In the Moghreb districts, Khair-ad-din having reduced the land side, sent his chiefs with fifteen vessels to the Spanish coast, where they burnt and destroyed the towns. Fifteen ships which had formerly been taken by the Spaniards were now found at an island called Kïounlugé, where an engagement took place, in which the Spaniards saved only one of them, and the remaining fourteen were brought to Algiers, where the immense booty they contained was divided.
STATE OF THE MUDAGILS OF SPAIN.
Charles V. having gone by land to the assistance of Germany, was obliged to return disappointed and mortified. Before his time the Moslems who remained in the Andalusian towns, though they paid taxes, were allowed to call publicly to prayers, and to exercise their religious ceremonies. But when Charles became king, he issued a proclamation forbidding any one to worship according to the forms of Islamism, and commenced the work of immolation among the faithful. The Moslems, being able to endure this no longer, began to form themselves into societies, and at length convened a general meeting, and took up their position behind a mountain, whence they sent to beg assistance from Khair-ad-din, who immediately sent over thirty-six golettas. On their arrival they bravely withstood the troops that came out to prevent the embarkation of the Moslems. A thousand men were stationed on the field, whilst seven voyages were performed; and all the Moslems were thus conveyed to the opposite shore, and delivered from the power of the infidels. On their passage they captured several vessels, and enriched themselves with plunder. On this occasion about seventy thousand Mudagils were brought over, who settled in Algiers and other places. This is the reason why most of the Algerines are Andalusians.
THE STRATAGEMS OF ANDREA AND OF KHAIR-AD-DIN.
When Sultan Soleiman Khan returned from his expedition into Germany, he sent a letter by Senan Chiaoush to Khair-ad-din Beg, saying that he intended to undertake an expedition against Spain; and requesting him to appoint some trusty person to govern Algiers in his stead, and proceed forthwith to the Sublime Porte; and that if he could find no such person, he would inform his highness. When it became known that Khair-ad-din was about to set out for the Porte, Andrea left Seville, and came to Genoa; and in order to prevent him from going, had recourse to the stratagem of sending to Algiers a barge laden with a quantity of merchandise, worth six thousand pieces of gold, and seventy of the prisoners he had taken at Corone, with instructions to inform Khair-ad-din that the king of Spain intended to come against Algiers. Khair-ad-din perceiving the trick, made a feint of unmanning his fleet, and casting trenches; and having emptied the barge of its cargo, allowed the men to depart; who, on their arrival at Genoa, gave out that Barbarossa had abandoned his intention of going to the Porte. This intelligence pleased Andrea, who immediately proceeded towards Corone.
EXECUTION OF THE INFIDEL CHIEFS.
Among the infidel chiefs who were taken in the two ships before mentioned[28] there were twenty men of rank, and captains, and one hundred and twenty brave infidels, who wore golden chains about their necks. One of the captains was the son of the grand-master, (μεγα μαγιστωρμεγα μαγιστωρ,) who had been sent out from Rhodes; and when the agents of the Genoese government arrived to treat for their ransom, they offered large sums (amounting in the whole to 20,000 pieces of gold) for him and several of the captains. This offer the begs were disposed to accept; but the ulema (priests) prevented them, saying, “That as these were powerful enemies, it would be imprudent to give them their liberty.” The unfortunate prisoners were thus left to despair. To keep them prisoners at Algiers was deemed impolitic; and to put them to death seemed scarcely more advisable; for, in either case, it was certain that the infidels would employ the money intended for their ransom in purchasing Moslem captives for the purpose of putting out their eyes, since they had previously to this cut off the noses and ears of several Moslem chiefs, cutting the cartilages, and otherwise maiming them; upon which Khair-ad-din had sent a remonstrance to them, which had the effect of making them desist from torturing their captives. Thus it was that Saleh Reis and Torghudjeh, who were captives, escaped the torture. Khair-ad-din however anticipated the consequences of retaining his prisoners; for having seen in a dream that the captains had murdered the jailer, with a view to effect their escape, he, by way of experiment, instructed the latter, who was one of his relations, to ingratiate himself with the prisoners, and endeavour to discover their secret. This he effected; and so entirely did he possess their confidence, that they intrusted him with a letter to the governor of Bajaiah, requesting him to send them a ship, and informing him that it was their intention to murder the guard of the prison, and thus make their escape; that there were seven thousand prisoners in Algiers; and that if they did not succeed in taking the city, they should at all events escape from prison. Having first showed this letter to Khair-ad-din, the jailer proceeded to Bajaiah to deliver it. On his arrival there he delivered the letter; and a vessel was immediately prepared and sent off, so as to reach the prisoners that night. The jailer, having been treated with the greatest respect, returned, and related all that had passed to Khair-ad-din, who immediately sent out a vessel to seize the one sent from Bajaiah, which had just arrived; when the infidels on board, about 120 in number, together with the captains in the prison, were put to death, on the above accusation. Their letters he sent to the Genoese, who recognised the handwriting, and necessarily kept silence.