Giacomo Casanova

Giacomo Girolamo Casanova was born in Venice in 1725 and died at Dux Castle in Bohemia in 1798. The Venetian writer studied theology and law in Padua and worked, among other roles, as a soldier, lottery administrator, secret agent and librarian. In 1755, he was imprisoned in Venice because of his way of life; the following year, he escaped from the Doge’s Palace prison known as the Piombi. From 1790 onward, he wrote his memoirs at Dux. Published as Histoire de ma vie, they became known especially for their accounts of his travels and numerous love affairs.