Ioannis Varvakis (June 24, 1745 – January 10, 1825)

Ioannis Varvakis (June 24, 1745 – January 10, 1825)

From the island of Psara, he was a merchant and a national benefactor of Greece.

Varvakis’ father was a shipowner, involved in the general trading of goods in the Aegean. By 15, he was helping his father and by 18 he had his own ship.

From trade activities, soon Varvakis was drawn into other pursuits of that period time such as; guerrilla warfare and piracy, where it was common for ships to be attacked, crews killed and vessels looted.

During the Greek Revolution of 1770, otherwise known as the Orlov Revolt, Varvakis sold everything he had to equip his merchant ship with soldiers. weapons and cannon, taking part in multiple operations up and down the Aegean.

Following the Russian betrayal, where promised supplies and assistance failed to materialise. Varvakis returned to Psara and continued his commercial activities, which took him to Constantinople, all over Russia and then to Odessa.

It was while in Odessa, where Varvakis was initiated into Filiki Etaireia, becoming a leading member and financier of the group.

By the time of the Greek Revolution of 1821, Varvakis supplied and equipped Alexandros Ypsilantis’ forces for his campaign in Moldavia and Wallachia and when the Turks destroyed Psara in a cowardly attack against the civilian population in 1824, Varvakis contributed much aid to the island and to survivors of the atrocities.

Varvakis other donations in Greece include, building the school the Βαρβάκειον Λύκειον, as well as the building for the Βαρβάκειος Αγορά, a large produce market in Athens. He dies in Zakynthos in January 1825.