Salah Rais is alternatively referred to as Sala Reis, Salih Rais, Salek Rais and Cale Arraez in several European sources, particularly in Spain, France and Italy.
19 Facts About Salah Rais
1.
2.
Salah Rais was around 30 years old when Oruc Reis died in 1518 during a battle against the Spaniards in Algeria.
3.
In 1533 Barbarossa and Salah Rais operated together against the Spanish-controlled ports in the Mediterranean Sea.
4.
Salah Rais pretended to retreat and eventually routed and trapped the forces of Tuttavilla, who followed him.
5.
In 1536 Barbarossa and Salah Rais were called back to Constantinople to take command of the Ottoman naval attack on the Habsburg Kingdom of Naples.
6.
Salah Rais later landed his troops at Empuries and Cadaques, capturing and sacking both cities, before sailing to Algiers.
7.
Salah Rais was spotted sailing together with Barbarossa in the spring of 1544.
8.
Salah Rais bombarded the fortress of the Knights from a distance of approximately 150 steps, eventually forcing Gaspare de Villers, their commander, to surrender.
9.
Salah Rais returned to Constantinople, where, due to his success in the conquest of Tripoli, he was promoted to the rank of Bahriye Beylerbeyi of the Ottoman West Mediterranean Fleet and was appointed as the Beylerbeyi of Algiers in 1551.
10.
Salah Rais was now advancing further east in Algeria and attacked the Ottoman Turks.
11.
Salah Rais accepted the request and conceded 22 of his galleys, carrying Turkish soldiers and cannons, to the service of the French fleet.
12.
Later that year, Salah Rais conquered Penon de Velez de la Gomera from the Spaniards, before sailing to Constantinople where he was received by the Sultan.
13.
Salah Rais destroyed the Spanish forts defending the entrance of the port, but could not capture the city itself due to the fierce resistance by the local population as well as the Spanish army garrison.
14.
Salah Rais then took his place and placed his troops around the ruins of the Bastion of Castiglia.
15.
The Siege of Malta was the final mission of Salah Rais, who was around 77 years old at that time.
16.
Salah Rais died in Algiers 3 years later, in 1568, close to the age of 80, just like his lifelong friend Turgut Reis.
17.
Salah Rais was from the generation of great Turkish seamen in the 16th century such as Kemal Reis, Oruc Reis, Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha, Turgut Reis, Kurtoglu Muslihiddin Reis, Piri Reis, Piyale Pasha, Murat Reis and Seydi Ali Reis.
18.
Salah Rais played an important role in the Battle of Preveza which secured the Turkish domination of the Mediterranean during his lifetime, until the Battle of Lepanto which took place 3 years after his death.
19.
Salah Rais vastly enlarged the Ottoman territories in northwestern Africa and extended them to the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean.