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Stavros Spyrou Niarchos (, ; 3 July 1909 – 15 April 1996) was a Greek billionaire shipping tycoon. Starting in 1952, he had the world's biggest
supertanker An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined cr ...
s built for his fleet. Propelled by both the
Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War, the Tripartite Aggression in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel, was a British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel invaded on 29 October, having done so w ...
and increasing demand for oil, he and rival
Aristotle Onassis Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; , ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975) was a Greek and Argentine business magnate. He amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and was one of the world's richest and most famous men. He was marri ...
became giants in global petroleum shipping. Niarchos was also a noted
thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
horse breeder and racer, several times the leading owner and number one on the French breed list.


Early life

Niarchos was born in
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
to a wealthy family, the son of Spyros Niarchos and his wife, Eugenie Koumantaros, a rich heiress, both born in the village of Vamvakou in the
Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...
. His parents were naturalized Americans who had owned a department store in
Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
, before returning to Greece, three months prior to his birth. They returned to Buffalo for a brief time, and the young Stavros attended the
Nardin Academy Nardin Academy was founded by the Daughters of the Heart of Mary in 1857. The academy includes a college-preparatory, college preparatory high school for young women, a co-educational elementary school, and a Montessori, Montessori school for tod ...
grammar school. They returned, permanently, to Greece, and Stavros studied in the city's best private school, before starting university. He studied law at the
University of Athens The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA; , ''Ethnikó kai Kapodistriakó Panepistímio Athinón''), usually referred to simply as the University of Athens (UoA), is a public university in Athens, Greece, with various campuses alo ...
, after which he went to work for his maternal uncles in the Koumantaros family's grain business. During this period, he became involved in shipping, by convincing his uncles their firm would be more profitable, if it owned its own ships.


Shipping career

Niarchos was a
naval A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operatio ...
officer in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, during which time part of the trade fleet he had developed with his uncle was destroyed. He used about two million dollars in insurance settlement to build a new fleet. His most famous asset was the yacht ''Atlantis'', currently known as ''Issham al Baher,'' after having been gifted to
King Fahd Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (; 1920, 1921 or 1923 – 1 August 2005) was King of Saudi Arabia, King and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 13 June 1982 until his death in 2005. Prior to his ascension, he was Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia from 1 ...
of
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
. He, then, founded Niarchos Ltd., an international shipping company that, at one time, operated more than 80 tankers, worldwide. He and
Aristotle Onassis Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; , ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975) was a Greek and Argentine business magnate. He amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and was one of the world's richest and most famous men. He was marri ...
were great shipping rivals. In 1952, high-capacity oil
supertanker An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined cr ...
s were built for the competing Niarchos and Onassis fleets, who both claimed to own the largest tanker in the world. In 1955, Vickers Armstrongs Shipbuilders Ltd launched the ''SS Spyros Niarchos''. Then the world's largest
supertanker An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined cr ...
, it was named after Niarchos' second son, Spyros, born earlier that year. In 1956, the
Suez Canal Crisis The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War, the Tripartite Aggression in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel, was a British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel invaded on 29 October, having done so w ...
considerably increased the demand for the type of large-tonnage ships that Niarchos owned. Business flourished, and he became a
billionaire A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least 1,000,000,000, one billion units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. It is a sub-category of the concept of the ultr ...
.


Personal life


Marriages

Niarchos was married five times: * To Helen Sporides in 1930, a daughter of Admiral Constantine Sporides, lasted one year. * To Melpomene Capparis in 1939, a widow of a Greek diplomat, whom he divorced in 1947."An International Marriage". Time. 24 December 1965. * To
Eugenia Livanos Eugenia Livanos-Niarchos (, ; 1927 – 4 May 1970) was a shipping heiress and the third wife of Greek shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos. She was the daughter of shipping magnate Stavros G. Livanos and his wife Arietta Zafirakis. Eugenia and Stavr ...
in 1947, a daughter of shipping magnate
Stavros G. Livanos Stavros George Livanos (; 1887 or 1890 – May 28, 1963), was a Greeks, Greek shipowner, native of the northern Aegean Sea island of Chios, and the founder of the Livanos shipping empire. He was also a rival as well as father-in-law to billionaire ...
. They divorced in 1965; she died in 1970 at the age of 44, after an overdose of
barbiturate Barbiturates are a class of depressant, depressant drugs that are chemically derived from barbituric acid. They are effective when used medication, medically as anxiolytics, hypnotics, and anticonvulsants, but have physical and psychological a ...
s. During this marriage he had an affair with Pamela Churchill (later Pamela Harriman). * To Charlotte Ford in 1965, daughter of tycoon automaker
Henry Ford II Henry Ford II (September 4, 1917 – September 29, 1987), commonly known as Hank the Deuce, was an American businessman in the automotive industry. He was the oldest son of Edsel Ford I and oldest grandson of Henry Ford. He served as president ...
, in
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. Their daughter Elena Anne Ford was born six months later. When the marriage ended in divorce the following year Niarchos returned to his former wife, Eugenia. No remarriage was necessary, since the couple's 1965 Mexican divorce had not been recognised by Greek law. * To
Athina Mary Livanos Athina Mary "Tina" Onassis Niarchos (; , ; 19 March 1929 – 10 October 1974) was an English-born Greek-French socialite and shipping heiress, the second daughter of the Greek shipping magnate Stavros Livanos and Arietta Zafirakis. She was kno ...
, his third wife Eugenia's sister, in 1971. Then the Marchioness of Blandford, Athina had been the first wife of
Aristotle Onassis Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; , ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975) was a Greek and Argentine business magnate. He amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and was one of the world's richest and most famous men. He was marri ...
. She died of an overdose in 1974. From the late 1970s until his death, he was linked to
Princess Firyal of Jordan Princess Firyal ( Firyal Irshaid ; born 1945) is a Jordanian humanitarian and philanthropist. She became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 1992, working on programs for education and protection of world heritage. She is a board member at the Inte ...
. He was also said to be linked to
Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy (Maria Gabriella Giuseppa Aldegonda Adelaide Ludovica Felicita Gennara; born 24 February 1940) is the middle daughter of Italy's last king, Umberto II of Italy, Umberto II, and Marie-José of Belgium, the "May Q ...
.


Children

Niarchos had two daughters and three sons: * By his third wife, Eugenia Livanos, whom he never divorced under Greek law: ** Maria Isabella Niarchos, a breeder of thoroughbreds. Married to Stephane Gouazé. Mother of two children: Artur Gouazé and Maia Gouazé **
Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male name derived from the Macedonian Old Koine language, Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominen ...
, art collector. Married in 1984 to his third wife Victoria Guinness (b. 1960), who is the younger daughter of Patrick Benjamin Guinness and Baroness Dolores von Fürstenberg-Herdringen. They had four children together: Stavros Niarchos (b. 1985, husband of
Dasha Zhukova Darya "Dasha" Alexandrovna Zhukova (; born 8 June 1981) is a Russian-American art collector, businesswoman, magazine editor, and socialite. She is the founder of the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and ''Garage Magazine''. Early life and edu ...
), Eugenie Niarchos (b. 1986), Theodorakis "Theo" Niarchos (b. 1991), Electra Niarchos (b. 1995). ** Spyros (b. 1955) married 1987 (divorced 1999) the Hon.
Daphne Guinness Daphne Diana Joan Susanna Guinness (born 9 November 1967) is an English fashion designer, socialite, actress, film producer, and musician. Early life Her father is Jonathan Guinness, 3rd Baron Moyne, the eldest son of Diana Mitford and Bryan ...
(b. 1967), daughter of
Jonathan Guinness, 3rd Baron Moyne Jonathan Bryan Guinness, 3rd Baron Moyne (born 16 March 1930), is a British peer, businessman and writer. A member of the Guinness family, he is the elder of the two sons of Bryan Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne, and his first wife Diana Mitford (la ...
by his second wife Suzanne Lisney, and had three children: Nicolas Stavros Niarchos (b. 1989), Alexis Spyros Niarchos (b. 1991) and Ines Niarchos (b. 1995). Spyros is a good friend of Prince Ernst August of Hanover, and was best man at his wedding to
Princess Caroline of Monaco Princess Caroline of Monaco (born 23 January 1957) is Princess of Hanover by marriage to Prince Ernst August. As the eldest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly, she is the elder sister of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and ...
. ** Konstantin, or Constantine Niarchos (1962–1999); married firstly 1987 (divorced) Princess Alessandra Borghese, no issue; married secondly the Brazilian artist
Sylvia Martins Sylvia Martins (born 1956) is a Brazilian painter. Born in Bagé, Martins studied at the Museum of Modern Art, Rio de Janeiro from 1973 to 1976. She then moved to New York, studying at the School of Visual Arts in 1978 and at the Art Students Leag ...
, no issue. He was the first
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
to scale
Mount Everest Mount Everest (), known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Qomolangma in Tibet, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and marks part of the China–Nepal border at it ...
. At his death of a massive cocaine overdose in 1999, ''The Independent'' (UK) reported he had been left one billion dollars as his share of his late father's estate. * By his fourth wife; Charlotte Ford: **
Elena Ford Elena Anne Ford-Niarchos (née Ford; born May 25, 1966) is an American businesswoman. She is the Chief Customer Experience Officer at Ford Motor Company and the first woman in the Ford family to hold an executive position at the company.USA Tod ...
(b. 1966) married firstly 1991 (divorced) to Stanley Jozef Olender, married secondly 1996 (divorced) Joseph Daniel Rippolone. With issue.


Death

Niarchos died on 15 April 1996 in
Zürich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
."Milestones". Time. 29 April 1996. He is buried in the family tomb in the
Bois-de-Vaux Cemetery The Bois-de-Vaux Cemetery ( French: ''Cimetière du Bois-de-Vaux'') is the principal burial ground of Lausanne in Switzerland. Laid out by the architect Alphonse Laverrière between 1922 and 1951, the cemetery lies to the south of the town an ...
in
Lausanne Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...
. His fortune was estimated to be worth $12 billion at the time of his death. He left 20% of his fortune to a charitable trust to be established in his name and the remainder to his three sons and daughter Maria, by his marriage to Greek shipping heiress,
Eugenia Livanos Eugenia Livanos-Niarchos (, ; 1927 – 4 May 1970) was a shipping heiress and the third wife of Greek shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos. She was the daughter of shipping magnate Stavros G. Livanos and his wife Arietta Zafirakis. Eugenia and Stavr ...
, a nephew, and a great nephew. He notably excluded from his will
Elena Ford Elena Anne Ford-Niarchos (née Ford; born May 25, 1966) is an American businesswoman. She is the Chief Customer Experience Officer at Ford Motor Company and the first woman in the Ford family to hold an executive position at the company.USA Tod ...
, his daughter by his ex-wife, heiress and socialite Charlotte M. Ford. Elena sued the estate in both Swiss and Greek courts for her one-tenth share, estimated to be worth £700 million.


Thoroughbred horse racing

Niarchos began investing in
thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter know ...
in the early 1950s and won his first stakes race with Pipe of Peace at the
Middle Park Stakes The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it i ...
. After leaving the business for roughly two decades, he came back in the 1970s and eventually put together a highly successful stable of racehorses that competed in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and the UK. He acquired the
Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard was a Thoroughbred horse breeding farm in Neuvy-au-Houlme in the Orne department in Lower Normandy, France purchased by Marcel Boussac in 1919. Widely respected, Marcel Boussac was called "the greatest of French breeders ...
horse breeding Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given Horse breed, breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired chara ...
farm in
Neuvy-au-Houlme Neuvy-au-Houlme () is a commune in the Orne department in northwestern France. The inhabitants of Neuvy-au-Houlme are called les Neuviens or les Neuviennes. Geography The commune of Neuvy-au-Houlme is part of the area known as Suisse Normande ...
, France and Oak Tree Farm in
Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...
, where, in 1984, he bred his most successful horse,
Miesque Miesque ( ; March 14, 1984 – January 20, 2011) was a champion Thoroughbred racemare. At age three, she was a dual Classic winner in France and Britain, then went on to win the Breeders' Cup Mile in America. Her four-year-old campaign was highl ...
. Niarchos was the leading owner in France twice (1983, 1984) and topped the breeders' list there three times (1989, 1993, 1994). His prize horses were all trained by
François Boutin François Boutin (21 January 1937 – 1 February 1995) was a France, French Thoroughbred horse trainer. The son of a farmer, he was born in the village of Beaunay in the northerly Seine Maritime département. He began riding horses at a young ag ...
, whose skill was a vital element of Niarchos' success in the field. After his death, in 1996, his daughter, Maria Niarchos-Gouazé, took charge of racing operations. She, too, was successful, winning France's most important race, the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
, in 2004 with her colt
Bago Bago may refer to: Places Myanmar * Bago, Myanmar, a city and the capital of the Bago Region * Bago District, a district of the Bago Region * Bago Region, an administrative region * Bago River, a river * Bago Yoma or Pegu Range, a mountain ran ...
, and her filly,
Divine Proportions Divine Proportions (born 13 March 2002 in Kentucky) is a champion Thoroughbred race horse and winner of two French classics. Background Divine Proportions was bred by the Niarchos family. She was sired by the American-bred stallion Kingmamb ...
, capturing the 2005
Prix de Diane The Prix de Diane, sometimes referred to as the French Oaks, is one of the most important and prestigious Group 1 horse races in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at C ...
by winning 9 out of her 10 races, until a serious tendon injury cut the horse's racing career short.


See also

*
Stavros Niarchos Foundation The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is a private, international philanthropic organization, making grants to nonprofit organizations globally in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and sports, and social welfare. It was established ...


References


Bibliography

* * * *


Further reading

* * * * * * * * *


External links


The Stavros Niarchos Foundation




{{DEFAULTSORT:Niarchos, Stavros 1909 births 1996 deaths 20th-century art collectors Greek art collectors Greek billionaires Greek businesspeople in shipping Greek expatriates in Switzerland Greek racehorse owners and breeders Greek people of Maltese descent Livanos family National and Kapodistrian University of Athens alumni Niarchos family Businesspeople from Athens Recipients of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) Owners of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winners Owners of Prix Ganay winners