Roustam Raza

Roustam Raza (Armenian: Ռուստամ Ռազա; 1783 – 7 December 1845), also known as Roustan or Rustam, was a mamluk bodyguard and secondary valet of Napoleon.

The mamluk's role was that of a personal attendant, taking care of Napoleon's weapons and clothing, and supervising the serving of his meals.

In 1814 Roustam married Mademoiselle Douville in Dourdan and refused to follow the Emperor in his exile to Elba after the first Bourbon Restoration.

[6][7] He offered his service to Napoleon during the Hundred Days, but the emperor refused to even receive him and spoke bitterly of Raza's "betrayal" in his recollections written at St. Helena.

[8] Raza's position as second valet was filled during the Hundred Days restoration by his former assistant and the Imperial Librarian, Louis-Étienne Saint-Denis, whom Napoleon took to calling Ali.

Painting of the Battle of Abensberg by Jean-Baptiste Debret , 1810. Roustam Raza (recognizable by his turban ) is depicted in the background at the far right
Charles Meynier , Napoleon on the island of Lobau, Roustam Raza in the background.
Portrait of Roustam Raza by Horace Vernet . 1810
Portrait of Roustam Raza by Louis Nicolas Lemasle [ fr ]