By age 12, he began sailing with his uncle Kemal Reis. Kemal was a notable corsair,. a type of pirate who acted with the approval of a sovereign state. Led by Kemal Reis, the Barbary pirates threatened European maritime traffic.. Piri Reis wrote of his early years, "We sailed on the Mediterranean and fought the enemies of our religion mercilessly.". He sailed with his uncle on raids, mainly on the coasts of Italy and Spain. By 1490, they were operating out of Béjaïa, Algeria.. As a corsair, Piri Reis captured many ships, a fortress near Mallorca, and Pianosa near Corsica. During the Granada War, Piri Reis transported Muslims and Jews from Spain to North Africa. During the winters, he and his uncle took shelter in favorable harbors on the Barbary Coast..
By age 12, he began sailing with his uncle Kemal Reis. Kemal was a notable corsair,. a type of pirate who acted with the approval of a sovereign state. Led by Kemal Reis, the Barbary pirates threatened European maritime traffic.. Piri Reis wrote of his early years, "We sailed on the Mediterranean and fought the enemies of our religion mercilessly.". He sailed with his uncle on raids, mainly on the coasts of Italy and Spain. By 1490, they were operating out of Béjaïa, Algeria. As a corsair, Piri Reis captured many ships, a fortress near Mallorca, and Pianosa near Corsica. During the Granada War, Piri Reis transported Muslims and Jews from Spain to North Africa. During the winters, he and his uncle took shelter in favorable harbors on the Barbary Coast..