Sinan Reis

Origins

There are two competing explanations for Sinan Reis' epithet, "the Jew". While Ottoman sources are generally silent about his origins, most modern works assert that he was born to a Sephardic Jewish family which fled Spain or Portugal and possibly relocated to the then Ottoman ruled Smyrna, Sinan sailed as a Barbary corsair, a type of privateer or pirate, under the Ottoman flag. There are several cases of Jews who upon fleeing Iberia turned to attacking the Empire's shipping, a profitable strategy of revenge for the Inquisition's religious persecution.^[1][3]

Other sources claim that "the Jew" does not refer to Jewish origins. Sixteenth-century chronicler Francisco Lopez de Gómara argued that he was called "the Jew" because Sinan Reis once escaped from Christian ships while the nineteenth-century editor of his text speculated, not so quite understandably, that interest in astrology earned him his nickname.^[4]

Corsair

Sinan was based out of Mediterranean points including Santorini, and fought in several key battles against the Spanish and the Holy Roman Empire, at the time ruled by the same man, Charles V.

The English State Papers of 1533 bear evidences of his actions:

As to Coron, it was reported at Rome a few days ago that Andrea Doria was informed that the famous Jewish pirate had prepared a strong fleet to meet the Spanish galleys which are to join Doria's nineteen^[5]

His moniker "the Great Jew", appears in a 1528 reference by the Governor of Portuguese India, who mistakenly believed that Sinan was sent by Suleiman the Magnificent to aid the King of Calicut.^[1]

Sinan sailed under the famed Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa at the 1538 Battle of Preveza against Charles' Imperial fleet and its commander, Andrea Doria.^[1][3][6][7] Sinan suggested landing troops at Actium on the Gulf of Arta near Preveza, an idea which Barbarossa initially opposed, but which later proved to be important for securing the Ottoman victory.^[1]

The Spanish hired Christian forces to protect the barbary coast from the corsairs. Sinan led the battle and the defeat of the Genoan navy hired by the Spanish.^[2]

He commanded 6000 troops, stationed in Tripoli, Libya. Sinan's soldiers which were initially stationed in a fortress from eventually conquered the city. It is said Sinan was so angry by the resistance put up against him in Tripoli that he improsined the entire enemy garrison save a few.^[2]

Sinan Reis died in 1546.^[8] It is said that he died just days before a planned departure for a raiding mission to the coast of India.^[9]