The Venice-born 18th century adventurer had a lusty career that took him all over Europe and which was funded by generous patrons, gambling and entrepreneurial endeavour. His autobiography Histoire De Ma Vie (Story Of My Life) revealed that he lost his virginity aged 16 to two sisters. He went on to take some 200 lovers, enduring imprisonment and banishment, bankruptcy and numerous scandals. He both swindled and was swindled by several lovers. He possibly had an affair with his own daughter — the child of one of his mistresses — then once the relationship was known to him, carried on a menage a trois with both mother and daughter.
‘Hell, if I’d jumped on all the dames I’m supposed to have jumped
on, I’d have had no time to go fishing.’ Clark Gable