The Famous Mariner
Barbary pirates were the outlaws of the waves before the golden age of piracy, and the Barbarossa brothers are two of history’s most famous examples. Together, they became legends and sailed around the Barbary Coast in Northern Africa way back in the 1500’s.
Barbarossa, which means ‘red beard’ in Italian, was the last name for brothers Aruj and Hizir, who became rich and powerful by accumulating treasure during their pirate adventures on the Mediterranean Sea.
Their pirate careers started when they successfully captured some European vessels, igniting a passion for plunder. Shortly thereafter, they focused their concentration on attacking and conquering Spanish vessels — this is when Aruj lost an arm during a particularly intense battle.
At one point, the Barbarossa brothers served as privateers under an Ottoman sultan’s rule. At that time, the brothers were causing major problems for the Spanish and Portuguese traders and seizing many ships in the western Mediterranean. In 1516, the Ottoman’s gave Aruj the power to unofficially oversee the entire Barbary Coast. However, two years later, Aruj was killed in battle and his brother Hizir took over the powerful role.
Hizir was also known as Khair-ad-Din, and he continued to fight against a variety of Christian enemies. This included a fleet organised by the Pope, with the hopes of exonerating the Barbarossa brothers and their reign of terror. The end to Khair-ad-Din’s lucrative pirate career occurred in 1546 when he died in Constantinople.