[Menydh]

Debunking the Fairy Tale of "The Coming Of The Corsairs"


You know, the whole account about the Ottoman Turk and the Berberiscs (Barbary corsaires) has a very romantic and even glorious flair to it. Then, linked to the white slavery account, you know..

But it happens that the author forgets a detail that I wouldn't call it small. Though I'll let you judge.

You might ignore it. The author of the article might ignore it too. Or might have chosen to ignore it. His name rings the bell.. The fact remains that Elizabeth I of England maintained correspondence with the Ottoman Sultan with the hope that Spain and the Holy Alliance was defeated by the Turks and their Berberisc allies. The "other" allies, that is. Because as it happens, the English ships were doing their part to help the Ottomans against the Spanish. The contact between Elizabeth and the Sultan was through.. guess, her Jewish doctor and advisor and the Sultan's own Jew.

So you can say among other things that the English put their little part in helping the developing of the Ottoman and Moorish "white slavery" that the article mentions. I say among other things because, as a mind excercize, I'll leave it to you to figure what things would have turned to Southeastern and parts of Central Europe if the Ottomans had defeated Spain.. with the willing help of Elizabeth I.

Rosy, rosy, but a fairy tale that hides a terrible truth behind it.

I'll post this other article on another occasion, but in the meantime you can read it here: Nato Review