Mohamed El-Reis (ca. 1420-1477) Arabic: ( محمد ابراھم الرئس ) was a Barbary pirate from North Africa. He was born in Algiers (present-day Algeria) and became a pirate, also active in Brunant.
Biography[]
El-Reis is famous for having attacked the town of Brunantstad in 1462 and 1469. In 1471, he came to Nieuw Helmond with the intention of raiding it. Seeing that it was a very poor town, he gave away his book collection to the town and started the first library. This would become the foundation for El-Reis Academy of the Arts.
An old and famous myth was that Reis and Adrianus Graf once fought each other in an epic duel, but this is impossible as Graf was born 30 years after his death.
Legacy[]
El-Reis appeared on the 100 thaler note of 1987.
The El-Reis Academy of the Arts was named after him, as was the Mohamed Reis Primary School. Both are located in Nieuw Helmond.