Prince Eugene’s famous collection

The centrepiece of the universal Baroque library

Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736) descended from a French branch line of the Savoy royal family. He was one of the most famous Austrian generals.

During the Great Turkish War he held the position of commander-in-chief from 1697, and was Supreme Allied Commander alongside the Duke of Marlborough against the French from 1701 during the War of the Spanish Succession.

In addition he held high offices of state, served as a diplomat and as a building contractor and art collector was one of the most influential patrons of his time. When Prince Eugene died in Vienna on April 21, 1736, he left no testament. His sole heir, his niece Anna Victoria of Savoy, sold the extensive book collection – the “Bibliotheca Eugeniana” - to the newly completed Imperial Court Library of Emperor Charles VI. Prince Eugene’s collection can be found in the central oval of the State Hall at the Austrian National Library.