Fashioned by the hammer of misfortune on the anvil of racial expropriation, such leaders arose among the Moslems, men of iron, before whom all who worshipped at the altars of Islam bowed the knee.  These men, whose fame extended throughout all the length and breadth of the Mediterranean, taught to European rulers something of the value of that great force which is known to us under the modern name of “Sea Power.”

Next in importance to Kheyr-ed-Din Barbarossa himself and in many ways his very worthy successor, was Dragut Reis.  We have it on the authority of Messire Pierre de Bourdeille, the Seigneur de Brantome, that Dragut was born at a small village in Asia Minor called Charabulac, opposite to the island of Rhodes, and that his parents were Mahommedans.  Being born within sight and sound of the sea, the youthful Dragut naturally graduated in the school of the brigantine and completed his education on board of a galley.  His training was that which makes the best of fighting seamen, as from contemporary records he appears to have passed all his life actively engaged on board ship.  At a very early age he entered the service of a master gunner who served on board the galleys of the Grand Turk.  Under his auspices the youngster became an expert pilot in his own home waters, and likewise a most excellent gunner.  Dragut was evidently a youth of ability and determination, as almost before he reached man’s estate he had succeeded in buying a share in a cruising brigantine where his venture prospered so exceedingly that he was soon able to become sole proprietor of a galeasse.  Here again fortune favoured the enterprising young man; his name began to be known as a formidable corsair in the Levant, where he was remarkable for his knowledge of that portion of the Mediterranean.

To better his condition he offered his services to Barbarossa at Algiers, who accepted this new subordinate with joy, delighted to have so valiant and capable a man under his orders.

“During some years,” says J. Morgan in his Compleat History of Algiers, 1728, “he was by that basha intrusted in the direction of sundry momentous expeditions; in which he acquitted himself much to the satisfaction of his principal:  as having never once been unsuccessful.”  When we remember the treatment meted out by Barbarossa to some of his unsuccessful lieutenants, Dragut must be esteemed a very fortunate man.  His master, we are told, advanced him to all the military offices of the State—­it would be interesting to know what these were in a purely piratical confederation ruled by a pirate!  In the end Dragut was appointed to be kayia, or lieutenant, and given entire command of twelve galleys.