Basil Zaharoff

About

Arms dealer and financier who pioneered fully automatic machine guns and submarines and backed early efforts at flight.

Before Fame

He was a tourist guide in Galata and also worked as an arsonist for the Constantinople firefighters who would pay him to set fires at places that could be raided for riches as the buildings burned.

Trivia

He was known for being shrewd and corrupt and didn't hesitate to sell arms to both nations involved in a war, dispute, or conflict.

Family Life

He married for a second time late in life when he was 75 years old.

Associated With

He was the basis for weapons trader Basil Bazarov in The Adventures of Tintin comic The Broken Ear by Herge.