Video - One-Armed Oruç Reis: The Conquest of Becaye

In the autumn of 1514, Oruç Reis, with four ships, encountered the Spanish fleet consisting of nine ships in front of Becaye Castle in North Africa. Oruç Reis sank one of the ships and captured two of them. Six other Spanish ships entered the harbor of Becaye and took shelter under the foothills of the castle. Oruç Reis brought a cannon ashore and started to beat the goal. However, two hundred sailors were martyred by the cannonballs fired from both the castle and the Spanish ships. Despite this, the sailors did not give up. On the eighth day of the fighting, a breach was opened in the castle through which one could enter. Oruç Reis dived into the breach to activate his arms. However, his left arm was seriously injured by a cannonball. That's why they immediately lifted the siege and retreated. He was not taken into account. Doctors cut off Oruç Reis's arm at elbow level because it was gangrene, and then they dipped the cut into hot olive oil to prevent it from getting infected. Two years later, Oruç Reis and his brother Hızır besieged Becaye again with eleven ships. While Oruç Reis was swinging a sword with one arm, he was shouting to his soldiers: "I left one arm in front of this fortress. Why don't I leave even my head, let alone another one!" On the fifth day of the siege, Becaye was finally conquered.