The Memoirs of Roustam is among the most fascinating pieces in the life and legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte. The son of an Armenian merchant, kidnapped in the Caucasus and sold in the slave markets of Constantinople, Roustam Raza traces his odyssey from Mamluk to becoming Napoleon’s imperial bodyguard, valet and procurer, from Egypt to the gates of Versailles and beyond.
A ubiquitous figure, Roustam accompanied Napoleon in all ceremonial occasions, including the signing of treaties, audiences with European kings and emperors, as well as major Napoleonic campaigns, including Italy, Spain, Austerlitz, and Russia among many. He is said to have had an influence and played a role in some of the most sensitive decisions made by Napoleon, in particular those pertaining the fate of the Armenians and their communities in Italy and Russia.
