The Fall of Oruç and the Birth of a Pirate Kingdom

The death of Oruç Barbarossa in 1518 marked a turning point in Mediterranean history. This bold, impulsive, yet charismatic warrior had carved out a pirate empire along the Barbary Coast, only for his conquests to appear destined to crumble after his demise. Spanish forces under the Marquis of Comares stood poised to eradicate piracy from North Africa—yet in a baffling decision that would echo through history, they withdrew to Oran, abandoning their campaign. This retreat gifted Algiers a crucial reprieve, allowing a new leader to emerge: Oruç’s younger brother, Hayreddin Barbarossa.

Unlike his hotheaded sibling, Hayreddin combined reckless courage with strategic brilliance. Where Oruç excelled in boarding enemy ships with a cutlass, Hayreddin wielded political cunning. His first masterstroke came in 1519, when he dispatched envoys to Istanbul, offering Algiers as a new province to Sultan Selim I. The Ottoman ruler—fresh from conquering Egypt—recognized the strategic value of a western foothold. Hayreddin was named Beglerbeg (Governor-General), granted imperial insignia, and reinforced with 2,000 Janissaries.

Forging a Naval Empire

Hayreddin moved swiftly to consolidate power. He fortified coastal towns like Meliana and Ténès while forming alliances with inland Arab tribes. When a Spanish fleet under Don Hugo de Moncada attacked Algiers later that year, storms and fierce resistance annihilated the invaders—a disaster that cemented Algiers’ reputation as a cursed shore for Christian navies.

By 1529, Hayreddin’s fleet dominated the central Mediterranean. His 18 galleys, crewed by Levantine renegades and Turkish adventurers, became the terror of shipping lanes. Legends like Dragut, Salih Reis, and the “Jew of Smyrna” Sinan (reputed to navigate by crossbow) sailed under his banner. Their raids—stretching from the Balearics to the Strait of Gibraltar—plundered Spanish treasure ships and enslaved thousands, inaugurating what Europeans called the “Scourge of Christendom.”

The Battle of Formentera: A Pirate Triumph

A pivotal moment came in 1529 when Hayreddin’s lieutenant Aydın Reis (“Cachadiablo” to the Spaniards) intercepted eight Genoese galleys near Formentera. Despite being outgunned, the corsairs boarded and captured seven ships, including the flagship carrying officers bound for Emperor Charles V’s coronation. The victory—celebrated wildly in Algiers—proved Ottoman-backed pirates could outfight Europe’s best.

Engineering a Pirate Haven

Hayreddin’s crowning achievement was seizing the Peñón of Algiers—a Spanish fortress controlling the harbor. After a 15-day bombardment using captured French cannon, its stones were repurposed to build the great western mole, constructed by 2,000 Christian slaves over two years. When Spanish reinforcements arrived belatedly, Hayreddin captured their entire fleet, adding 2,700 prisoners to Algiers’ slave markets.

The Ottoman Navy’s Ascent

Hayreddin’s success mirrored Ottoman naval expansion under Suleiman the Magnificent. Venice and Genoa—once Mediterranean powers—had been crippled by infighting. The 1499 Battle of Zonchio saw Ottoman fleets adopt Venetian shipbuilding techniques, while the 1522 Siege of Rhodes eliminated the Knights Hospitaller, Christianity’s last eastern bulwark.

Legacy of Terror and Trade

By 1530, Algiers thrived as a pirate metropolis. Its shipyards bustled with 7,000 slaves; raids brought 70,000 Morisco refugees who revitalized local crafts. Hayreddin’s 36-ship fleet made the Mediterranean a no-go zone for Christian merchants—a reality lasting 300 years. When he joined Suleiman’s court as High Admiral, Ottoman naval dominance reached from Algiers to the Aegean.

The Barbarossa brothers’ legacy endured in slave markets, coastal fortifications, and the very architecture of Mediterranean power. Their story reveals how piracy, when harnessed by state ambition, could reshape empires—and how Europe’s squabbles opened the door to Ottoman supremacy.