Salah Rais facts for kids

Salah Rais (Arabic: صالح ريس) (around 1488 – 1568) was a famous Ottoman admiral and a privateer. He was also the 7th King of Algiers. People in Europe, especially in Spain, France, and Italy, called him by different names like Sala Reis or Salih Rais.

In 1529, he fought alongside Aydın Reis in a big battle near the island of Formentera. The Ottoman forces won, destroying the Spanish fleet.

Later, in 1538, Salah Rais led the right side of the Turkish fleet at the naval Battle of Preveza. Here, the Ottoman forces, led by Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha, defeated a group of European countries called the Holy League.

Because of his success in capturing Tripoli (in Libya) in 1551, he was promoted. He became a Pasha and the Beylerbeyi (like a Grand Duke) of Algiers. He also became the Admiral of the Ottoman fleet in the Western Mediterranean Sea.

Early Life and Adventures

Salah Reis was born around 1488. He might have been from Alexandria in Ottoman Egypt or from a place called Kazdağ near Çanakkale. His background could have been Turkish, Egyptian, Arab, or Moorish.

When he was very young, he joined the fleet of Oruç Reis, one of the most famous Ottoman privateers. These privateers were like legal pirates who worked for the Ottoman Empire. They operated from bases along the Barbary Coast in North Africa. Salah Reis learned a lot about sailing and fighting from Oruç Reis and his brother, Hızır Reis. He quickly became one of their main helpers.

Oruç Reis died in 1518 during a battle in Algeria. Salah Reis was about 30 years old then. After Oruç Reis's death, Salah Reis joined Hızır Reis, who took on the famous name Barbarossa.

In 1520, Salah Reis went to Djerba with Hızır Reis and Turgut Reis. Later that year, they attacked Bône, which was controlled by Spain.

Becoming an Ottoman Admiral

In 1529, Salah Reis led 14 ships and attacked the Gulf of Valencia. He then joined Aydın Reis's fleet in the Turkish-Spanish War near Formentera. The Ottomans won this battle, destroying the Spanish fleet. Salah Reis even captured a Spanish ship and took the son of the Spanish commander as a prisoner.

The Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent called Barbarossa to Constantinople in 1532. Salah Reis was an officer in Barbarossa's fleet. They raided islands like Sardinia, Corsica, and Elba. They captured 18 ships near Messina. They learned that Andrea Doria, a Genoese admiral working for Emperor Charles V, was heading to Preveza.

Barbarossa's fleet raided the coast of Calabria and then sailed to Preveza. Doria's forces ran away after a short fight. Barbarossa, with Salah Reis and Murat Reis, captured seven of their ships. Barbarossa went to Constantinople with 19 ships, one of which Salah Reis commanded. Salah Reis was one of the 19 men welcomed by Sultan Suleiman. The Sultan made Barbarossa the Admiral of the Ottoman Navy and Governor of North Africa. Salah Reis was promoted to the rank of Commodore.

In 1533, Barbarossa and Salah Reis worked together against Spanish ports in the Mediterranean Sea.

In 1535, Barbarossa asked Salah Reis to defend Tunis. Salah Reis, with a few Turkish soldiers, tricked and defeated the forces of Girolamo Tuttavilla. Tuttavilla was killed, and his fortress was captured. Salah Reis also helped Hasan Reis, Barbarossa's son, govern Algiers. In 1536, Salah Reis and Barbarossa were called back to Constantinople to lead a naval attack on the Habsburg Kingdom of Naples. In 1537, the Turks landed at Otranto and captured the city.

In August 1537, Lütfi Pasha and Barbarossa led a large Ottoman force, including Salah Reis. They captured many islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas from the Republic of Venice. These losses made Venice ask Pope Paul III to create a Holy League against the Ottomans.

The Big Battle of Preveza

Salah Reis led the right side of the Turkish fleet at the naval Battle of Preveza in 1538.

In February 1538, Pope Paul III formed a Holy League against the Ottomans. This group included the Papacy, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, Venice, and the Maltese Knights. Andrea Doria was chosen to lead them.

Salah Reis, now a Rear Admiral, commanded 24 ships on the right side of the Ottoman fleet. This was during the Battle of Preveza in September 1538. Even though the Turkish forces were smaller, Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha led them to a huge victory over the Holy League. In a famous moment, Salah Reis and his men boarded and attacked the Galeone di Venezia, a huge Venetian flagship.

Taking Back Castelnuovo

In June 1539, Salah Reis sailed from Constantinople with 20 ships. He joined Barbarossa's fleet, which was tasked with taking back Castelnuovo (Herceg Novi) from the Venetians. On their way, their combined fleet captured islands like Skiathos and Skyros from the Venetians. In August 1539, Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha, Turgut Reis, and Salah Reis surrounded Castelnuovo and took the city back. They also captured nearby castles. Venice finally signed a peace treaty with Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in October 1540. They agreed to accept the Turkish gains and pay a large sum of money.

Adventures in France and Spain

Some Turkish stories say that in 1540, Salah Reis and Turgut Reis were captured in Corsica while repairing their ships. They were supposedly forced to work as rowers on Genoese ships until Barbarossa freed them in 1544.

However, French, Italian, and Spanish records only mention Turgut Reis being captured and freed. They don't mention Salah Reis being captured. It's possible that because Salah Reis and Turgut Reis were very close friends and often worked together, people got confused.

In fact, according to European records, Salah Reis took part in the French-Ottoman attack on Nice in 1543. This attack was led by Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha. After capturing Nice, Salah Reis led 20 Ottoman ships to attack the Costa Brava in Catalonia, Spain, that same year. In October 1543, Salah Reis landed his troops at Rosas and looted the city. He then attacked other towns like Palafrugell and Palamós, capturing and looting them. He was seen sailing with Barbarossa in the spring of 1544.

Conquering Tripoli and Becoming Governor of Algiers

In 1551, Salah Reis joined the fleets of Sinan Pasha and Turgut Reis. He played a key role in capturing Tripoli (in Libya). Tripoli had been held by the Knights of St. John since 1530. Salah Reis heavily bombed the Knights' fortress, forcing their commander to surrender.

After this success, Salah Reis returned to Constantinople. He was promoted to Admiral of the Ottoman West Mediterranean Fleet. He was also made the Beylerbeyi (Governor) of Algiers in 1551.

In April 1552, he arrived in Algiers. He then sailed to Sicily, where he captured a ship from Malta. In the summer of 1552, he joined Turgut Reis's forces and attacked the coasts of Lazio and Tuscany. From there, Salah Reis sailed to Marseille, before capturing and looting the island of Majorca.

Journey to the Sahara Desert

From Majorca, he sailed back to Algiers. There, he prepared his troops to march across land into the Sahara Desert. His goal was to expand the Ottoman province of Algeria further inland. His troops marched south and captured the city of Touggourt, which is built around an oasis in southern Algeria. From there, the Turks marched towards Ouargla. They found a deserted city whose people had fled when they heard the Turks were coming.

Battles in Morocco

In 1549, a new ruler in Morocco, Mohammed ash-Sheikh, removed the old Wattasid sultan, Ali Abu Hassun. Abu Hassun had declared himself a supporter of the Ottomans. Mohammed ash-Sheikh even captured Tlemcen and attacked the Ottoman Turks in Algeria.

This led to an Ottoman counterattack. They recaptured Tlemcen in 1552. They then went to Fes and put the Wattasid king Ali Abu Hassun back in power in 1554. In return, Abu Hassun gave them the port of "Badis" on the Mediterranean coast. But this only lasted a few months. In September 1554, Mohammed ash-Sheikh recaptured Fes and defeated Abu Hassun and his Ottoman allies.

Return to Algeria

In 1555, the French Navy, who were allies with the Ottoman Empire, asked Salah Reis for help against the Spanish. Salah Reis agreed and sent 22 of his ships with Turkish soldiers and cannons to help the French.

Later, with 40,000 men, he surrounded Bougie. After 14 days of constant bombing, he destroyed the city's main defenses. The Spanish Governor of Bougie decided to make peace. The Turks allowed the Spanish people to return to Spain safely with their belongings. However, some Spanish civilians were captured and enslaved by other privateers in the area. The Governor was arrested in Spain and executed for treason.

Later that year, Salah Reis conquered Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera from the Spanish. He then sailed to Constantinople and was welcomed by the Sultan.

Attacks on Oran

In 1556, Salah Reis left Constantinople and sailed to the Spanish stronghold of Oran in Algeria. He attacked it with 30 ships. He destroyed the Spanish forts guarding the port entrance. However, he couldn't capture the city itself because the local people and the Spanish army fought back strongly. He then took his fleet back to Algiers.

In April 1563, he again attacked Oran and Mers-el-Kébir with 10,000 soldiers. This time, Turgut Reis helped him with 20 ships and 20 large cannons. Oran defended itself bravely until a large Spanish force arrived in June. The Turks did manage to destroy the Fortress of Mers-el-Kébir.

The Great Siege of Malta

In August 1565, Salah Reis took part in the Turkish Siege of Malta. He led 15,000 soldiers who attacked Fort Saint Michael. He managed to set up a powerful mine that broke through the walls of Castiglia. He then attacked the fort with 4,000 men.

Meanwhile, Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha led the main attack against Fort Saint Michael. Salah Reis took his place when Mustafa Pasha was badly wounded. The Turks captured Fort Saint Elmo on the main island. But they lost many soldiers, including the famous Turgut Reis, who was 80 years old when he died during the siege. The siege eventually ended when a large Christian fleet arrived to help the Maltese Knights.

Death in Algiers

The Siege of Malta was Salah Reis's last mission. He was around 77 years old at the time. He died in Algiers three years later, in 1568, at almost 80 years old. This was around the same age as his lifelong friend Turgut Reis.

Two towns in Turkey, Turgutlu and Salihli, are named after these two great admirals.

Legacy

Salah Reis was one of the most important Turkish seamen of the 16th century. He was part of a generation that included famous figures like Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha and Turgut Reis.

He played a big part in the Battle of Preveza (1538). This battle helped the Ottoman Empire control the Mediterranean Sea during his lifetime. This control lasted until the Battle of Lepanto (1571), which happened three years after his death.

Salah Reis greatly expanded the Ottoman lands in northwestern Africa. He pushed their borders all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Several warships in the Turkish Navy have been named after Salah Reis to honor him.

See also

In Spanish: Salah Reis para niños

• Ottoman Navy

Sources

• E. Hamilton Currey, Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean, London, 1910
• Bono, Salvatore: Corsari nel Mediterraneo (Corsairs in the Mediterranean), Oscar Storia Mondadori. Perugia, 1993.
• Corsari nel Mediterraneo: Condottieri di ventura. Online database in Italian, based on Salvatore Bono's book.
• Bradford, Ernle, The Sultan's Admiral: The life of Barbarossa, London, 1968.
• Wolf, John B., The Barbary Coast: Algeria under the Turks, New York, 1979; ISBN: 0-393-01205-0
• The Ottomans: Comprehensive and detailed online chronology of Ottoman history in English.
• Comprehensive and detailed online chronology of Ottoman history in Turkish.
• Turkish Navy official website: Historic heritage of the Turkish Navy (in Turkish): https://web.archive.org/web/20080416040710/http://www.dzkk.tsk.mil.tr/TURKCE/tarihiMiras.asp?strAnaFrame=TarihiMiras&strIFrame=INDEX