Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (pronounced /ˌkæsəˈnoʊvə, ˌkæzə-/; Italian: [ˈdʒaːkomo dʒiˈrɔːlamo kazaˈnɔːva, kasa-]; born April 2, 1725; died June 4, 1798) was an Italian adventurer and writer born in the Republic of Venice. He traveled widely across Europe and is best known for his autobiography, written in French and published after his death as Histoire de ma vie ("The Story of My Life"). This work provides valuable insights into the social customs and traditions of 18th-century Europe.

Casanova was born to a family of actors. He studied law at the University of Padua and briefly joined the Catholic Church with the goal of becoming a canon lawyer. However, he lost interest in law and religious work and instead chose a life of travel, gambling, playing the violin, and writing. He often gained money and support from wealthy aristocrats by pretending to know secret knowledge about alchemy, mysticism, and magic. One of his notable achievements was escaping from Piombi prison, where he was held by the Venetian Council of Ten for breaking religious and moral laws. Later, he helped the French government create a state lottery to raise money.

Casanova frequently claimed to be an aristocrat and used many fake names, such as Baron or Count of Farussi (his mother’s maiden name) and the invented title Chevalier de Seingalt. After being exiled from Venice for the second time, he wrote in French and signed his works as "Jacques Casanova de Seingalt." In his autobiography, he described meeting important figures, including popes, cardinals, kings, and famous thinkers like Voltaire, Goethe, and Mozart.

One of the most well-known parts of Casanova’s life was his many romantic relationships with women, which he detailed in his autobiography. These relationships, which began in his youth and continued into old age, led to his name becoming associated with seduction and a lifestyle of indulgence, similar to figures like "Lothario" or "Don Juan." In his final years, he lived in Bohemia, working as a librarian for Count Waldstein and writing his autobiography at Dux Castle.

Biography

Giacomo Girolamo Casanova was born in Venice in 1725 to Zanetta Farussi, an actress, and Gaetano Casanova, an actor and dancer. Giacomo was the oldest of six children. His siblings were Francesco Giuseppe (1727–1803), Giovanni Battista (1730–1795), Faustina Maddalena (1731–1736), Maria Maddalena Antonia Stella (1732–1800), and Gaetano Alvise (1734–1783).

At the time of Giacomo’s birth, Venice was a famous city in Europe, known for its entertainment and tourism. It was a common stop for young people traveling on the Grand Tour, especially those from the British aristocracy. The city’s Carnival, gambling, and courtesans (women who provided companionship) made it a popular destination. These experiences shaped Giacomo’s early life.

When Giacomo was young, his mother traveled across Europe for work, and his grandmother, Marzia Baldissera, cared for him. His father died when Giacomo was eight years old. As a child, Giacomo had frequent nosebleeds. His grandmother sought help from a witch, who lived in a small, dark house with cats. The treatment did not work, but Giacomo was curious about the witch’s words. To help with his health, Giacomo was sent to live in a boarding school in Padua when he turned nine. He later said his parents treated him poorly, which hurt him deeply. Conditions at the boarding school were bad, so he asked to live with Abbé Gozzi, his teacher. Gozzi taught him school subjects and how to play the violin. Giacomo lived with the Gozzi family during most of his teenage years. He first met the opposite sex when Gozzi’s younger sister, Bettina, touched him at age 11. He later described this as the beginning of his strong interest in romantic relationships. Though Bettina married, Giacomo remained close to her and the Gozzi family for life.

Giacomo showed a quick mind and a strong desire to learn from an early age. He entered the University of Padua at 12 and graduated at 17 in 1742 with a degree in law. Though he later disliked the subject, his guardian hoped he would become a church lawyer. Giacomo also studied philosophy, chemistry, and mathematics and was interested in medicine. He often treated himself and others without a doctor’s help. While in university, he began gambling and got into debt, which led his grandmother to bring him back to Venice. His gambling habit continued.

In Venice, Giacomo started a career as a church lawyer and was allowed to become an abbé after receiving minor church orders. He traveled between Venice and Padua to continue his studies. By this time, he was known for his fashion, including long, curled, and scented hair. He gained the favor of a wealthy patron, 76-year-old senator Alvise Gasparo Malipiero, who taught him about fine food, wine, and social behavior. However, Giacomo was caught flirting with Malipiero’s intended romantic interest, an actress named Teresa Imer. Malipiero forced both Giacomo and Teresa to leave his home. Giacomo’s growing interest in women led to his first sexual experience with two sisters, Nanetta and Marton Savorgnan, who were related to the Grimanis. He later said this event marked the start of his lifelong passion for romantic relationships.

Giacomo’s church career was short-lived due to scandals. After his grandmother died, he briefly attended a seminary but was expelled for being caught in bed with another student. His debt led to his first imprisonment. His mother tried to get him a job with a bishop, but Giacomo left after a short time. Instead, he worked as a scribe for Cardinal Acquaviva in Rome. He once asked Pope Benedict XIV for permission to read books that were not allowed and to avoid eating fish, which he claimed hurt his eyes. He also wrote love letters for another cardinal. When Giacomo was blamed for a scandal involving two lovers, Cardinal Acquaviva fired him, ending his church career.

To find a new job, Giacomo bought a military commission to become an officer in the Republic of Venice. He joined a Venetian regiment in Corfu but briefly traveled to Constantinople to deliver a letter from his former teacher, the cardinal. He found military life boring and lost most of his pay gambling. He soon left the army and returned to Venice.

At age 21, Giacomo tried to become a professional gambler but lost all his money. He then asked his former patron, Alvise Grimani, for a job. Giacomo began working as a violinist at the San Samuele Theater, though he described the job as lowly. He and his fellow musicians often caused trouble in the city, such as untethering gondolas and tricking doctors and midwives.

His luck changed when Giacomo saved the life of a wealthy Venetian patrician, the Bragadin family, who had a stroke during a gondola ride. Giacomo insisted on removing a harmful ointment applied by a doctor and washing the man’s chest with cool water. The senator recovered and believed Giacomo had special knowledge. The senator, who was part of a secret group called cabalists, invited Giacomo to live with him and became his lifelong patron.

In his memoirs, Giacomo wrote about the next three years under the senator’s support, during which he worked as a legal assistant.

Memoirs

Casanova's later years were marked by loneliness and boredom, which allowed him to focus on writing his memoirs, Histoire de ma vie. Without this work, he believed his memory would have become weaker or even forgotten. He began thinking about writing his life story around 1780 and started in earnest by 1789, calling it "the only way to avoid going mad or dying of sadness." The first draft of his memoirs was completed by July 1792, and he spent the next six years revising it. He described his loneliness as a positive experience, writing that he enjoyed "conversing with myself about my own affairs" and providing "a worthy subject for laughter" to his readers. At the time of his death, his memoirs were still being compiled, covering only up to the summer of 1774. In a letter from 1792, he mentioned reconsidering whether to publish his memoirs, fearing that sharing the truth might make enemies. He decided to proceed, using initials instead of real names and softening some parts of his story. He chose to write in French rather than Italian because "the French language is more widely known than mine."

The memoirs begin with Casanova explaining the purpose of his book. He also told readers that they would not find all of his adventures, as he left out stories that might have embarrassed others. He admitted that some readers might think him too open, but he apologized for it. The final chapter ends suddenly, hinting at unrecorded events: "[T]hree years later I saw her in Padua, where I resumed my acquaintance with her daughter on far more tender terms."

When first published, the memoirs were divided into twelve volumes. An unabridged English translation by Willard R. Trask contains more than 3,500 pages. While some parts of his story are confusing or exaggerated, many details are supported by writings from the same time period. Casanova wrote in a way that showed a strong understanding of dialogue and described people from all social classes. He was mostly honest about his mistakes, goals, and feelings, sharing both his successes and failures with humor. His writing rarely expresses regret or guilt. He celebrated the senses, especially music, food, and relationships with women. He wrote, "I have always liked highly seasoned dishes. … As for women, I have always found that the one I was in love with smelled good, and the more copious her sweat the sweeter I found it." He described over 120 romantic or sexual relationships with women and girls, as well as some veiled references to relationships with men. Notes found at the Castle of Dux in Bohemia suggest he removed parts of his memoirs that described his relationships with men and boys. These removed sections included "My love for the Giton of the Duke of Elbeuf," "Pederasty with Bazin, and his sisters," and "Pederasty with X at Dunkirk." He also wrote about duels, conflicts with officials, escapes, and personal struggles.

The manuscript of Casanova's memoirs was kept by his family until it was sold to F. A. Brockhaus publishers. It was first published in shortened versions in German around 1822, then in French. During World War II, the manuscript survived the Allied bombing of Leipzig. Over time, the memoirs were widely copied and translated into about twenty languages. The full text was not published in French until 1960. In 2010, the manuscript was acquired by the National Library of France, which began digitizing it for public access.

Relationships

Casanova, along with other wealthy and powerful people of his time, viewed love and sex as casual and not as serious as the romantic stories written in the 19th century. Nobles often had short-term relationships, flirted, and played games in bed because they married for social benefits, not for love.

Casanova described himself as someone with strong desires for pleasure. He said, "Making my senses happy was the most important part of my life. I have never thought of anything else as more important. I was born to be with the opposite sex, and I always tried to win their affection." He sometimes used "assurance caps" to avoid making his mistresses pregnant.

Casanova believed that his ideal romantic relationship involved more than just sex. He often followed a pattern: he would meet a woman who was in trouble with a harsh or jealous lover (Step 1); he would help her (Step 2); she would thank him; he would then seduce her (Step 3); they would have a short, exciting relationship (Step 4); when he felt less interested, he would claim he was not worthy and help her marry someone else, then leave (Step 5). William Bolitho wrote that Casanova's success with women came from giving them everything he had, along with the excitement of receiving it all at once rather than over time. Casanova believed that showing gratitude was a sure way to win a woman's heart. He thought that alcohol and violence were not proper ways to seduce someone. Instead, he believed in being kind and thoughtful, but he also said that saying love aloud was foolish. Speech was important for love, but words should be implied, not spoken directly.

Casanova said he valued intelligence in women, believing that a woman without her own ideas left her lover with nothing to rely on after physical pleasure. However, he believed that education was not suitable for women, as he thought women could not make scientific discoveries or achieve great things. He did, however, admit that women were better at simple thinking and showing kindness.

Many people today might see Casanova's actions as harmful, even though he claimed he never targeted inexperienced or easily influenced women. He often pursued young, insecure, or emotionally vulnerable women.

Gambling

Gambling was a common activity in the social and political groups where Casanova lived. In his memoirs, Casanova described many types of 18th-century gambling, such as lotteries, faro, basset, piquet, biribi, primero, quinze, and whist, and the strong interest in these games among nobles and high-ranking clergy. Cheaters (called "correctors of fortune") were more accepted than today in public casinos and private games for invited players, and rarely caused embarrassment. Most gamblers were careful to avoid cheaters and their tricks. Scams of all kinds were common, and Casanova found them amusing.

Casanova gambled throughout his adult life, winning and losing large amounts of money. He learned from experts and was taught "wise maxims" that help people avoid losing too much in games of chance. He was not above cheating sometimes and even worked with professional gamblers for his own benefit. Casanova said he stayed calm when he lost and did not get overly excited when he won. However, when he was tricked unfairly, he could become angry and even demand a duel. Casanova admitted he lacked the discipline to be a professional gambler: "I had neither enough prudence to stop when luck turned bad, nor enough control over myself when I won." He also disliked being seen as a professional gambler: "Nothing could ever be said by professional gamblers that I belonged to their group." Although Casanova sometimes used gambling strategically—for quick money, flirting, making connections, acting bravely, or proving himself to his social equals—his gambling could also become compulsive and reckless, especially during the excitement of a new romantic relationship. "Why did I gamble when I felt losses so strongly? What made me gamble was greed. I loved to spend money, and I felt pain when I couldn’t do it with money won at cards."

Fame and influence

Casanova was known by people of his time as a remarkable individual with a wide range of knowledge and interests. Prince Charles de Ligne, who met many important people of that era, believed Casanova was the most fascinating person he had ever encountered. He said, "there is nothing in the world of which he is not capable."

The term "Casanova" is a well-known word in English, similar to "Don Juan." According to Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, the word "Casanova" refers to a lover, especially a man known for having many romantic relationships and not being careful about who he dates. The first recorded use of the term in written English was around 1852. The name Casanova appears often in books, movies, plays, and music.

In popular culture

• Casanova (1918), a Hungarian film
• The Loves of Casanova, or Casanova, a 1927 French film with Ivan Mozzhukhin as the main actor
• Il cavaliere misterioso (The Mysterious Rider), a 1948 film by Riccardo Freda, in which Casanova is played by Vittorio Gassman in his first role as a lead actor
• Poslední růže od Casanovy (The Last Rose from Casanova), a 1966 Czech film by Václav Krska, in which Casanova is played by Felix Le Breux
• Giacomo Casanova: Childhood and Adolescence, a 1969 film by Luigi Comencini, starring Leonard Whiting
• Fellini's Casanova, a 1976 film by Federico Fellini, starring Donald Sutherland
• La Nuit de Varennes (1982), a film featuring Marcello Mastroianni
• Casanova (1987), a television movie starring Richard Chamberlain
• Le Retour de Casanova (1992), a French comedy starring Alain Delon
• Casanova (2005), a film featuring Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Charlie Cox, and Lena Olin
• Nine (2009), a live-action film directed by Rob Marshall, based on the Broadway musical of the same name
• Casanova Variations (2014), a film starring John Malkovich
• Een schitterend gebrek (A Beautiful Imperfection) (2024), a film based on the historical novel "In Lucia's Eyes" by Arthur Japin

• "The Grand Canal" (1983), a group performance within the Broadway musical Nine (music and lyrics by Maury Yeston), which shows the romantic relationships of the main character in a way similar to Casanova's famous stories
• Casanova Fantasy Variations for Three Celli (1985), a musical piece for three cellos by Walter Burle-Marx
• "Casanova" (1987), a song by R&B group LeVert. The song reached number 1 on the R&B chart and number 5 on the pop chart
• Casanova (1996), an album by the UK band The Divine Comedy, inspired by Casanova
• "Casanova 70" (1997), a song by French electronic duo Air
• Casanova (2000), a musical piece for cello and winds by Johan de Meij
• "Casanova in Hell" (2006), a song by the UK group Pet Shop Boys, from their album Fundamental

• Casanova (1923), a comic opera with three acts, a prologue, and an epilogue, written by Ludomir Różycki
• Casanova (1928), an operetta by Ralph Benatzky, based on music by Johann Strauss Jr.
• Camino Real (1953), a play by Tennessee Williams, in which an aging Casanova appears in a dream sequence
• Nine (1982), a Tony-award-winning Broadway musical by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit, based on the 1963 film 8½ by Federico Fellini, in which the main character, an Italian film director, imagines making a movie about Casanova
• Casanova's Homecoming (1985), an opera by Dominick Argento
• Casanova (2007), a play by Carol Ann Duffy and Told by an Idiot theatre company, starring Hayley Carmichael as a female version of Casanova
• Casanova (2008), a musical by Philip Godfrey, first performed at the Greenwich Playhouse in London
• Casanova (2016), a pasticcio opera by Julian Perkins and Stephen Pettitt, first performed in the Baroque Unwrapped series at Kings Place in London
• Casanova (2017), a ballet by Northern Ballet, choreographed by Kenneth Tindall, based on the biography by Ian Kelly
• Casanova (2019), a musical performed by Takarazuka Revue, starring Rio Asumi as Casanova

• Casanova, a 1971 BBC television series written by Dennis Potter, starring Frank Finlay
• Casanova, a 2005 BBC television series written by Russell T Davies, featuring David Tennant as young Casanova and Peter O'Toole as the older Casanova
• In 2017, an episode of Horrible Histories called "Ridiculous Romantics" featured Tom Stourton portraying Casanova
• In 2024, episode 5 of Time Bandits included Casanova visiting the Earl of Sandwich and making all the ladies faint

• Casanovas Heimfahrt (Casanova's Homecoming) (1918), a novel by Arthur Schnitzler
• The Venetian Glass Nephew (1925), a novel by Elinor Wylie, in which Casanova appears as a major character under the name "Chevalier de Chastelneuf"
• Széljegyzetek Casanovához (Marginalia on Casanova) (1939), a novel by Miklós Szentkuthy
• Vendégjáték Bolzanóban (Conversations in Bolzano or Casanova in Bolzano) (1940), a novel by Sándor Márai
• Le Bonheur ou le Pouvoir (1980), a novel by Pierre Kast
• The Fortunes of Casanova and Other Stories (1994), a book by Rafael Sabatini, which includes nine stories based on events from Casanova's memoirs
• Casanova (1998), a novel by Andrew Miller
• Casanova, Dernier Amour (2000), a novel by Pascal Lainé
• Casanova in Bohemia (2002), a novel about Casanova's final years in Dux, Bohemia, by Andrei Codrescu
• Een Schitterend Gebrek (In Lucia's Eyes) (2003), a Dutch novel by Arthur Japin, in which Casanova's young love, Lucia, is shown as the most important person in his life
• "A Disciple of Plato," a short story by Robert Aickman, first published in the 2015 collection *The Strangers

Works

• 1752 – Zoroastro: A tragedy translated from French, to be performed at the Royal Electoral Theater in Dresden, by the Italian theater company currently serving His Majesty during the carnival of 1752. Dresden.
• 1753 – La Moluccheide, or The Rival Twins. Dresden.
• 1769 – Refutation of the History of the Venetian Government by Amelot de la Houssaie. Lugano.
• 1772 – Goat Hair: A Letter from a Werewolf. Bologna.
• 1774 – History of the Turmoil in Poland. Gorizia.
• 1775–1778 – The Iliad of Homer Translated in Octava Rima. Venice.
• 1779 – Scrutiny of the Book Eloges of M. de Voltaire by Various Authors. Venice.
• 1780 – Miscellaneous Essays (including Duel in Warsaw and Letters from Noblewoman Silvia Belegno to Noblewoman Laura Gussoni). Venice.
• 1780–1781 – The Messenger of Thalie. Venice.
• 1782 – Military and Love Stories from 14th Century Venice under the Rule of Giovanni Gradenigo and Giovanni Dolfin. Venice.
• 1783 – Neither Love nor Women, or The Cleaned Stable. Venice.
• 1786 – Soliloquy of a Thinker. Prague.
• 1787 – Icosaméron, or the Story of Édouard and Élisabeth Who Spent 81 Years with the Mégamicres, Native Inhabitants of the Protocosme Inside Our Globe. Prague.
• 1788 – History of My Escape from the Prisons of the Republic of Venice, Known as the Plombs. Leipzig.
• 1790 – Solution to the Delian Problem. Dresden.