1725: How did the Famous Seducer Giacomo Casanova Gain his First Experiences with Women?

The famous Giacomo Casanova, whose memoirs are one of the best sources for European history of the 18th century, was born on this day in Venice.

His mother was Zanetta Farussi, a girl from a family of Venetian shoemakers. She married actor and dancer Gaetano Giuseppe Casanova, Giacomo’s father. Her parents were against the marriage because they were afraid that she will become an actress as well, which was at that time an insecure profession that required a life of travel.

However, she did also become an actress, and a famous one at that, and traveled throughout Europe. Little Giacomo felt abandoned. He was left to be raised by his grandmother, and then to a priest with whose family he lived.

Casanova allegedly had his first sexual experience when he was only 11 years old, with the priest’s younger sister. She reportedly encouraged his preoccupation with the opposite sex, which would mark his future life.

With his priest tutor, Casanova moved on at the intellectual level. When he was only 12 years old, he enrolled at the University and graduated law at 17, although he felt antipathy toward it. What he was really interested in was philosophy, chemistry, and medicine.

However, he nonetheless started his career in clerical law. It is interesting that he even received minor orders within the church. Casanova allegedly had his first “real” sexual experience with two Savorgnan sisters (one was 16 and the other 14 years old).

The rest of his life was marked by relationships with many other women. Of the numerous adaptations of Casanova’s life, let us mention that the 2005 film “Casanova”, starring Heath Ledger, was for the most part not based on historical information.