Arnaut Mami | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance |  Ottoman Empire |
| Branch | Ottoman Navy |
Arnaut Mami orMahomed the Albanian (fl. 1572–76) was anOttomanAlbanian[1] commander and admiral of the Ottoman fleet and the squadron admiral and the supreme commander of all Islamic vessels in North Africa andPasha Algiers, known as the most formidablecorsair of that period for his terrorizing of the narrow seas. He was also captain general of Ottoman galleys inAlgiers. He was calledArnaut after his Albanian origin.
On the morning of 26 September 1575, Arnaut's ship attacked thegalleySol on the Catalan coast, withMiguel de Cervantes aboard. After significant resistance, in which the captain and many crew members were killed, the surviving passengers were taken to Algiers as captives. After five years as a slave, Cervantes was released when his family paid the ransom.