Şuluk Mehmed Pasha (1525 – 7 October 1571), better known in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

as Mehmed Siroco or Mahomet Sirocco, and also spelled Sulik, Chulouk, Şolok, Seluk, or Suluc and known with the titles

Pasha Pasha (; ; ) was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitary, dignitaries, and others. ''Pasha'' was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of ...

, Reis, or

Bey Bey, also spelled as Baig, Bayg, Beigh, Beig, Bek, Baeg, Begh, or Beg, is a Turkic title for a chieftain, and a royal, aristocratic title traditionally applied to people with special lineages to the leaders or rulers of variously sized areas in ...

, was the Ottoman

(regional governor) of

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

in the mid-16th century. Both the foreign and the Turkish nicknames (and their various spellings) were derived from the name of the southern Mediterranean wind

Sirocco Sirocco ( ) or scirocco is a Mediterranean wind that comes from the Sahara and can reach hurricane speeds in North Africa and Southern Europe, especially during the summer season. Names ''Sirocco'' derives from '' šurūq'' (), verbal noun o ...

, from Greek ''sirokos'' and the hence derived Levantine Arabic ''shlūq'', respectively. Mehmed Siroco was appointed

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

in command of the Turkish right at the

Battle of Lepanto The Battle of Lepanto was a naval warfare, naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League (1571), Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states arranged by Pope Pius V, inflicted a major defeat on the fleet of t ...

(1571). Fighting the '' Lega Santa'' led by Admiral Agostino Barbarigo, he was known as the most aggressive attacker of the battle. He was wounded and killed in action when he struggled against Venetians at the

, as was Barbarigo. Mehmed Siroco was beheaded by the sword of Giovanni Contarini the Venetian.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehmed Siroco Ottoman Empire admirals Ottoman military personnel killed in action People who died at sea People from Ottoman Egypt Pashas People of the Battle of Lepanto 16th-century Ottoman military personnel

See also

Sources