11. Mehmed Agha
During the Ottoman Empire, the duty of “Kizlar Agha” was given to a black slave in charge of guarding the royal harem for the sultans in Constantinople. At that time, every man that served in the royal court had to become a eunuch, especially if they were expected to be around women and young male pages. Sadly, there must have been years of sexual abuse cases going on, and the Ottomans decided that this was the only solution. This tradition carried over to many other countries, as well.
One of the most famous individuals to hold that post was Mehmed Agha, who was from Ethiopia. He was the first black Kizlar Agha to serve the post after centuries of white men having the so-called honor of guarding the harem. In his own way, Mehmed Agha would have had sway in the royal court, because he was responsible for delivering messages directly to the sultan. He would have also received a royal education and got all of the perks of being in the royal court.