BARBAROSSA, meaning red-beard, the name of two celebrated Turkish corsairs of the 16th century. They were the sons of a Roumelian sipahi who had settled in Mitylene after the capture of that island by Mahomet IL, and who appears to have embraced Islamism. The elder of the two is generally called Aτuch, Horuk, or Ouradjh; the name of the younger was Khizr, but he was afterwards called by the sultan Khair-ed-deen, meaning “one good in the faith,” which was corrupted by the Christians into Hayraddin. The brothers early betook themselves to piracy; and after various successes and reverses, they acquired sufficient wealth and renown to enable them to fit out a small fleet with which they ravaged the shores of the Mediterranean, and became the pests of that sea. A richly laden vessel which they presented to the sultan at Constantinople procured for them honorary caftans and recognition of their services. About the year 1516, after having been for some time in the service of the bey of Tunis, they began to acquire considerable possessions on the coast of Africa. Hayraddin seized the island of Shershel, and Aruch gained a footing in Algiers. The latter began to extend his conquests into the district of Telmessan or Tlemcen, and was resisted by the Arabs, who summoned the Spaniards of Oran to their assistance. Aruch fell in battle in 1518, and w as succeeded at Algiers by Hayraddin, who, after the reigning prince, Selim, was removed (in what way is somewhat doubtful), consolidated his power by placing himself under the Sublime Porte. Solyman, who was delighted at obtaining so much territory at such a small cost, conferred upon Hayraddin the title of Begler-l>eg of Algiers. The power of the pirates rapidly increased; Algeciras, a small island opposite Algiers, was taken from ...