The Eunuchs (Al-Aghawat) – Abboud Mustafa Abboud

The word "Agha" is used in many languages, including Kurdish, Turkish, and Persian. Kurds use it as a title for their elders or prominent figures. In the western part of Turkey, it means "chief" or "master," and in the eastern part, it means "elder brother." Sometimes, it refers to the landowner or the head servant of a household. It was also used to refer to eunuchs serving in the palace or attending to the Sultan and princesses.

In Hijaz, specifically in Mecca and Medina, the word "Aghawat" refers to eunuchs who perform special duties in the service of the two Holy Mosques, to the extent that this word became a specific title for them. Before that, they were known as "Tawashi" or "Tawashiya," and "Tawashi" was a position among the servants during the Mamluk era.

Therefore, an Agha, regardless of his function or the role he plays, whether free or enslaved, is ultimately a eunuch. In this book, we tell the stories of many famous personalities who had a significant impact on the course of history and were referred to as Agha, such as Kafur al-Ikhshidi, Qaraqush, Khalil Agha, and Mu'tamin al-Khilafa.

Jawhar, Dawud Pasha... and others!