PONIATOWSKI, po-nya-tov'ske, the name of an illustrious Polish family descended from an Italian Stock. GIUSEPPE SALINGUERRA (b. 1612), of the Italian family Torelli, having set tled in Poland, took the name of Eziolek, and afterward that of Poniatowski, from the estate of Poniatow belonging to his wife. Among important descendants of his may be cited (1) STANISLAS, COUNT PONIATOWSKI (b. 1678; d. 1762), known for his connection with Charles XII, whom after the battle of Poltava he followed into Turkey, and as whose Am bassador at Constantinople, he had the address to involve the Porte in a war with Russia. He wrote d'un Seigneur Polonais sur l'Histoire de Charles XII par Voltaire) (1741).
(2) His eldest son, STANISLAS AUGUSTUS (b. 1732) was elected king of Poland in 1764. (See STANISLAS II). (3) JOSEPH ANTONY, nephew of King Stanislas (b. Warsaw, 7 May 1762; d. Leipzig, 19 Oct. 1812). When the Poles attempted in 1794 to drive the Russians out of their country, he joined the Polish camp as a volunteer. Kosciusko gave him the com mand of a division, at the head of which he distinguished himself at the two sieges of Warsaw. On the creation of the duchy of
Warsaw, Poniatowski accepted the place of Minister of War in the new state. In 1809 he commanded the Polish army against the su perior Austrian force sent to occupy the duchy, and compelled it to retire. In the war of 1812, against Russia, he was again at the head of the Polish forces, and distinguished himself throughout this campaign. After the battle of Leipzig, during which Nalopeon created him marshal of France, he was ordered (19 Octo ber) to cover the retreat of the French army; with a handful of men he protected the retreat till he was twice wounded, and then, being sorely pressed by the enemy on the banks of the Elster River, he spurred his horse into the stream and was drowned. His body was after ward removed to Warsaw, and in 1816 was de posited in the cathedral at Cracow. An eques trian statue of Poniatowski was executed for the city of Warsaw by Thorwaldsen.