3-068-744 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Prince Joseph Poniatowski Entering Krakow on 15 July 1809, 1821. In the spring of 1809 Poniatowski led his army against an Austrian invasion, in a war that was regarded by Austrian high command as a crucial element of their struggle with Napoleonic France. The Austrians were defeated and Prince Joseph remained in Kraków until the end of December, supervising the provisional Galician government in existence from 2 June to 28 December. The Austrians kept demanding the return of Kraków and he felt that his presence there was the best assurance that the city would remain in Polish hands.