Thomas County cat., 1890-08-07
T1Se Barbary Corsairs.

4Jp4e tho fourteenth century the
bplines OF piracy was carried Oman the
Nediteyfanean, chiefly by Ghfistiana
vho dsSH largely in stolen goods and
,slSyes.says Stanley Lane-Pole In his
1fstoryeft the Brbary corsairs. Greece
,,srdinfa Malta and Genoa contributed
by far the most numerous and trouble
some members Of the rowing fraternity,
TO whom the increase of commerce un-
der the stimulus of the crusades Offered
tempting advantages. This, however,
was all private liracy, and distinctly
repudiated by both the Italian and
African governments. who were bound
by treaty stipulation to execute any
corsair of their own country whom they
might arrest and to deliver all his goods
to the state which he had robbed. The
growth of commercial fleets, the fall OF
Constantinople, and the expulsion OF
Moors from Spain were three events
which conspired to discourage the pro-
fession among Christians and to stimu-
late MoOrs and Turks to greater ac-
tivity in its exercise.
The NIoOrs, driven from Spain, which
had teen their home for 700 years.
fiocked to Africa, where the hospitable
spirits of the Moslem religion readily
granted them refuge. A desire for
vengeance was naturally the feeling
uppermost in their hearts, and piratical
excursions in their light brigantines in
search of galleons, or a midnight descent
upon the well known coast Offerer the
readiest means of gratifying it. For
twenty years the Spaniarls suffered
themselves to be preyed upon by a foe
that they had seemed to regard as be-
meath their notice, while the adyen-
turers grew rich and built themselves
strongly fortified places on the Barbary
coast. Waking at last to a PERCEPTION
of the magnitude ofthe danger which
menaced them Don Pedro Navarro was
sent to bring the pirates to book. He
captured without much difficulty Oran
and Bujeya, exacted from the Algerines
vow to renounce piracy, and in order
to assist them to keep it, built and
garrisoned the strong fort PenOn de
Alger.
For seven years the eXiled MOOrs
kept their enforced vow, their constancy
being greatly stimulated by the ever
present reminder of the penOn, behind
whose walls keen eyes kept watch upon
the bay and straightly-aimed guns
lurked in, readiness to blow any trans
crossing galley out Of the water. At
last Ferdinand, the Catholic yielded up
the ghost, and the Algerines seized the
occasion to stop the tribute and call up
OH neighboring Arab shekyh for aid.
The sheykh obligingly consented to
assist them, and as the most effectual
means of doing so called in his turn up
on the renowned Uruj Barbarossa, the
Lesbian corsair. to drive out the garri
son. BarbarOssa came willingly with
sixteen galleots and 5000 men, only too
glad of the opportunity to establish
himself more firmly in the country to
which he had recently come in pursuit
of conquest and power. The Arabs
and MOors were soon made aware that
they had simply exchanged a bad mas
ter for worse, but it was too late to
remedy their mistake. The shey kh who
had invited his aia was the first to feel
his dispotic power, being murdered in
his bath, it was said, by BarbarOssa's
own hand, and the unhappy Algerines,
who were now anxious to make common
cause with the soldiers of the penOn
against their unwelcOme ally, were set
upon at Friday prayers, bound with the
turbans of their guests and decapitated
at the mosque doors.
Ururi Barbarosa successfully main
tanned himself against the Spaniards,
and in short space of time made him.
self sultan of all middle Barbary. Dy-
ing upon the battle field fighting against
the troops of Charles v, his brother
succeeded to his power. and having the
sagacity to beg the protection of the
Sultan Selim, received from him the ap-
pointment of governor general of Al
giers, with the horse, scimeter and
horse-tail banner as insignia of office
Lelim also sent him a guard of 1900
janissaries, and offered special induce
ments to his subjects to go to Algiers
and help to strengthen the corsair's au-
thority.
twas true hut the northern states
of Africa became subject to the Turk
and the stronghold of a race of pirates
who for more than three centuries laid
all the trading nations of Europe under
tribute. until the United States broke
the spell of their power and set the
older nations an example of resistance
to their licensed robbery which led at
length to its total abolition.
Ancient Coronation Fashions.