Whence on the sea’s horizon comes that roar?
Can it be Barbarossa now returning
From Tunis or Algiers or from the Isles?
Two hundred vessels ride upon the waves,
Coming from lands the rising Crescent lights:
O blessed ships, from what seas are ye come?
(part of a poem by Turkish poet Yahya Kemal Beyath that is engraved on Barbossa’s statue at his tomb)
Ahoy, mates! Welcome to my world of wonderin’ and plunderin’ all things pyrate!
Redbeard’s maritime career began as a corsair under the tutelage of his brother, Oruç Reis. The brothers were at the heart of a maritime campaign to protect Muslim territories that were being overrun by the Spanish and Portuguese. Redbeard’s most famous sea victory was a battle where his fleet of 122 galleys defeated an enemy armada of 300 ships that included ships from Venice, Genoa, Spain, Portugal…well, basically, a fleet of Christian ships. Barbossa (that’s Italian for “Redbeard”), emerged victorious from this encounter. His advantage? The galleys. Since his galleys had oars, he was able to outmaneuver the sailing ships. Simple as that, apparently.
After a lengthy (over 40 years) and successful maritime career that started as a pyrate and evolved to an admiral, Redbeard retired to Constantinople where he then dictated his memoirs to a fellow named Muradi Sinan Reis. The result was five volumes of history that can be seen in an exhibit at Topkapı Palace and Istanbul University Library in Istanbul. Barbossa died in 1546 at his palace near the sea. His tomb was built at the former assembling site for his fleet.
After his death, all ships that sailed by would fire a salute to honor him. This practice was interrupted in the late 1800s for political reasons, but the Turkish navy began it again in 2019.
The British naval historian Edward Keble Chatterton wrote of Redbeard, “the greatest pirate that has ever lived, and one of the cleverest tacticians and strategists the Mediterranean ever bore on its waters”. After his retirement, all of Christian Europe breathed a collective sigh of relief.
So, a toast to Redbeard, Hayreddin Pasha! Scourge of the Mediterranean and feared by Europe for nearly 45 years! Now, THAT’S a long career of pyrating!
Disclaimer: Before anyone gets mad at me, ESPECIALLY Neptune, God of the Sea, I did not choose the “King of the Sea’ nickname for this particular pyrate. I was just plunderin’ away and this pyrate crossed my path, I swear. I don’t know if Hayreddin Pasha (that’s one of his names) meant to necessarily try and replace Neptune in the royal ocean hierarchy, but if he did, it’s all on him. Not me. (I am about to take a holiday at the ocean, and I don’t want Neptune to have any reason to be cross with me!! Yes, I’m superstitious, I’m a pyrate!)
Next time…The Fiery Dragon……until then, keep plunderin’ !
Virginia Chandler 