Joseph Sulkowski

Chef d'escadrons Józef Sułkowski (; – 22 October 1798) was a Polish army officer who served in the Polish–Russian War of 1792 and the French Revolutionary Wars. Serving the French Revolutionary Army, he became a friend and aide-de-camp to Napoleon, accompanying him during the French invasion of Egypt and Syria. Sułkowski was killed by Cairene rebels during the Revolt of Cairo; his name was subsequently engraved on the Arc de Triomphe.

Early life

Józef Sułkowski's date of birth and parentage have not been conclusively established. Born into the aristocratic Sułkowski family, the identity of his parents is not definitively known. According to the most likely history of his parentage, as stated by Sułkowski's guardian , he was born on 18 January 1773 in Győr, Hungary, the son of Teodor Sułkowski and Julia Quelisk. Szymon Askenazy instead claimed that Sułkowski was born out of wedlock as the son of and Marguerite Sophie de Fléville, who would go on to become Teodor's second wife. According to Władysław Konopczyński, Sułkowski's father was Franciszek and his mother was Maria Karolina Radziwiłł, who was divorced at the time. Tadeusz Korzon claimed that Antoni Sułkowski was Sułkowski's real father. Sułkowski was killed on 22 October by Cairene rebels during the Revolt of Cairo; his body was not buried properly and was left to rot and be eaten by animals. Upon hearing of his death Bonaparte expressed remorse and, asked why he did not honour him more when he was alive, replied "On first meeting him, I saw in him a commander in chief".