FRANCE CRAVES ASSISTANCE OF THE PORTE.
In the year 949 Francis king of France sent an ambassador to the Sublime Porte, to request the aid of a naval force and other assistance, in consequence of a terrible feud that existed between him and Spain. Orders having been given this winter to fit out a considerable number of vessels, Khair-ad-din, in compliance with this request, equipped a hundred galleys, and in the spring of the year 950 sailed with a complete fleet for France. Several historical accounts agree in this statement. On this occasion victory deserted the arms of the pasha.
DEATH OF KHAIR-AD-DIN PASHA.
The pasha, after remaining at sea two years longer, to protect its navigation, returned to the Porte, where he died on the sixth of Jemazi-al-avul, 953 (A.D. August 1546), upwards of eighty years old, and was buried in his tomb at Beshektash. The period of his death is chronogrammatically expressed in the sentence,[43] “The chief of the sea is dead.” May the mercy of God be extended to him!
CHAPTER IV.
Of the Expeditions of the Capudans from the time of Khair-ad-din Pasha till that of Pialeh Pasha.
THE EXPEDITIONS OF MOHAMMED PASHA.
After the death of Khair-ad-din Pasha, the vezier Mohammed Pasha was made capudan, and held that office for two or three years, when he was presented with the governorship of Roumelia. He was afterwards appointed grand vezier, and performed the functions of that office at Scutari.