Origins & Early Life

Murat Reis the Elder (Turkish: Koca Murat Reis; Albanian: Murat Reis Plaku fl. 1534 – 1609) was an Ottoman privateer and admiral, who served in the Ottoman Navy. He is regarded as one of the most important Barbary corsairs. Born into an Albanian family on Rhodes, he began his career by joining the crew of Dragut at a very young age.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1534, Murat Reis accompanied Hayreddin Barbarossa to Constantinople where they were received by Suleiman the Magnificent, who appointed Barbarossa to take command of the Ottoman fleet. While in Constantinople, Murat Reis participated in the construction of new warships at the naval arsenal on the Golden Horn. Murat Reis took part in all of the early naval campaigns of Turgut Reis. On September 25 and 26, 1538, he was assigned the task of preventing the ships of the Holy League under the command of Andrea Doria from landing at Preveza, and he successfully repulsed them from the shoreline. On September 28, he took part in the main combat and played an important role in the Ottoman victory at the Battle of Preveza, where he fought along with Turgut Reis in the center-rear wing of the Ottoman fleet which had a Y...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Antonio da Correggio — Contemporary (Died in 1534) (1534): Master of the Parma School, known for sensuous, dynamic High Renaissance painting.
• Chaitanya Mahaprabhu — Contemporary (Died in 1534) (1534): Founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, known for bhajan-kirtan and devotion to Krishna.
• Oda Nobunaga — Contemporary (Born in 1534) (1534): Pioneering warlord who paved the way for Japan's unification.
• Annibale Carracci — Contemporary (Died in 1609) (1609): Pioneering Bolognese Baroque painter, founder of a classical style in Rome.
• Jacobus Arminius — Contemporary (Died in 1609) (1609): Pioneering Dutch theologian whose views formed the basis of Arminianism.
• Judah Loew ben Bezalel — Contemporary (Died in 1609) (1609): A pivotal Talmudic scholar, Kabbalist, and philosopher of the late 16th century.
• Thomas Cajetan — Historical peer (Died in 1534) (1534): Cardinal and theologian, known for defending Catholic doctrine against the Reformation.
• Judith Leyster — Historical peer (Born in 1609) (1609): Dutch Golden Age painter known for genre scenes and portraits, rediscovered in the 19th century.
• Raimondo Montecuccoli — Historical peer (Born in 1609) (1609): Esteemed Habsburg commander and military theorist of the early modern era.
• Askia Muhammad I — Historical peer (Died in 1538) (1538): Founder of the Askia Dynasty, Great Emperor of the Songhai Empire
• 1534 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1534
• 1609 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1609