In 1797 Konopka joined the Polish Legions in Italy with a rank of captain and took part in all of the Legion's campaigns. After the dissolution of the Legion, he returned to service in France as a Major. He was soon made a regiment commander in the Legion of the Vistula. He fought in the War of the Fourth Coalition and for his part in the Battle of Friedland was decorated with the Légion d'honneur. Subsequently he fought as part of Napoleon's forces in the Peninsular War where he experienced further successes (for example, at the Battle of Ciudad-Real) as well as failures (at the Battle of Yevenes). In 1811 he was made a general of the French army after the Battle of Albuera and later of, Duchy of Warsaw, and a Baron of the French Empire.