Kemal Reis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kemal Reis
Born	1451 (1451) Manisa, Anatolia Eyalet, Ottoman Empire
Died	1511 (aged 59–60) Mediterranean Sea
Allegiance	Ottoman Empire
Service/branch	Ottoman Navy
Years of service	c. 1470–1511
Rank	Admiral
Battles/wars	Battle of Zonchio Battle of Modon

Kemal Reis (born around 1451 – died 1511) was a skilled Ottoman admiral and a privateer. A privateer was like a pirate, but they had permission from their government to attack enemy ships. Kemal Reis was also the uncle of the famous Ottoman admiral and mapmaker Piri Reis. Piri Reis often joined his uncle on important sea trips.

Kemal Reis's Early Life and Career

Kemal Reis was born in Manisa, a city on the Aegean Sea coast of the Ottoman Empire, around 1451. His full name was Ahmed Kemaleddin. His father, Ali, was a Turk from Kayseri in central Anatolia. In Europe, especially in Italy and Spain, he was known as Camali or Camalicchio.

His First Naval Missions

Kemal Reis began his career as a naval commander. He led the fleet for the governor of Eğriboz, which is now Euboea. In 1487, the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II gave Kemal Reis a special job. He was to help defend the lands of Emir Abu Abdullah, the ruler of Granada in Spain. Granada was one of the last Muslim strongholds there.

Kemal Reis sailed to Spain and landed his troops at Málaga. He captured the city and nearby villages. Then, he sailed to the Balearic Islands and Corsica, raiding towns along the coast. He also landed troops near Pisa in Italy.

Between 1490 and 1492, Kemal Reis helped many Muslims and Jews escape Spain. They wanted to leave because of the Granada War. He transported them safely to the Ottoman Empire, where they were welcomed. These new arrivals brought many new ideas and skills, which helped the Ottoman Empire grow stronger. Kemal Reis also attacked Spanish ports like Elche, Almeria, and Málaga to slow down the Spanish army.

Göke (1495) was Kemal Reis's main warship.

A map of Granada drawn by Piri Reis, Kemal Reis's nephew, in the 15th century.

Becoming an Ottoman Admiral

In 1495, Sultan Bayezid II made Kemal Reis an admiral of the Ottoman Navy. The Sultan ordered a huge flagship, named Göke, to be built for him. This ship could carry 700 soldiers and had very powerful cannons. Two such ships were built, one for Kemal Reis and one for another admiral, Burak Reis.

In October 1496, Kemal Reis sailed with 5 galleys and other ships. He raided the Gulf of Taranto in Italy. In January 1497, he landed at Modon and captured several Venetian ships. He took them and their goods to Euboea.

In March 1497, Sultan Bayezid II gave him another important task. He was to protect ships carrying valuable goods for religious places in Mecca and Medina. These ships were often attacked by the Knights of St. John, who were based on the island of Rhodes. Kemal Reis sailed to Rhodes and captured a ship belonging to the Knights. He continued his operations in the Aegean Sea against the Venetians and the Knights of St. John.

In April 1498, Kemal Reis led a large fleet from the Dardanelles. He sailed south to the Aegean islands controlled by Venice. He appeared at Paros and later sailed to Crete. There, he landed his troops at Sitia and captured the town. In July 1498, he sailed to Rosetta in Egypt. He was transporting 300 Muslim pilgrims and a large amount of gold for the Mamluk sultan. Near Abu Kabir, he fought for two days and captured two Portuguese ships. He then sailed to Santorini and captured more ships.

Battles in the Ottoman-Venetian Wars

The Battle of Zonchio in 1499.

In January 1499, Kemal Reis sailed from Constantinople with 10 galleys. In July 1499, he took command of a huge Ottoman fleet. This fleet had 67 galleys and about 200 smaller ships. Their mission was to fight a major war against the Republic of Venice.

The Battle of Zonchio (1499)

In August 1499, Kemal Reis defeated the Venetian fleet. This battle was led by Antonio Grimani near Cape Zonchio. It is also known as the Battle of Sapienza or the First Battle of Lepanto. This was part of the Ottoman-Venetian Wars. It was the first naval battle in history where cannons were used on ships. The battle took place over several days in August 1499. Kemal Reis won a big victory. He even sank the ship of Andrea Loredan, a powerful Venetian. Sultan Bayezid II gave Kemal Reis 10 captured Venetian galleys as a reward.

Taking Back Lepanto and Modon (1500)

In December 1499, the Venetians attacked Lepanto to get back their lost lands. Kemal Reis sailed from Cefalonia and quickly recaptured Lepanto from the Venetians. He stayed there for a few months while his ships were repaired.

In August 1500, he defeated the Venetian fleet again at the Battle of Modon. This is also called the Second Battle of Lepanto. Kemal Reis attacked the fortress of Modon from the sea and captured the town. He also captured Coron and a Venetian ship. With these victories, the Ottoman fleet took control of most Venetian lands in Greece. Venice had to ask for peace in 1503, accepting the Ottoman gains.

More Victories in the East (1501)

In January 1501, Kemal Reis sailed from Constantinople with 36 ships. He landed at Euboea and Nafplion. He then went to Corfu and the Tyrrhenian Sea, where he captured the island of Pianosa. In April 1501, with 60 ships, he landed at Nafplion and Monemvasia. This made the Venetians worried, and they called back their ships to defend their strongholds.

In May 1501, he escorted cargo ships carrying building materials for Ottoman forts. He captured a Venetian commander's ship and another Venetian galley. He then sailed to Zonchio and captured the Venetian castle and nearby towns. He took three Venetian galleys and other ships. Kemal Reis also captured Navarino from the Venetians, adding another important port to the Ottoman Empire. In June 1501, he sailed to the Adriatic Sea and strengthened Ottoman defenses there.

Adventures in the West Mediterranean and Atlantic

In July 1501, Kemal Reis, along with his nephew Piri Reis, sailed to the Tyrrhenian Sea. They took advantage of a war between local rulers and the Pope's forces. The Ottoman troops landed at Pianosa and captured it, taking many prisoners. They also raided coastal towns in Italy.

In August 1501, Kemal Reis and his troops landed in Sardinia. They captured several coastal towns and took about 1,050 prisoners. They also fought against some Genoese warships. Still in August 1501, Kemal Reis sailed to the Balearic Islands and Majorca, where they fought against Spanish forces.

The Mysterious Map

From Majorca, Kemal Reis sailed to Spain and captured seven Spanish ships near Valencia. On these ships, he found a strange feather headdress and an unusual black stone. A prisoner told him that these items came from newly discovered lands far to the west, across the Atlantic Ocean. The prisoner claimed he had visited these lands three times with a man named Colombo. He also said he had a map drawn by Colombo himself, showing these new lands beyond the "Sea of Darkness." This map later became a key source for the famous Piri Reis map of 1513, drawn by Kemal Reis's nephew.

After leaving Valencia, Kemal Reis continued south. He attacked the coastal defenses of Andalucia and raided several ports. He then sailed west, passed through the Strait of Gibraltar, and entered the Atlantic Ocean. He raided the Atlantic coasts of Spain and Portugal. From there, he sailed southwest and landed on some of the Canary Islands. Here, they faced some resistance from Spanish forces. Piri Reis used these voyages to draw his famous maps, which later became part of his important book, Kitab-ı Bahriye (Book of Navigation).

Kemal Reis then turned east, following the Atlantic coast of Morocco. He re-entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Gibraltar, stopping at ports in Morocco and Algeria. He then sailed further east, capturing Genoese and Venetian ships near Tripoli before returning to Constantinople.

Back in the East Mediterranean

In May 1502, Kemal Reis sailed from Istanbul with 50 ships. In June 1502, he captured the island of Kos and the Castle of San Pietro, which belonged to the Knights of St. John. He then sailed to Nafplion and attacked its port. He was called to help defend Mytilene, which was under attack by a combined Venetian and French fleet. In July 1502, he landed his forces on Lesbos and fought against the French soldiers in Mytilene.

In August 1502, Kemal Reis made the island of Lefkada his new base. From here, he raided coastal towns belonging to Venice and Ragusa, capturing several for the Ottoman Empire. However, a huge Venetian fleet, joined by Papal and French ships, forced Kemal Reis to leave Lefkada. He sailed back to Gallipoli and then to Constantinople. In October 1502, he ordered new ships to be built at the Imperial Naval Arsenal.

In March 1503, Kemal Reis sailed from Constantinople with his new ships. He reached Gallipoli and took command of the Ottoman fleet there. However, he became very ill and had to return to Constantinople for treatment. He was inactive for a long time, from November 1503 to March 1505.

In March 1505, Kemal Reis was given the job of stopping the Knights of St. John from attacking Ottoman shipping routes. He sailed from Gallipoli with 3 galleys and 17 fustas. He went to Kos, which he had captured earlier, to plan an attack on the Knights' base in nearby Rhodes. In May 1505, Kemal Reis attacked the coasts of Rhodes. He landed many Ottoman troops and attacked the Knights' castle. He also sailed to the islands of Tilos and Nisyros, attacking the Knights' fortresses from the sea. Still in May 1505, Kemal Reis captured the island of Lemnos and attacked Chios. He returned to Modon in July 1505.

More Trips to the West Mediterranean and Spain

In September 1505, Kemal Reis attacked Sicily and captured three ships off its coast.

In January 1506, he made the island of Djerba his new base. He sailed to Spain and landed again on the coasts of Andalucia. He attacked the ports of Almeria and Málaga. He also helped more Muslims and Jews escape Spain and took them to Constantinople.

In May 1506, Kemal Reis returned to the Aegean Sea. In June 1506, he landed on the island of Leros with 500 janissaries. He attacked the Venetian castle there. Throughout June 1506, he raided the Dodecanese Islands. Then, he sailed back to the West Mediterranean with 22 ships. He landed on Sicily and attacked coastal towns. He faced forces from the Viceroy of Sicily, who was an ally of Spain. In September 1506, Kemal Reis fought a Spanish fleet to defend Djerba and captured a Spanish galley. In October 1506, he landed at Trapani in Sicily and burned Genoese ships in the port. He also attacked a Venetian galley and exchanged cannon fire with the fortress of Trapani. He then sailed to the island of Cerigo in the Ionian Sea and fought with a Venetian fleet. After this, he returned to Constantinople.

Later Operations in the East Mediterranean

In January 1507, Sultan Bayezid II ordered Kemal Reis to hunt down the Knights of St. John. He sailed from Gallipoli with a large fleet of 15 galleys and 25 fustas, all heavily armed. He fought the Knights many times until August 1507, when he returned to Constantinople.

In August 1507, he sailed to Alexandria with a cargo of oars and cannons. These were gifts from Sultan Bayezid II to the Mamluk sultan. They were meant to help the Mamluks fight the Portuguese fleet in the Red Sea. Kemal Reis stayed in Egypt until February 1508. He was back in Constantinople in May 1508. There, he oversaw the repair and changes to his ships. Then, he sailed again to the Aegean Sea to fight the Venetians and the Knights of St. John. In August 1508, he arrived at Euboea. He then sailed to Tenedos, where he fought off an attack by the Knights. In November 1508, he captured a Genoese ship near Tenedos.

In January 1509, with 13 ships, he attacked the Castle of Coo near Rhodes, which belonged to the Knights of St. John. In February 1509, he joined another Ottoman privateer, Kurtoğlu Muslihiddin Reis. With a larger fleet of 20 ships, he attacked the City of Rhodes. He landed many janissaries at the port. For several days, they launched big attacks on the Castle of Rhodes and the city walls. In mid-February, he chased ships belonging to the Knights that were escaping Rhodes. He captured 3 galleons and 9 other ships.

Final Missions and Death

Still in 1509, Kemal Reis sailed to the Tyrrhenian Sea and landed on the coasts of Liguria. He continued to operate in the West Mediterranean for some time before returning to Gallipoli. In September 1510, he sailed from Gallipoli with 2 galleys and other ships. He joined a fleet of Ottoman cargo ships in Constantinople. These ships were heading to Alexandria and carried wood, oars, and cannons. These supplies were sent to the Mamluks to help them fight the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean. Kemal Reis was to escort this cargo fleet, which had 40 ships in total.

In early 1511, after being seen for the last time in December 1510, 27 ships of the Ottoman cargo fleet were destroyed by a terrible storm in the Mediterranean Sea. Kemal Reis's ship was among them, and he died with his men. News of his death reached Edirne on November 8, 1511.

Kemal Reis's Legacy

Several warships of the Turkish Navy have been named after Kemal Reis to honor him.

His nephew, Piri Reis, who learned so much from him, wrote this poem about his uncle in his famous Kitab-ı Bahriye (Book of Navigation):

Good friend, I want you To remember us in your prayers, And remember Kemal Reis, our master, May his soul be content!

He had perfect knowledge of the seas And knew the science of navigation. He knew innumerable seas; No one could stop him...

We sailed the Mediterranean together And saw all its great cities. We went to Frankish lands And defeated the infidel.

One day an order from Sultan Bayezid arrived. "Tell Kemal Reis to come to me," It said, "and advise me on affairs of the sea."

So in 1495, the year of this command, We returned to our country. By the sultan's command we set out And won many victories...

Kemal Reis sailed hoping to come back, But was lost at sea. Everyone once spoke of him; Now even his name is forgotten...

The angel of death caught him While he was serving Sultan Bayezid. May Allah give peace to those Who remember Kemal Reis with a prayer.

Kemal died and went to the next world And we found ourselves alone in this.

See also

In Spanish: Kemal Reis para niños

• Ottoman Navy