Napoleon included Eugenio of Savoy among the seven great leaders of history. He was also known as "Mars without Venus", because he remained a bachelor throughout his life and won many battles, distinguishing himself for his cunning and courage.
It was also thanks to him that Turin was freed from the French during the Siege of 1706, but besides being a great commander and an excellent strategist, he was also a highly respected intellectual.
His library contained 15,000 volumes, and in Torino, the rooms of the Galleria Sabauda also housed his collection of Flemish paintings, including masterpieces by Van Dyck and Hans Memling Jan Van Eyck, as well as the series of paintings of the 11 battles he fought, which bear witness to his glory.
He died in his sleep in 1736, after playing cards with Eleonore Batthiany, with whom he shared the house, although their relationship was one of friendship rather than love.
Legend has it that, on the night of his death, one of the lions in the menagerie of his palace died too.
