Relations between Ottoman corsairs and the imperial navy in the 16th century

Abstract

This thesis endeavors to present an analysis of the nature of the relations between ottoman corsairs and the imperial navy in the 16th century. Recruitment of corsairs as naval officers by Ottoman central authority to make up for the insufficient numbers of skilled seamen was presented as a fact in various works. However, there is no study to explain construction period of this relationship and to define the system. This thesis aims to construct a model to explicate this relationship. As of the mid-fifteenth century, Ottoman seapower started to strengthen and Empire conquered several crucial harbors and islands in Black sea and Mediterranean until the end of this century. Ottoman Imperial navy gained a strong infrastructure thanks to these conquests. Apart from Imperial navy, Ottoman corsairs' attacks that were based on these harbors increased and they strengthened gradually. In 1495, an old corsair, Kemal Reis was taken into Ottoman service, thus he became a pioneer for the recruitment of corsairs to Imperial Navy. This was a turning point regarding relations between corsairs and imperial navy. Second and more important stage was promotion of Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha as a Kapudan Pasha of Imperial Navy in 1534 and formation of Cezayir-i Bahr-i Sefid province as a province of Grand Admiral. Therefore, relations between corsairs based North Africa and central authority grew stronger. In this study, a subjective periodization for purpose of analysis was used ; Pre- Kapudan Pasha Era, formation of Kapudan Pasha post and post-Lepanto era. On the other hand, both parts of this relation, Ottoman imperial navy and Ottoman corsairs were handled simultaneously. Corsairs could be independent as pirates, semi-dependent as privateers or dependent as naval officers and those were not opposite poles in early modern world. There was not a strict line between legal and illegal acts and this was considered as a part of early modern world in conceptualization of this relationship.