Abstract:

Mediterranean Expeditions of Kapudan-ı Derya Khalil Pasha in the lights of Ottoman Chronicles After the naval battle of Lepanto the nature of the warfare in Mediterranean has transformed from great naval battles into war of corsairs. These wars that increased since the end of the 16th century had reached its’ peak in the first half of the 17th century. The struggles between the Ottoman Empire and the Malta, Tuscan and Spanish corsairs had spread to all over the Eastern Mediterranean. Ottoman administration, in the face of increasing attacks of the enemies, had started to organize annual expeditions regularly in order to secure both the sea traffic and Muslim pilgrims and also prevent the sea raids. Khalil Pasha, who has been appointed Kapudan Pasha periodically, has successfully prevented these raids and organized wide ranging expeditions. In this paper, the struggles and naval activities of Khalil Pasha against the Christian orders and corsairs between 1609 and 1623 will be examined on the base of Ottoman chronicles

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