Basil Zaharoff

Lore & Background

Zaharoff sold munitions to many nations, including Great Britain, Germany, the Russian and Ottoman Empires, Greece, Spain, Japan and the United States. He worked for Vickers from 1897 to 1927. He is believed to have sabotaged demonstrations of Hiram Maxim's machine gun, leading to a merger between Nordenfelt and Maxim in 1888. Zaharoff also sold faulty Nordenfelt submarines to Greece, Turkey, and Russia, none of which saw action. He attempted to acquire the patent of Spanish inventor Isaac Peral's submarine, but Peral refused. Zaharoff's tactics included sabotaging Peral's tests.

Reader's Guide

Basil Zaharoff's significance lies in his embodiment of the unregulated international arms trade of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His methods—selling to both sides, delivering defective equipment, and using sabotage—highlight the ethical ambiguities of the era. His close contacts with leaders like British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos, and Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II illustrate how arms dealers could influence geopolitics. Zaharoff's legacy is that of a figure who profited from conflict and instability, leaving a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked arms sales. His career also demonstrates the role of personal cunning and manipulation in the rise of industrial fortunes.

Did You Know?

• Zaharoff was described as both a 'merchant of death' and a 'mystery man of Europe'.
• He sold faulty submarines to Greece, Turkey, and Russia, none of which saw action.
• He is believed to have sabotaged demonstrations of Hiram Maxim's machine gun.
• He married a Philadelphia heiress in 1885 while already married, and was exposed as a bigamist.