Respectively, a general, an admiral, and a military reformer. In Byzantium a eunuch could not be emperor. Tompkins said this was an advantage because they were not threatened by competitors who aspired the throne.

11th century—Constantine the Saracen Emperor Constantine IX Monomahos (1042-59) appointd as grand hetaireiarch the eunuch Constantine the Saracen.

11th century -- John the Orphanotrophos A Pahplagonian court eunuch who secured the throne for his brother Michael IV (1034-41) and his nephew Michael V (1041-2). His brothers Constantine and George were also eunuchs. Six other 10th-century Byzantine eunuchs were known to be Paphlagonians, according to Paul Magdalino's list.

11th century – Symeon the Sanctified

Symeon the Sanctified...was grand droungarios of the Watch (a high legal official) at Constantinople under Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078-81), carried out a mission for Alexios during the revolt of Basilakes, got permission to take the monastic schema and moved to Mt. Athos with three beardless members of his household, where he became second founder and hegoumenos of Xenophontos. Because of the arrogance of his three associates he was thrown off the mountain by the protos (head of the Holy Mountain) but was reinstated by Alexios, who sent Symeon Senachereim to force him to come back, and the protos Paul to reinstate him. He held the unique status of the only permitted eunuch on Mt. Athos. What our text adds is that he also founded a monastery of eunuchs in Thessalonike as well as ruling strictly on Athos.

Late 11th century -- Nikephoritzes was one of the last powerful Byzantine court eunuchs. He served Emperor Michael VII Doukas (1071-8).

Early 12th century – Demetrios Brother of Theophylact, Archibishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria. Theophylact was devoted to his castrated brother and wrote much about him, but oddly, does not mention him by name. His name may have been Demetrios (Theophylact had a brother Demetrios but does not say whether he was the castrated one). Theophylact wrote In defense of eunuchs as a favor to his brother.

Early 12th century—Tong Guan

In the year 1103, upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister Cai Jing, Song emperor Huizong appointed the grand eunuch Tong Guan, a native of Kaifeng, to lead an army 100,000 strong against a nomadic people of Himalayan origin called the Qingtang tribe. ... By 1115, Tong Guan was commanding all the troops, totalling some 800,000, that were deployed along the empire's western frontiers. Two years later, Tong was again promoted to head the Bureau of Military Affairs, or Shumiyuan. Moreover, he was also named the "Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent," an unprecedented honour for a eunuch. ... [After Emperor Juizong abdicated,] the new Emperor Qinzong ordered the execution of Tong Guan in the summer of 1126.

Late 13th century -- Andronikos Eonopolites Commanded an army for Michael VIII (1259-82), who reportedly “was the last emperor to entrust a eunuch with the command of an army." Michael also sent a eunuch to arrest a man charged with high treason. Michael was succeeded by Andronikos II (1282-1328) who used the eunuch Michael Kallikrenites (accompanied by Theoleptos, bishop of Philadelphia) as a messenger to his grandson, Andronikos III (1328-41), during the first civil war. But the eunuch had two nervous breakdowns and was replaced by the monk Neophytos and the Patriarch Athanasios II of Alexandria when a marriage embassy to Cilicia for Andronikos II’s son, Michael IX. John Kallikrenite, St. John of Herakleia, and Philialetes served the empress and were richly rewarded. Pseudo-Kodinos says that in a coronation ceremony, an empress must lean on "two relatives of the closest kind," and if none are avilable, on two eunuchs. Refers to Andronikos' III coronation of his Italian wife Anna of Savoy in 1327 who probably didn't have very close relatives with her. She became regent, the only woman regent in the Palaiologan (late Byzantine) period, a foreigner at that, and likely had to rely on the court eunuchs.

1348—Jia Lu China’s first Taijian (Grand Eunuch). He managed flood control and hydraulic infrastructure. Taijian became an official title after that.

14th-17th centuries – Ottoman eunuchs Malik Sarwar, a Habshi eunuch, was vizier to the Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad b. Firuz, and was appointed governor in 1394. He brought peace to the region and expanded it. He was succeeded by his adopted black slave son Qaranful, who took the title of Mubarak Shah, ruled three years, and made his own coins. Mubarak Shah's brother, Ibrahim Shah, succeeded him in 1402 and ruled for 38 years. His army was strong enough to be independent from Delhi. Sultan Rukn al-Din Barbak Shah ruled Bengal from 1459-1475 and had 8,000 black slave soldiers. A Habshi eunuch commanded the army, assassinated the Sultan's successor, and seized the throne. In the 16th century, Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire brought white eunuchs from castration centers in Christian Europe and Circassia. They served in the new palace built by Mehmed II. He employed only black eunuchs in the old Byzantine palace, where the Sultan's harem and female relatives lived. Black eunuchs were a small percentage of the total number of eunuchs, but were the most prominent. Suleiman I, who ruled 1520-66, transferred the harem to the new palace, giving the eunuchs a greater role to play in palace life. In 1595, the first year of Mehmed II's reign, the chief black eunuch named Mustafa Agha was given the office of managing the mosques of Mecca and Medina, a financially powerful position. A white eunuch had previously held the position. He also remained in control of the harem and became the Sultan's advisor, living with him informally, and becoming a member in the imperial divan. Suleyman Agha was the head of the black eunuchs in the service of Turhan, the Valide Sultan (mother of the Sultan) of Mehmed IV, who came to power in 1648. Suleyman Agha commanded the eunuchs to murder Kosem, Mehmed IV's jealous, powerful grandmother who was jealous of her son's concubine's rise to power. Suleyman Agha was raised to the office of the chief black eunuch, but Turhan dismissed him nine months later.

15th century – Eustathius Cymineanus

in the Assyrian empire the chief eunuch was also commander of the royal army; two of the most successful and renowned Byzantine generals (Narses in the sixth century, Nicephorus Uranus in the tenth) were eunuchs; so was Eustathius Cymineanus, the great eleventh-century admiral. Another admiral, the Chinese eunuch Cheng-ho, led fleets carrying more than 27,000 sailors into Sri Lanka, India, Arabia, and Africa between 1405 and 1422. ... In the African state of Oyo, the grand eunuch controlled access to the palace and administered justice in the king's name; the second eunuch impersonated the king at religious rituals; the third eunuch received notables in his place and impersonated him at public ceremonies; eunuchs also decided which of the king's children became his successor. ... In Persia, the palace eunuchs contrived the succession of a new shah in 1667 and effectively seized control of the state, which they governed under a string of figurehead monarchs until the fall of the Safawid dynasty.

16th century – Gazanfer A Hungarian rebel who converted to Islam and served Prince Selim. When Prince Selim became Sultan in 1566, Gazanfer castrated himself so as to be able to remain in his service. Gazanfer’s brother Jafer also castrated himself but died as a result.

1537 -- Suleiman In 1537, the Sultan Bahadur Shah was received on a Portuguese ship outside the city of Diu to discuss a diplomatic offense by some Portuguese sailors. The conversations did not go well. The Sultan boarded a small boat to leave. one of the sailors hit him with an oar and drowned him. His widow offered to finance a war against the Portuguese in revenge. "The Turk Suleiman Pasha and the Sultan of Cambay united their armies, and arrived at Diu with 70 Turkish galleys and a land army of 23.000 men," to bomat the 600 Portguese men in the fortress of Diu under the command of D. António da Silveira. Suleiman Pasha took some prisoners and sent a letter to António da Silveira. When he received the letter, he said to an audience, "Let's see what the castrated dog has to say." According to this source, Suleiman was a court eunuch who ascended the throne after beheading the entire royal family. In the letter, Suleiman ordered him to surrender or else be flayed alive. He pointed out that his army had taken Belgrade, Hungary, and the Island of Rhodes. António da Silveira sent a written reply that he had "a pair of balls stronger than the balls of your canons and that all the Portuguese here have balls and do not fear those who don’t have them." When the Turkish attacked, the Portuguese caused so many Turkish casualties that they gave up the siege after a month.

20th century -- Djalar-Agha In April 1924, when the Grand Seraglio was turned over to the Turkish Republic, Djalar-Agha, confidential eunuch to Abdul Hamid II, was hanged at Galata bridge for having "plotted agains the Constitution and distrubted large sums of money." Penzer wrote, "It would be hard to find a eunuch more cruel and vile than was Djevher Agha, a huge, swollen, balloon-like creature of extra-ordinary stature who ended his wretched life at the rope's end on Galata Bridge. In Nadir Agha, the second eunuch of this period, a man bought at the age of ten from an Egyptian slave merchant for 150 francs, we see an example of the girlish, slim variety. The revolution of 1908 was the death-blow to a system that was rotten to the core."

Quoted from Chase-Riboud 380

In or out? Origins of court eunuchs, Shaun Tougher (Cardiff University, University of Wales) in Tougher, Shaun, ed. Eunuchs in Antiquity and Beyond. The Classical Press of Wales and Duckworth, 2002. p 143.

Kuefler 64

In or out? Origins of court eunuchs, Shaun Tougher (Cardiff University, University of Wales) in Tougher, ibid. p 144.

Eunuchs and the royal harem in Achaemenid Persia (559-331 BC), Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Open University, UK). in Tougher, ibid. p 36.

Eunuchs and the royal harem in Achaemenid Persia (559-331 BC), Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Open University, UK). in Tougher, ibid. p 24.

From Ktesias 51. in Eunuchs and the royal harem in Achaemenid Persia (559-331 BC), Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Open University, UK). in Tougher, ibid. p 35, 6.

From Ktesias 43a, mentioned in Eunuchs and the royal harem in Achaemenid Persia (559-331 BC), Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Open University, UK). in Tougher, ibid. p 39.

see Ktesias 44a and Plutarch Art. 17. Eunuchs and the royal harem in Achaemenid Persia (559-331 BC), Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Open University, UK). in Tougher, ibid. p 31, 33.

From Ktesias 51. in Eunuchs and the royal harem in Achaemenid Persia (559-331 BC), Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Open University, UK). in Tougher, ibid. p 35, 6.

Eunuchs and the royal harem in Achaemenid Persia (559-331 BC), Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Open University, UK). in Tougher, ibid. p 36.

Curtius Rufus, among others, attests to Bagoas’ relationships. Aelian told the story about Tiradates. Eunuchs and the royal harem in Achaemenid Persia (559-331 BC), Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Open University, UK). in Tougher, ibid. p 35.

In or out? Origins of court eunuchs, Shaun Tougher (Cardiff University, University of Wales) in Tougher, ibid. p 146.

Tompkins

Eunuch power in imperial China, Shih-shan Henry Tsai (University of Arkansas) in Tougher, ibid. p 223.

Sacred eunuchism in the cult of the Syrian goddess. J. L. Lightfoot. in Tougher, ibid. p 75.

Fauber, p 179

Kuefler 68

Kuefler 67

In or out? Origins of court eunuchs, Shaun Tougher (Cardiff University, University of Wales) in Tougher, ibid. p 146.

In or out? Origins of court eunuchs, Shaun Tougher (Cardiff University, University of Wales) in Tougher, ibid. p 147.

Biography of Severus Alexander, by the author of the Historia Augusta. Quoted in Kuefler.

Kuefler 64

L.H. Fauber, Narses: Hammer of the Goths, p 7, 59, 140

L.H. Fauber, Narses: Hammer of the Goths

Eunuch power in imperial China, Shih-shan Henry Tsai (University of Arkansas) in Tougher, ibid. p 224.

Eunuch power in imperial China, Shih-shan Henry Tsai (University of Arkansas) in Tougher, ibid. p 225.

Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 148.

Eunuch power in imperial China, Shih-shan Henry Tsai (University of Arkansas) in Tougher, ibid. p 225. Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 148.

Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 148.

Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 149.

Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 148.

Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 148.

Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 149.

Theophylact of Ochrid's In Defence of Eunuchs, Margaret Mullett (Queen's University, Belfast) in Tougher, ibid. p 182.

Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 151.

"'Eunuchs of Light': Power, Imperial, Ceremonial and Positive Representations of Eunuchsi n Byzantium (4th-12th centuries AD)." Georges Sideris (College de France, Paris). in Tougher, ibid. p 161-3.

Eunuch power in imperial China, Shih-shan Henry Tsai (University of Arkansas) in Tougher, ibid. p 226.

Eunuchs in the late Byzantine empire, c. 1250-1400, Niels Gaul (University of Bonn) in Tougher, ibid. p 204.

Eunuchs in the late Byzantine empire, c. 1250-1400, Niels Gaul (University of Bonn) in Tougher, ibid. p 204.

Eunuch power in imperial China, Shih-shan Henry Tsai (University of Arkansas) in Tougher, ibid. p 227.

These stories are from Ronald Segal's book. He also tells the story of Malik Ambar on pages 73-76, but it is unclear to me whether this individual was castrated.

Quoted from Taylor 37

Eunuchs and early Christianity, Walter Stevenson (University of Richmond) in Tougher, ibid. p 148.

Originally from Gaspar Correia, “Chronicle of the Feats in India”, vol. IV, pages 34-36, retold in www.arscives.com/bladesign/history.htm Accessed March 8, 2003

Tompkins

Penzer 135

[Pueros]

Congratulations to Groot Voel for this interesting non-fiction article, & its fellow 'Castration as punishment'. However, a word of warning to readers - not all references are correct. Through no fault of Groot's, as he's kindly reporting the work of others, some anecdotes are mere historical hearsay, with no real foundation in terms of secondary sources to confirm the tales.

Nevertheless, sorting historical fact from fantasy is enjoyable in its own right!

PUEROS

[Dok (imported)]

Dear Groot Voel,

This is fascinating reading. Thanks for the fine historical summary.

Cordially,

Vic

mjc

[Lars2 (imported)]

Congratulations to Groot Voel for this interesting non-fiction article, & its fellow 'Castration as punishment'. However, a word of warning to readers - not all references are correct. Through no fault of Groot's, as he's kindly reporting the work of others, some anecdotes are mere historical hearsay, with no real foundation in terms of secondary sources to confirm the tales.

Nevertheless, sorting historical fact from fantasy is enjoyable in its own right!

PUEROS

I have read every one of Pueros's stories and I am amazed by his command of history. I suspect of all the people that might offer any coment in this forum about Groot Voel's very interesting article, Pueros would be the most qualified. Thank you both for the high level of scholarship and interest contained in your writing. I love reading about this interesting topic.

[eunuchunique (imported)]

Hello All (including Jeff, Bboy etc).

I occasionally visit here, but mostly just lurk. However I am writing now to comment on the long list on "Eunuchs in Power" posted by Groot Voel. I would like everyone to know that that list was taken directly from my good friend, Tucker Lieberman's website. I fank;ly feel that it is plagarism to post such an item without acknowledging that it was NOT created by the poster.

Tucker is not a member of the Eunuch Archives. But he is quite a scholar about eunuchdom and I invite others to visit his massive, some what chaotic, but otherwise poetic and information rich website. (see http://www.angelfire.com/ri/tucker/index.html). I'd also like to ask Groot to write him an email letting him at least know why you lifted so many pages of his text without creditiing him.

In a similar vein, I'd be grateful if Pueros would point out to Tucker and me where the mistakes lie in the information that Groot copied to the Eunuch Archives. Are they in the original or intorduced by Groot? Tucker can be reached at [email protected]

[Paolo]

After quickly looking over the website, e.e., I agree that we need an explanation here. Not being familiar with your friend's most excellent site, I would think much along the same lines.

There should be a credit in said post.

This is some very impressive work that Tucker has done, and hope that we do not cause any hard feelings here. I know what I'll be reading for a while now, thanks!

[eunuchunique (imported)]

Thanks Paolo,

That is the sort of reply I was hoping for...

[Dok (imported)]

Hello All (including Jeff, Bboy etc).

I occasionally visit here, but mostly just lurk. However I am writing now to comment on the long list on "Eunuchs in Power" posted by Groot Voel. I would like everyone to know that that list was taken directly from my good friend, Tucker Lieberman's website. I fank;ly feel that it is plagarism to post such an item without acknowledging that it was NOT created by the poster.

Tucker is not a member of the Eunuch Archives. But he is quite a scholar about eunuchdom and I invite others to visit his massive, some what chaotic, but otherwise poetic and information rich website. (see http://www.angelfire.com/ri/tucker/index.html). I'd also like to ask Groot to write him an email letting him at least know why you lifted so many pages of his text without creditiing him.

In a similar vein, I'd be grateful if Pueros would point out to Tucker and me where the mistakes lie in the information that Groot copied to the Eunuch Archives. Are they in the original or intorduced by Groot? Tucker can be reached at [email protected]

Thank you eunuchunique,

This indeed is a good lead on lots of great information. For those looking for informarion on eunuchs specifically I have added the following link to help find that part of the website http://www.angelfire.com/ri/tucker/gend ... nuchs.html .

As you said it is a little difficult finding your way around this site.

Thanks again.

Cordially,

Vic

mjc

[Quillman (imported)]

Thank you eunuchunique,

This indeed is a good lead on lots of great information. For those looking for informarion on eunuchs specifically I have added the following link to help find that part of the website http://www.angelfire.com/ri/tucker/gend ... nuchs.html .

As you said it is a little difficult finding your way around this site.

Thanks again.

Cordially,

Vic

mjc

Many thanks for this, but I have not been able to access the site in question indeed I keep getting error page not found, etc.

I also reserve judgement on the issues!

Quillman UK

[JesusA (imported)]

Many thanks for this, but I have not been able to access the site in question indeed I keep getting error page not found, etc.

I also reserve judgement on the issues!

Quillman UK

This is a thread from 2003. Tucker no longer maintains the site listed.