Józef Zajączek

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Prince Józef Zajączek (Coat of arms of Świnka), (1 November 1752, Kamieniec Podolski — 28 August 1826, Warsaw) was a controversial Polish general and politician.

His first important military post was that of an aide-de-champ to hetman Franciszek Ksawery Branicki. Before the partitions of Poland in 1795 he was a deputy to the 4-year Sejm (1788-1792), one of the secretaries of the Assembly of Friends of the Government Act, commander of a division during the Polish-Russian War of 1792, hero of the battle of Zieleńce (for his valor he received the highest decoration of Polish military: Virtuti Militari, becoming the 5th person to receive this award (instituted that year)[1]) and a Polish Jacobin [2]. He was a general and the commander of the Kościuszko Uprising in 1794 after Tadeusz Kościuszko was imprisoned. He is criticised for his poor military skill in preparing defence of Warsaw against Russian invasion. Just before Warsaw fell he escaped to Polish Galicia where he was interned by Austrians. Due to his wife's influence, he was released one year later.

Zajączek on a portable miniature portrait

After the uprising was subdued, Zajączek like many other Polish soldiers joined the Polish Legions in Italy led by Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, which were part of Napoleon's army. He later took part in the Revolutionary Wars and the Egyptian Expedition. At this time he decided to break all ties with his homeland during this time as a result of criticism of his person in Poland[3]. When the Polish state was recreated as Duchy of Warsaw by Napoleon, Zajączek believed he should be put in charge of war departament, when his unjustified demands weren't granted he refused to wear Polish uniform[4], and was forced to do so only on direct orders of Napoleon. His constant disputes and demands were problematic for Polish government, and there was even a proposal to give him some sort of bribe so that he would stop[5]. He particularly insisted on being granted more and more land and possessions, going as far as addressing Napoleon himself[6]. He was put in charge of the so-called Northern Legion, composed primarily of Poles. During Napoleon's Invasion of Russia in 1812 Zajączek commanded the 16th infantry division of la Grande Armée until a wound at Berzina claimed his leg and he was taken prisoner by the Russian army in Wilna.

In captitvity through contacts gained by Princess of Łowicz, Zajączek managed to contact Russian Grand Duke Constantine, which helped to place him on Russian created committee on military organisation. Thereupon he was presented to the Emperor Alexander I; his desire to serve the tsar resulted in appointment as his representative in Russian puppet state of Congress Poland in 1815. He adopted the position of utmost servility towards Aleksander I, who bestowed on him the title of a 'prince of Poland' in 1818. [7] He was the first (and the last) man to receive the title from the tsar in his capacity of King of Poland^{[dubious — see talk page]}.

His wife Aleksandra Pernet, though of advanced age, was known for her youthful looks. They had no children, and the princely title went extinct upon Zajączek's death, which happened in Warsaw's palace called Pałac Namiestnikowski (Regent's Palace), nowadays a seat of the President of Poland. He was buried in Opatówek near Kalisz, but his heart was placed in the Bernardine Church in Warsaw. The choice of Opatówek was not accidental, because he contributed a lot to the economic growth of the town.

Due to the fact that he decided to serve tsar in return for privileges instead of resisting Russian occupation of Polish state, and the fact that he decided to turn over most decision making to the Russian senator and chief of Russian secret police in Poland Nikolay Novosiltsev [8] most people in Poland regarded him as a traitor of their ideals and their country.[9].