# Generalissimo

Comparative military ranks :
vte :
Generalissimo (/ˌdʒɛn(ə)rəˈlɪsɪmoʊ/ JEN-(ə-)rə-LIS-ih-moh), also generalissimus, is a military rank of the highest degree, superior to field marshal and other five-star ranks in the states where they are used.

## Usage

The word generalissimo (pronounced), an Italian term, is the absolute superlative of generale ('general') thus meaning "the highest-ranking of all generals". The superlative suffix -issimo itself derives from Latin -issimus, meaning "utmost, to the highest grade". Similar cognates in other languages include generalísimo in Spanish, generalíssimo in Portuguese, généralissime in French, and generalissimus in Latin. The Russian word генералиссимус, generalissimus comes from Latin.
Historically, this rank was given to a military officer leading an entire army or the entire armed forces of a state, usually only subordinate to the sovereign. Alternatively, those of imperial blood or the commanders-in-chief of several allied armies could gain the title. The military leader Albrecht von Wallenstein in 1632 became the first imperial generalissimo (general of the generals) of the Holy Roman Empire. Other usage of the title has been for the commander of the united armies of several allied powers (such as Ferdinand Foch on the Western Front in 1918 or Joseph Stalin on the Eastern Front in 1945), or if a senior military officer becomes a chief of state or a head of government (like Chiang Kai-shek in the Republic of China or Francisco Franco in Spain).
The rank generalissimus of the Soviet Union would have been a generalissimo but some sources assert that Joseph Stalin refused to accept the rank. In fact the grade was established by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, which did not need the approval of Stalin. The rank of generalissimo for Stalin was used also by Western diplomacy.
In the 20th century, the term came to be associated with military officers who took dictatorial power in their respective countries, especially due to the Spanish leader Francisco Franco having this rank. As such, it is used in literature depicting fictional Latin American dictatorial regimes, for example Father Hilary's Holiday by Bruce Marshall.

## List of generalissimos

| Person | Service | Country | Era | Notes |
| Prince Adolph John, Count Palatine of Kleeburg | The Deluge | Sweden | 1655–1660 | Named "Generalissimo of the Swedish armies in Poland and Prussia" by his brother King Charles X Gustav of Sweden |
| Emilio Aguinaldo | Philippine Revolutionary Army | Philippines | 1898–1901 | Generalissimo of the Katipunan |
| Crown Prince Charles John | Royal Swedish Army | Sweden | 1810–1818 | Named Generalissimo of the Swedish Armed Forces on October 20, 1810, upon his arrival to Sweden. Charles John had the singular distinction of having been offered the role of Generalissimo of four different nations: Sweden (accepted), Imperial Russia, offered by Alexander during the Conference at Åbo in 1812, of a restored Bourbon France in 1814 (offered by Louis XVIII's brother the Comte D'Artois), and a desperate offer by Napoleon in early 1814 as an inducement for Sweden to switch its alliance to France. Charles John declined the latter three. |
| Prince Charles Gustav | Thirty Years' War | Sweden | 1648–1650 | He was named "Generalissimo of all Swedish forces in Germany" by his cousin Queen Christina of Sweden in January 1648, however he didn't accomplish much as commander of the Swedish forces in Germany as the war ended in October of the same year. |
| Chiang Kai-shek | National Revolutionary Army | Republic of China | 1926–1975 | Appointed commander in chief of the Nationalist Army for the Northern Expedition. Appointed "high general special class" (特級上將 Tèjí shàng jiàng) in 1935 |
| John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough | War of the Spanish Succession | Dutch Republic | 1702 | Referred to as generalissimo by the Dutch States General |
| Ferdinand Foch | French Army | France | 1918 | Généralissime was the title used to describe Marshal Ferdinand Foch's Allied Command, starting March 26, 1918. He actually held the rank of général de division, the dignity (rank) of Marshal of France and later the ranks of British field marshal and Marshal of Poland. |
| Deodoro da Fonseca | Brazilian Army | Brazil | 1890 | |
| Francisco Franco | Spanish Armed Forces | Spain | 1936–1975 | Generalísimo was used as a combination rank as he held the highest possible rank in all three branches of service: capitán general, capitán general del Aire, and capitán general de la Armada. |
| Prince Consort Frederick of Hesse | Royal Swedish Army | Sweden | 1716–1720 | Fredrick was named "Generalissimo of the Swedish Armed forces to horse and foot" in 1716 by King Charles XII. |
| Maurice Gamelin | French Army | France | 1939 | His rank was général d'armée, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces was généralissime. |
| Prince George of Denmark | British Army | Great Britain | 1702–1708 | Declared "generalissimo of all our Forces within Our Kingdom of England and Ireland and Elsewhere" by his wife Queen Anne |
| Máximo Gómez | Cuban Liberation Army | Cuba | 1895–1898 | |
| Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla | Revolutionary Army of Mexico | Mexico | 1810–1811 | |
| Hirohito (Emperor Shōwa) | Armed Forces of the Empire of Japan | Japan | 1926–1945 | Dai-gensui, as sovereign ruler of the Empire of Japan |
| Agustín de Iturbide | Mexican Army | Mexico | 1821–1823 | |
| James, Duke of York | Third Anglo-Dutch War | England | 1673 | "Generalissimo and supreme commander" over forces employed against the Dutch. |
| Joseph Joffre | French Army | France | 1914 | His dignity (rank) was Marshal of France, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Army was généralissime. |
| Kalākaua | Hawaiian Army | Hawaii | 1886–1891 | King of Hawaii, was given titles of "supreme commander and generalissimo of the Hawaiian Army". |
| Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg | Austrian Army | Austrian Empire | 1813–1814 | Generalissimo of the Armies of the Habsburg Empire and senior Field Marshal of the combined forces of the Sixth Coalition. He led the largest Allied field army, the Army of Bohemia, during the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 and the Invasion of France in early 1814. |
| Kim Il Sung | Korean People's Army | North Korea | 1992 | Taewonsu |
| Kim Jong Il | Korean People's Army | North Korea | 2012 | Taewonsu (posthumously awarded) |
| Louis, Grand Dauphin | War of the Spanish Succession | France | 1708 | Commanded the French Army |
| Mao Zedong | People's Liberation Army | People's Republic of China | 1955 | Proposed the rank of Generalissimo of the People's Republic of China (declined usage) |
| Alexander Danilovich Menshikov | Russian Imperial Army | Russia | 1727–1728 | |
| Francisco de Miranda | Venezuelan Army | Venezuela | 1812 | |
| José María Morelos | Revolutionary Army of Mexico | Mexico | 1813–1815 | |
| Ihsan Nuri | Ararat Forces | Ararat | 1927–1930 | |
| Alexander Suvorov | Imperial Russian Army | Russia | 1799 | |
| Duke Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick | Imperial Russian Army | Russia | 1740–1741 | |
| Maxime Weygand | French Army | France | 1940 | His rank was général d'armée, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces was généralissime. |
| José de San Martín | Peruvian Army | Peru | 1821–1822 | Generalísimo de las Armas del Perú |
| Joseph Stalin | Soviet Armed Forces | Soviet Union | 1945 | Generalissimus of the Soviet Union (declined usage) |
| Sun Yat-sen | National Pacification Army | Republic of China | 1921 | Technically as dayuanshuai or "grand marshal of the army and navy" |
| Rafael Trujillo | Dominican Army | Dominican Republic | 1930 | |
| Albrecht von Wallenstein | Thirty Years' War | Holy Roman Empire | 1625 | Via the "Principal Decree of the Imperial Deputation" |
| George Washington | Continental Army United States Army | United States | 1776 | When chosen to be the commander-in-chief, was called by The Virginia Gazette the generalissimo of American forces. Promoted posthumously to General of the Armies of the United States on January 19, 1976, with date of rank of July 4, 1976 |
| William, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe | Royal Portuguese Army | Portugal | 1762–1763 | Became Generalissimus of the Allied Armies in Portugal during the Spanish invasion |
| Yuan Shikai | Beiyang Army | Republic of China (1912–1949) | 1913–1916 | Leader of the Beiyang government, declared generalissimo (dayuanshuai) in 1913 |
| Zhang Zuolin | National Pacification Army | Republic of China (1912–1949) | 1927–1928 | Leader of the Beiyang government, declared generalissimo (dayuanshuai) in June 1927 |
| Our Lady of Aparecida | Brazilian Army | Brazil | 1967 | Patroness of Brazil. |