Oruç Reis

Ottoman corsair, later Sultan of Algiers (c. 1474–1518)

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Lived 1473–1518, aged 45Turkey

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Wikipedia
32 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1473–1518
Aged 45

Summary

Updated 2026-06-09

An Ottoman corsair who carved out his own kingdom on the North African coast, Oruç Reis ran a refugee operation across the Mediterranean before becoming Sultan of Algiers — and dying sword-in-hand against Spanish forces at Tlemcen.

Biography

About

Born on the Ottoman island of Midilli, Oruç Reis began his career ferrying Morisco, Muslim, and Jewish refugees fleeing Spain to North Africa — a mercy run that earned him the name Baba Aruj, Father Aruj. Europeans called him Barbarossa. The elder brother of the admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa, Oruç turned corsair and eventually claimed power for himself, becoming Sultan of Algiers. He fell in battle against the Spanish at Tlemcen.

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