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Honorary Patron: portal Napoleon.org.pl
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Guardians: Andrzej Zygmunt Rola-Stężycki
A cavalryman. A chief of 3rd squadron of 1st Polish Light Cavalry of Imperial Guard. The first commander of the famous attack near Somosierra in 1808.
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He was born in Skierniewice on 04 July 1778.
A knight of Somosierra, Wagram, Smoleńsk, Jarosławiec and on the Elbe battles… that is Jan Kozietulski, one of the most famous Polish Napoleon’s followers; he was luckless anent historians and his name was praised by poets and writers first of all.
He owes his renown just to them however even his birth date arouses controversies…
(…)
As a young graduate of Knight’s School and Czartoryski family’s favourite, he had a superb chance of a military career, but after the third partition of Poland, he became a bondsman of Frederic William III, so the army had to wait.
The young man was spoiling for legions gathering in Italy… but his father held back his aspirations; so, Jan spent time banqueting and drinking like gilded youth of that time, e.g. Waliccy, Łubieńscy or Krasińscy. Kozietulski joined Friends of Motherland Association whereof chairman was Wincenty Krasiński.
(…)
Only in the late autumn of 1806, the Friends of Motherland and Kozietulski among them got a chance to produce evidence of their patriotism. Then, on call of Dąbrowski and Wybicki, they went from Warsaw to Poznań as a Honourable Guard to greet Napoleon and ask him to liberate Poland… These intentions were unsuccessful then, since Jan Nepomucen Umiński’s guard of Poznań forestalled them.
The only benefit of this escapade was the fact that Dąbrowski incorporated the young people from Warsaw into Polish Army and Krasiński obtained a privilege to create a Honourable Guard in Warsaw.
Jan Kozietulski and Tomasz Łubieński became its deputy commanders.
Only after Napoleon’s arrival to Warsaw, local young people could show themselves as emperor’s escort during his daily joy rides all over the capital.
Since then, Kozietulski accompanied the emperor constantly, also when he moved on front lines to watch battles near Gołymin and Pułtusk. (…)”
You can find the whole article and other sources at Polish Digital Equestrian Library (click)
Author: Włodzimierz Nabywaniec / Napoleon.org.pl
Jan Kozietulski died in Warsaw on February 3, 1821, at the age of 43. He was buried in February 1821 in Belsk Duży.
Polish Digital Equestrian Library:
Click the links below to go to the Polish Digital Equestrian Library (will open in a new tab):
„Kozietulski herbu Abdank” (2014) – Andrzej Zygmunt Rola-Stężycki
„Baron Cesarstwa Francuskiego” (2009) – Andrzej Zygmunt Rola-Stężycki
„Fatalna pomyłka” (2001) – Andrzej Zygmunt Rola-Stężycki
„Kozietulski Jan” – Włodzimierz Nabywaniec
Pułkownik Kozietulski – Legenda Szwoleżerów FILM
Jan Kozietulski – Jestem Dumny Bohaterowie Skierniewic FILM
Gallery:
The bust of Jan Kozietulski in front of the building of the District Museum in Suwałki
Source: www.muzeum.suwalki.info
Jan Kozietulski
(Pic. Dzierkowski)
Henryk Pilatti, Kozietulski in the Somosierra gorge. Source: www.muzeumromantyzmu.pl
January Suchodolski – Getting the first battery.
The scene shows the fall of the Kozietulski squadron chief.
Portrait of Jan Leon Hipolit Kozietulski by an unknown painter ca 1810-1820.
