Which Ottoman admiral was known as Barbarossa?

The Ottoman admiral known as Barbarossa was Hayreddin Barbarossa, also called Hayreddin Pasha.

Born as Hızır Reis, he began his career as a corsair in the Mediterranean alongside his older brother Oruç Reis. After Oruç’s death in 1518, Hızır inherited the famous nickname Barbarossa, an Italian name meaning “Redbeard.” Sultan Selim I later brought him into Ottoman service, and Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent appointed him Kapudan Pasha, or grand admiral, in 1533.

Barbarossa helped establish Ottoman naval dominance across the Mediterranean. His major achievements included the capture of Algiers, the conquest of Tunis in 1534, and the Ottoman victory over the Holy League at the Battle of Preveza in 1538. He also cooperated with France against the Habsburgs during the 1540s.

Oruç Reis was Barbarossa’s brother and predecessor in the nickname, while Turgut Reis and Piri Reis were different Ottoman seamen. Hayreddin Barbarossa died in 1546 and was buried in Beşiktaş, Istanbul.