# General (Sweden)

General (Gen; Swedish: General) is a four-star commissioned officer rank in the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force and Swedish Amphibious Corps. General ranks immediately above lieutenant general and is equivalent to admiral in the Swedish Navy. It is held by the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces and the monarch.

## History

In Sweden, the rank of general was a three-star rank until 1972 when it became a four-star rank. Historically, during the 20th century, lieutenant generals were promoted one grade upon retirement to full general. According to current practice only royals and the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, if he were to come from the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force or the Swedish Amphibious Corps can hold the rank of a full, four-star, general in Sweden.
In 2009, the Swedish Armed Forces reported that General Håkan Syrén would retain his rank during his time as Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (2009–2012), which for the first time gave Sweden three active four-star generals; former Supreme Commander, General Håkan Syrén (2004–2012), current Supreme Commander, General Sverker Göranson (2009–2015) and Carl XVI Gustaf (1973–present). This is correct since the rank of general since 1972 is a four-star rank. However, before 1972, the rank of general was a three-star rank, and between 1940 and 1941 Sweden had five active three-star generals; the Supreme Commander, General Olof Thörnell (1940–1944), General Oscar Nygren (1939–1941), King Gustaf V (1898–1950), Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf (1932–1973) and Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland (1908–1951).
Following a proposal from the Swedish Armed Forces, the Government of Sweden decides on employment as a general.
In everyday speech, generals of all ranks are addressed as generals.

## Rank insignia
### Collar patches

* Collar patch m/58 (black m/02) on field uniform M90 (2002–present)
* Collar patch m/58 (black m/02) on field uniform M90 (2002–present)
* Collar patch m/58 (gold) on uniform m/58-m/59 and field uniform M90 (1983–2002)
* Collar patch m/58 (gold) on uniform m/58-m/59 and field uniform M90 (–2002)
* Collar patch m/58 (bronze) on uniform m/58-m/59 (1972–1983)
* Collar patch m/58 (bronze) on uniform m/58-m/59 (1958–1972)
* Collar patch on uniform m/1923 (1923–1939)

### Shoulder marks

* Shoulder mark on uniform m/87 (Army and Air Force) (1987–present)
* Shoulder mark m/87 on white shirt (Army and Air Force) (1987–present)
* Shoulder mark m/87 on white shirt (Navy) (1987–present)
* Shoulder mark on uniform m/1939 (1939–1958)
* Shoulder mark on uniform m/1923 (1923–1939)
* Shoulder mark on uniform m/1910 (1910–1923)

### Sleeve insignias
#### Amphibious Corps and Coastal Artillery

* Sleeve insignia for a general in the Amphibious Corps (2003–present)
* Sleeve insignia for a general in the Amphibious Corps (2000–2003) and Coastal Artillery (1972–2000)
* Sleeve insignia for a general in the Coastal Artillery (1901–1972)

#### Air Force

* Sleeve insignia for a general (1972–present) (today only on mess dress uniform)
* Sleeve insignia for a general (?–1972)
* Flight suit sleeve insignia (Ärmmatta m/02) for a general (1972–present)
* Flight suit sleeve insignia for a general (?–1972)

#### Army

* Sleeve insignia for a general on uniform m/1906 (1906–1923)

### Hats

* Hat for general of any rank on uniform m/1865-99 (1865–?)
* Peaked cap (dark blue) for air force general (Skärmmössa m/1930) (1930–)
* Peaked cap (white) for air force general (Skärmmössa m/1930) (1930–)
* Peaked cap for army general (Skärmmössa m/1952) (1952–)

## Personal flags

The command flag of a general (and an admiral) is a double swallowtailed Swedish flag. In the first blue field 4 five-pointed white stars placed two over two.
* Admiral/General command flag (4 stars) (1972–present)
* Admiral/General command flag (3 stars) (1905–1972)

## List of generals

The following have been promoted to the rank of general in the Swedish Armed Forces between 1900 and 2024. This colour indicates that the person was appointed honorary general in the Swedish Army.
| Image | Branch | Name | Year promoted | Born | Died | Notes |
| | Army | Axel Rappe | 1903 | 1838 | 1918 | Chief of the General Staff (1899–1905) |
| | Army | Hemming Gadd | 1905 | 1837 | 1915 | Commander of the 4th Army Division (1896–1905) Commandant General in Stockholm (1905–1905) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1905–1907) |
| | Army | Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn | 1906 | 1850 | 1942 | Honorary General Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1874–1942) |
| | Army | Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden | 1906 | 1857 | 1928 | Honorary General Grand Duke of Baden (1907–1918) |
| | Army | Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland | 1908 | 1861 | 1951 | Prince of Sweden (1861–1951) |
| | Army | Wilhelm II, German Emperor | 1908 | 1859 | 1941 | Honorary General German Emperor, King of Prussia (1888–1918) |
| | Army | Edward VII | 1908 | 1841 | 1910 | Honorary General King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India (1901–1910) |
| | Army | Gustaf Uggla | 1913 | 1846 | 1924 | Commander of the 2nd Army Division (1902–1913) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1910–1923) |
| | Army | Knut Gillis Bildt | 1919 | 1854 | 1927 | Chief of the General Staff (1905–1919) |
| | Army | Lars Tingsten | 1922 | 1857 | 1937 | Chief of the General Staff (1919–1922) |
| Hammarskjöld as lieutenant general (1926–1930) | Army | Carl Gustaf Hammarskjöld | 1930 | 1865 | 1940 | Chief of the General Staff (1922–1930) |
| | Army / Air Force | Gustaf VI Adolf | 1932 | 1882 | 1973 | Crown Prince of Sweden (1907–1950) King of Sweden (1950–1973) |
| Nygren as major general (1929–1937) | Army | Oscar Nygren | 1937 | 1872 | 1960 | Chief of the General Staff (1933–1937) |
| | Army | Olof Thörnell | 1940 | 1877 | 1977 | Supreme Commander (1939–1944) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1944–1950) |
| | Army | Helge Jung | 1944 | 1886 | 1978 | Supreme Commander (1944–1951) |
| | Army | Nils Swedlund | 1951 | 1898 | 1965 | Supreme Commander (1951–1961) |
| | Air Force | Bengt Nordenskiöld | 1954 | 1891 | 1983 | Chief of the Air Force (1942–1954) |
| | Army | Carl August Ehrensvärd | 1957 | 1892 | 1974 | Chief of the Army (1948–1957) |
| Ljungdahl as lieutenant general (1954–1960) | Air Force | Axel Ljungdahl | 1960 | 1887 | 1995 | Chief of the Air Force (1954–1960) |
| | Air Force | Torsten Rapp | 1961 | 1905 | 1993 | Supreme Commander (1961–1970) |
| Cederschiöld as major general (1937–1963 | Army | Hugo Cederschiöld | 1963 | 1878 | 1968 | Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1950–1963) |
| Bonde as lieutenant general (1957–1963 | Army | Thord Bonde | 1963 | 1900 | 1969 | Chief of the Army (1957–1963) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1963–1969) |
| Bonde as lieutenant general (1961–1968 | Air Force | Lage Thunberg | 1968 | 1905 | 1997 | Chief of the Air Force (1961–1968) |
| | Army | Curt Göransson | 1969 | 1909 | 1996 | Chief of the Army (1963–1969) |
| Prince Bertil is admiral's uniform | Army / Air Force | Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland | 1969 | 1912 | 1997 | Prince of Sweden (1912–1997) |
| | Army | Stig Synnergren | 1970 | 1915 | 2004 | Supreme Commander (1970–1978) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1978–1986) |
| Carl XVI Gustaf in army uniform | Army / Air Force | Carl XVI Gustaf | 1973 | 1946 | — | King of Sweden (1973–present) |
| Norén as lieutenant general (1966–1973 | Air Force | Stig Norén | 1973 | 1908 | 1996 | Chief of the Air Force (1968–1973) |
| Almgren as major general (1961–1966) | Army | Carl Eric Almgren | 1976 | 1913 | 2001 | Chief of the Army (1969–1976) |
| | Army | Lennart Ljung | 1978 | 1921 | 1990 | Supreme Commander (1978–1986) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1986–1990) |
| | Army | Bengt Gustafsson | 1986 | 1933 | 2019 | Supreme Commander (1986–1994) |
| | Air Force | Owe Wiktorin | 1994 | 1940 | — | Supreme Commander (1994–2000) |
| Hederstedt as senior colonel (1993–1996) | Army | Johan Hederstedt | 2000 | 1943 | — | Supreme Commander (2000–2003) |
| | Navy (Amphibious Corps) | Håkan Syrén | 2004 | 1952 | — | Supreme Commander (2004–2009) Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (2009-2012) |
| | Army | Sverker Göranson | 2009 | 1954 | — | Supreme Commander (2009–2015) |
| | Air Force | Micael Bydén | 2015 | 1964 | — | Supreme Commander (2015–2024) |
| | Army | Michael Claesson | 2024 | 1965 | — | Supreme Commander (2024–present) |

## Footnotes

* ↑ General was a three-star rank until 1972 in the Swedish Armed Forces rank structure.
* ↑ Nygren left active service and was promoted to general in the army on 1 October 1937. He was recalled to active service to the post of commander of the 2nd Army Corps, where he served in Upper Norrland from December 1939 to April 1940 and in western Sweden from April to September 1940 and April to August 1941. Nygren was at the appointment in 1939 Sweden's only three-star general outside the royal family.
* 1 2 The Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces used admiral's flag since 1942.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Upon retirement.
* ↑ Upon retirement on 1 October 1937. However, Nygren was called back for service as commander of the 2nd Army Corps in Upper Norrland and in Western Sweden from 1939 to 1941.
* ↑ Transferred to reserve in 1950, where he remained as lieutenant general until 31 December 1954. After resigning as Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff in 1963, Cederschiöld was promoted to general in the army on 23 May 1963.
* ↑ Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland was general in the Swedish Army and in the Swedish Air Force (and admiral in the Swedish Navy).
* ↑ King Carl XVI Gustaf is general in the Swedish Army and in the Swedish Air Force (and admiral in the Swedish Navy).