15 Biggest Traitors in History & What Their Stories Teach Us

1362
infamous traitors history

From political leaders who have turned against their own people to military commanders who have sold out their countries to the enemy, history is filled with stories of treachery and betrayal.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the most infamous traitors in history, examining their motivations, actions, and the consequences of their choices.

Because, after all…who can resist a captivating tale of villainy?

So, without further ado, let’s delve into the murky world of betrayal and treason, filled with historical figures who made their mark in the most despicable ways possible!

Infamous Traitors in History

1) Benedict Arnold

The infamous Benedict Arnold. His name is synonymous with treason in the United States (as well as breakfast). 

As one of the most notorious traitors in American history, Benedict Arnold’s fall from grace is a chilling reminder of the consequences of greed and ambition.

Despite being a celebrated general in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, Arnold’s lust for power and wealth led him down a treacherous path of betrayal.

His plan to surrender West Point to the British would have dealt a major blow to the American cause, potentially prolonging the conflict and resulting in even more loss of life.

Yet, Arnold’s plot was uncovered, and he was forced to flee to the enemy side to avoid prosecution, forever staining his name as a traitor to the country he once fought to protect.

2) Julius Rosenberg

During the height of the Cold War, Julius Rosenberg was at the center of one of the most controversial espionage cases in American history. Accused of spying for the Soviet Union, he and his wife Ethel were alleged to have passed on sensitive information about the development of the atomic bomb.

This move was considered a significant breach of national security. Big surprise.

The Rosenbergs’ trial was highly charged and politically fraught, with both sides presenting arguments that captured the entire nation’s attention.

Despite mounting criticism over the legitimacy of the evidence presented against them, the US government remained convinced of the couple’s guilt.

Eventually, Julius and Ethel were found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation. The controversy surrounding the Rosenbergs’ execution has endured for decades, with passionate arguments on both sides of the debate.

While some maintain that the couple were innocent victims of a government witch hunt, others argue that they were indeed guilty of the crimes they were accused of and that justice was served in their execution.

3) Vidkun Quisling

Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian politician who infamously collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.

After the German invasion in 1940, Quisling seized power in Norway and established a puppet government under Nazi control.

He was appointed as the prime minister of this government.

He soon pledged allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party, becoming known as one of Hitler’s most loyal and zealous followers.

Quisling’s betrayal of his own people went beyond just political collaboration. He volunteered Norwegian troops for the Eastern Front and assisted the Germans in the deportation of Jews and other minority groups to concentration camps.

After the war, Quisling was arrested and charged with high treason. He was found guilty and executed by firing squad in October 1945.

His legacy remains a shameful stain on Norwegian history. His name is still synonymous with traitor, as a stark reminder of the dangers of betraying one’s country for personal gain.

4) Mir Jafar


In the 18th century, Mir Jafar played a prominent role in the Bengal region as the commander of the Nawab’s army, and he was widely regarded as a loyal subject. However, his ambition and greed drove him to conspire against the Nawab in favor of the British East India Company.

During the Battle of Plassey in 1757, Mir Jafar secretly pledged his support to the British in exchange for the throne of Bengal once the Nawab was defeated.

He deliberately withdrew his troops from the battlefield, thereby enabling the British to secure a decisive victory over the Nawab’s forces. This treacherous act opened the door to British colonization of India.

The East India Company gained control over Bengal and established a strong foothold for the Empire in the subcontinent.

The British rewarded Mir Jafar for his betrayal by granting him the title of Nawab. However, he soon found himself in the same position as his predecessor.

When he failed to comply with the British demands, he was replaced by another puppet ruler. Mir Jafar’s reputation was forever ruined. His treachery is now regarded as one of the most significant betrayals in Indian history and a crucial turning point in the country’s colonial past.

5) Guy Fawkes

“Remember, remember, the 5th of November” – the day Guy Fawkes attempted to blow the English Parliament sky-high. 

On the night of November 4, 1605, Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators placed 36 barrels of gunpowder in the cellar beneath the House of Lords.

The plan was to blow up the building during the State Opening of Parliament the next day, killing King James I and the members of Parliament.

However, an anonymous letter alerted the authorities, and Fawkes was caught red-handed guarding the explosives.

After being interrogated and tortured, Fawkes confessed to his role in the plot and revealed the names of his fellow conspirators. He was then tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered.

Fawkes’ failed attempt to overthrow the government has become a significant event in British history. It is still remembered every year on November 5th with bonfires, fireworks, and the burning of effigies of Fawkes.

Guy Fawkes’ distinctive appearance, with a pointed beard and a hat, inspired the iconic mask seen in the 2006 film V for Vendetta. The mask has since become a symbol of resistance and protest worldwide.

6) Marcus Junius Brutus

“Et tu, Brute?” 

Yup, Brute too.

Marcus Junius Brutus, a prominent senator and military commander, is infamous for his role in one of the most significant betrayals in Roman history.

For years, Brutus was a close ally of Julius Caesar, a man he respected and admired.

However, as Caesar’s rule became increasingly autocratic, Brutus became convinced that overthrowing him was the only way to save the Roman Republic from a dictatorship.

Brutus joined forces with a group of like-minded senators and plotted to assassinate Caesar. Their plan came to fruition on the Ides of March in 44 BC when they stabbed Caesar to death in the Senate chamber.

Brutus saw himself as a hero, a defender of Roman values against Caesar’s tyranny, but the Roman people viewed his actions as treacherous. Caesar’s assassination only intensified the man’s popularity, and Brutus’ justification fell on deaf ears.

As a result, Brutus and his fellow conspirators were forced to flee the city and eventually met Caesar’s supporters in battle in Greece. In the end, Brutus chose to take his own life rather than face capture and humiliation at the hands of his enemies.

Despite his initial intentions, Brutus’ legacy is forever tainted by his betrayal of Caesar. He will always be remembered as a traitor to the Roman Republic and a cautionary tale of how personal ambition and idealism can lead to treachery and downfall.

7) Ephialtes of Trachis

Ephialtes of Trachis depicted (likely inaccurately) in the movie “300”.

Ephialtes of Trachis was a man from ancient Greece who played a significant role in the Battle of Thermopylae.

A little background here…In 480 BC, King Xerxes I of Persia led his army to invade Greece to expand his empire.

To stop the Persians, King Leonidas I of Sparta led the Greek forces to confront them at the narrow pass of Thermopylae. The pass was an ideal strategic location for the Greeks because of its narrowness, allowing only a few soldiers to pass at a time.

This effectively limited the number of Persian troops that could attack the Greeks simultaneously, giving them a tactical advantage.

The Greeks held their ground against the Persians for two days, but Ephialtes ultimately betrayed their defense.

Ephialtes, a resident of Trachis, knew of a secret path that led through the mountains, allowing the Persian army to outflank the Greek forces. He approached Xerxes and offered to show him the path in exchange for a reward.

Xerxes agreed, and Ephialtes led a detachment of Persian soldiers through the mountains, bypassing the Greek defense and attacking them from the rear.

The Greek soldiers were caught off guard and overwhelmed, leading to a crushing defeat. King Leonidas and his men fought valiantly but were vastly outnumbered and eventually killed.

The Battle of Thermopylae was a significant defeat for the Greeks, clearing the way for the Persians to invade and conquer Athens.

Ephialtes, meanwhile, never received the reward he was promised. The Greeks and the Persians despised him for his treachery, and he fled to Thessaly, where a rival eventually killed him for his betrayal.

8) Mata Hari

Now let’s talk about the one and only Mata Hari, the OG “femme fatale”. Born Margaretha Zelle in the Netherlands, she reinvented herself as Mata Hari, an exotic dancer who captured men’s hearts and the public’s imagination.

But behind her seductive facade lay a web of intrigue and espionage that would eventually lead to her downfall. Hari was accused of some serious espionage shenanigans during World War I.

Mata Hari’s glamorous lifestyle and activities caught the attention of both the French and German intelligence agencies. The French suspected she was providing sensitive information to the Germans, while the Germans believed she was a double agent working for the French.

In 1917, the French arrested Mata Hari, and she was accused of spying for the Germans.

Her trial was marred by inconsistencies and questionable testimony, leading many to believe she was a convenient scapegoat for the French intelligence agency.

Despite the lack of solid evidence against her, she was swiftly convicted and sentenced to death by firing squad.

The truth, however, remains a mystery to this day.

But whether or not she was truly a spy, Mata Hari’s story is one of intrigue, seduction, and betrayal. Her reputation as a double agent and international spy has inspired countless books, films, and songs for decades.

Mata Hari may have been caught, but her legacy as one of the most notorious traitors in history continues to capture the imagination of people around the world.

9) Aldrich Ames

Get this: Aldrich Ames, former CIA hotshot turned Soviet and Russian spy.

Aldrich Ames was a high-ranking CIA officer responsible for counterintelligence operations against the Soviet Union. However, in the early 1980s, he became disillusioned with his job and the government he worked for.

Ames was in severe debt and started to drink heavily. He began to see himself as a victim of the system and deeply resent the United States.

In 1985, he contacted the Soviet Embassy and offered to sell classified information to the KGB.

For the next several years, Ames provided the KGB with top-secret information, compromising numerous CIA assets and operations. His actions led to the execution of at least 10 American agents, and he received millions of dollars in return.

Despite his lavish spending and conspicuous lifestyle, Ames avoided suspicion for years.

Eventually, though, the gig was up. Ames was caught and sent to the slammer for life.

10) Kim Philby

Kim Philby, a high-ranking member of British intelligence, was a notorious double agent working for the Soviet Union. He was part of a group of British spies known as the Cambridge Five. He passed vital information to the Soviets during World War II and the Cold War, significantly damaging Western intelligence efforts.

Philby’s position within the British intelligence community allowed him to gain access to highly sensitive information, which he shared with his Soviet handlers.

For years, Philby remained undetected and even rose to a position of considerable influence within MI6, the British intelligence agency. However, in 1963, he was finally exposed as a Soviet spy and fled to the Soviet Union, where he was granted asylum.

Philby lived out the rest of his days in Moscow, where he was regarded as a hero by the Soviet government.

Despite the damage he caused to Western intelligence efforts, Philby remains a controversial figure. Some view him as a traitor who betrayed his country, while others see him as a committed Communist who acted on his beliefs, even in the face of severe consequences.

11) Robert Hanssen

A former FBI agent, Robert Hanssen dealt a heavy blow to American intelligence operations by betraying his country to the Soviet Union and Russia.

In 1979, Robert Hanssen, a senior FBI agent, began to sell highly classified intelligence to the Soviet Union and later to Russia, all while retaining his position within the agency.

Over the next two decades, Hanssen provided crucial information to the enemy, including the exposure of US intelligence operations and the disclosure of the identities of at least 50 American agents working for the FBI and CIA, placing their lives in peril and endangering national security.

Robert Hanssen’s actions as a spy had far-reaching consequences beyond exposing US intelligence operations and endangering the lives of American agents. His betrayal severely damaged the FBI’s reputation and raised questions about its ability to protect the nation’s secrets.

After his arrest in 2001, Hanssen’s home was searched and authorities found that he had accumulated a considerable fortune from his espionage activities.

He had received more than $1.4 million in cash and diamonds from the Russians, and had also used his position within the FBI to enrich himself by engaging in illegal financial activities.

Hanssen’s long-running espionage also caused the FBI to overhaul its counterintelligence operations and procedures, leading to new training and technology to better detect insider threats.

The Hanssen case also highlighted the need for greater oversight and accountability within the agency to prevent future betrayals.

Despite his cooperation with authorities, Hanssen’s actions remain a black mark on the FBI’s history and a reminder of the devastating impact that can result from the actions of a single insider.

12) David Greenglass

David Greenglass, a key figure in one of American history’s most notorious espionage cases, was a machinist who worked on the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. As such, he had access to highly classified information about the development of the atomic bomb.

In 1944, Greenglass began selling this information to the Soviet Union, marking the start of a career as a spy that would have far-reaching consequences.

It wasn’t until six years later that Greenglass’ involvement in espionage was discovered. In 1950, he was arrested by the FBI and charged with espionage, along with his sister Ethel Rosenberg and her husband Julius Rosenberg.

Facing the prospect of the death penalty, Greenglass made a deal with the government and agreed to testify against his sister and brother-in-law.

Greenglass’ testimony proved crucial to the prosecution’s case. He claimed that Julius had recruited him to pass secrets to the Soviets and that Ethel had typed up classified documents on a typewriter at their apartment.

Despite his cooperation, Greenglass was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The impact of Greenglass’ actions on his family was profound. His testimony against his sister and brother-in-law ultimately led to their execution in 1953, causing a rift between him and his family that never fully healed.

Greenglass was released from prison in 1960, but he lived the rest of his life in relative obscurity, a shadow of the man who had once been at the center of one of the most explosive spy cases in American history.

13) Wang Jingwei

Wang Jingwei was a Chinese politician whose actions during World War II continue to be a source of shame for many Chinese people today. In 1937, when the Japanese invaded China, Wang was one of the highest-ranking officials in the Nationalist government led by Chiang Kai-shek.

But instead of joining the fight against the invaders, Wang collaborated with the Japanese and established a puppet government under their control.

Wang believed his collaboration with the Japanese would enable him to advance his political ambitions and gain power in China. He saw the Japanese as a means to achieve his ends, and in 1940 he established the “Reorganized National Government of China” in Nanjing, with himself as the head of state.

Under Wang’s leadership, the puppet government sought to undermine the Chinese resistance movement and crush any opposition to the Japanese occupation.

Wang’s collaboration with the enemy made him one of the most vilified figures in Chinese history. He was seen as a traitor who had sold out his country and his people for his own gain.

After the war ended and the Japanese were defeated, Wang went into hiding, but he was eventually captured by Chinese authorities and committed suicide in 1944.

14) Pierre Laval

Pierre Laval, one of the most controversial figures in French history, was the head of the Vichy government during World War II. This regime collaborated with the occupying Nazi forces.

As the prime minister of France, Laval worked closely with the Nazis and implemented policies that led to the deportation of over 75,000 French Jews to concentration camps.

Laval’s collaborationist policies included the enactment of anti-Semitic laws, such as the requirement for Jews to wear the Star of David and the establishment of internment camps for Jews and other marginalized groups.

He even went so far as to propose a plan to deport all Jews in France to Madagascar, which the Nazis rejected as unfeasible.

Following the liberation of France in 1944, Laval was arrested and tried for his collaborationist actions. He was convicted of treason and sentenced to death.

During his trial, Laval argued that he had only worked with the Nazis to try to protect France from further harm, but the court rejected this defense.

On October 15, 1945, Laval was executed by firing squad. His death marked the end of a dark chapter in French history and a warning of the dangers of collaboration with oppressive regimes.

15) Judas Iscariot

Last but not least, we have the traitor of all traitors, Judas Iscariot. 

Judas Iscariot’s part in the betrayal of Jesus Christ has been a topic of intrigue and speculation for centuries. As one of the twelve disciples, Judas was privileged to be among Jesus’ closest confidants and was tasked with significant responsibility.

Yet according to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas approached the religious authorities at the Temple and offered to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Judas’ actions led to Jesus’ arrest and eventual crucifixion, considered some of the most significant events in Christian history. The betrayal has been portrayed in numerous art and literature, from paintings to plays and even films.

So why did he do it?

The Gospels of Luke and John suggest that Satan’s dark influence had played a part in Judas’s betrayal.

However, John emphasizes Judas’s preexisting immorality, describing him as a thief who often pilfered from the common purse that Jesus and his disciples used for their ministry.

This depiction of Judas as a greedy and treacherous figure has endured throughout history, cementing his status as the ultimate traitor.

Wrapping it Up

And there you have it, folks. Our list of the biggest traitors in history.

While the reasons for their treachery varied, from greed and ambition to ideology and personal gain, their actions have left a lasting impact on history.

But even as we reflect on the betrayals of these individuals, it is important to remember that these actions do not define the entirety of their lives. They were complex individuals with their own stories, struggles, and motivations.

As we move forward, we can learn from their actions and strive to be better ourselves. We can uphold our values, remain loyal to our beliefs, and stand up for what is right, even when difficult.

In the end, the stories of these traitors serve as a reminder that our choices can have a profound impact not just on ourselves but on the world around us.

Article Sources

  1. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/benedict-arnold
  2. https://spyscape.com/article/why-were-atomic-spies-julius-and-ethel-rosenberg-executed
  3. https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/history/scandinavian-history-biographies/vidkun-quisling
  4. https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/triumph-at-plassey/
  5. https://www.parliament.uk/about/faqs/house-of-commons-faqs/gunpowder-plot/
  6. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/mar15/julius-caesar-assassinated/
  7. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/vichy-leader-executed-for-treason
  8. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/robert-hanssen
  9. https://www.history.co.uk/articles/who-were-the-cambridge-five