# Captain general of the Army

Captain General (Spanish: Capitán General) has been the highest rank in the Spanish Army (Ejército de Tierra) since the 18th century. A five-star rank with NATO code OF-10, it is equivalent to a field marshal of the armies of numerous countries, a general of the Army of the United States, a captain general of the Spanish Navy (Armada Española) or a Captain general of the Air Force in the Spanish Air and Space Force (Ejército del Aire y del Espacio). A Captain General's insignia consists of two command sticks under five four-pointed stars below the Royal Crown.
A personal rank of captain general was created in the Spanish Army (and Navy) as the highest rank in the hierarchy, not unlike the Marechal de France. Since King Charles IV's reign (1788–1808), the monarchs used captain general insignia when wearing uniform. Briefly abolished by the Second Spanish Republic (except one honorary promotion), it was restored during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco; Franco himself was the only holder of this rank. Since the restoration of the monarchy in 1975, the effective rank was reserved to the reigning monarch. A few posthumous honorary promotions and honorary promotions of retired officers to this rank were also made, such as José Moscardó Ituarte (1956), Agustín Muñoz Grandes (1957), Camilo Alonso Vega (1969) or Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado (1994). Some members of the Spanish Royal Family were promoted to the rank after periods of service and Queen Isabella II appointed her consort, Francis, Duke of Cádiz (1846). Two foreign monarchs, Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and four distinguished foreign military officers also held the honour.

## Insignia history

* 19th century
* Early 20th century – 1931
* 1931–1939 declared to be abolished
* 1939–1943
* 1943–1975
* 1975–1986
* 1986–1999
* 1999–present

## List of Captains general

| Date of promotion | Name and style | Dead/Annulled | Notes |
| 1763 | Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea, 10th Count of Aranda | † 1798 | |
| 1777 | Pedro Antonio de Cevallos Cortés y Calderón | † 1778 | |
| 1783 | Louis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon 4th Duke of Crillon and 1st Duke of Mahon | † 1796 | |
| 14 December 1788 | King Charles IV | 19 March 1808 (Abdication) | Ex officio |
| 1793 | Antonio Ricardos y Carrillo de Albornoz | † 13 March 1794 | |
| 25 May 1793 | Manuel Godoy y Álvarez de Faria, Prince of the Peace | 19 March 1808 | Generalissimo (1801–1808) |
| 1794 | Honorato Ignacio de Glimes de Brabante, Count Glimes de Brabante | † 1804 | |
| 1794 | José Carlos Álvarez de Bohórquez y Molina, Marquis of Ruchena | † ? | |
| 1794 | Martín Antonio Álvarez de Sotomayor y Flores, Count of Colomera | † 1819 | |
| 1795 | Manuel de Negrete y de la Torre, Count of Campo de Alange | † 1818 | |
| 1795 | José Ramón de Urrutia y de las Casas | † 1803 | |
| 1799 | Miguel de la Grúa Talamanca, 1st Marquis of Branciforte | † 1812 | |
| 1806 | Ventura Caro y Fontes | † 1809 | |
| 19 March 1808 | King Ferdinand VII | † 29 September 1833 | Ex officio |
| 1808 | Vicente María de Vera de Aragón y Enríquez de Navarra, Duke of La Roca and Marquis of Sofraga | † 1813 | |
| 1808 | Francisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén | † 24 September 1852 | |
| 1808 | Vicente María de Acevedo y Pola-Navia | † November 1808 | |
| 1808 | Joaquín de Navia-Osorio y Miranda, Marquis of Santa Cruz de Marcenado and Viscount of Puerto | † 1816 | |
| 1809 | Rafael Vasco y del Campo, Count of la Conquista de las Islas Batanes | † 1810 | |
| 1809 | Gregorio García de Cuesta y Fernández de Celis | † 26 November 1811 | |
| 1809 | José Rebolledo de Palafox y Melci, 1st Duke of Zaragoza | † 15 February 1847 | |
| 1809 | Ventura Escalante y Bruen | † 1811 | |
| 1810 | Pedro Caro, 3rd Marquis of La Romana | † 23 January 1811 | |
| 1811 | Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington | † 14 September 1852 | Ad honorem |
| 1811 | William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford | † 8 January 1854 | Ad honorem |
| 1811 | Joaquín Blake y Joyes | † 27 April 1827 | |
| 1811 | Claude-Anne de Rouvroy de Saint Simon, Marquis of Saint Simon and Montblerú | † 27 February 1819 | Émigré and Spanish Grandee. |
| 1816 | José Manuel de Ezpeleta, 1st Count of Ezpeleta de Beire | † 1823 | |
| 1816 | Pedro Mendinueta y Múzquiz | † 1825 | |
| 1816 | Ramón de Osorio y Patiño, 4th Marquis of Castelar | † 1817 | |
| 1816 | José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa, 1st Marquis of La Concordia | † 31 July 1821 | |
| 1823 | Francisco Javier de Elio y Olondriz | † 1822 | |
| 1823 | Francisco de Eguía, 1st Count of the Real Aprecio | † 6 January 1827 | President of the Provisional Board of Spain and the Indies |
| 1824 | Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duke of the Infantado | † 27 November 1841 | President of Council of Castile (1808–1809 and 1814–1823) President of the Regency Board (1823) Secretary of state (1825–1826) |
| 1824 | Joaquín Ibáñez, Baron de Eroles | † 22 August 1825 | |
| 1825 | Juan de Henestrosa y Orcasitas | † 1831 | |
| 1827 | José Miguel de Carvajal-Vargas, 2nd Duke of San Carlos | † 1828 | Secretary of state (1814) |
| 1831 | Francisco Fernández de Córdoba, 1st Duke of Alagón | † 1841 | |
| 1 May 1838 | Baldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara | † 8 January 1879 | Regent of Spain (1840–1843) Minister of War (29 July-30 August 1837 and 16 December 1837–1838) Prime Minister (18 August-18 October 1837, 1840–1841 and 1854–1856) |
| 9 October 1841 | José Ramón Rodil, 1st Marquis of Rodil | † 20 February 1853 | Viceroy of Navarre (1 July-2 October 1834) Minister of War (27 April-15 May and 20 August-26 November 1836, and 1842–1843) Prime Minister (1842–1843) |
| 19 August 1843 | Juan José Nieto y Aguilar, 2nd Marquis of Monsalud | † 28 February 1851 | |
| 5 January 1844 | Prudencio de Guadalfajara y Aguilera, duque de Castroterreño | † 16 June 1855 | Minister of War (August–September 1835) |
| 5 January 1844 | Ramón María Narváez, 1st Duke of Valencia | † 23 April 1868 | Minister of State (1844, 1846 and 1847) Minister of War (1844–1846, 1846, 1847 and 1866–1868) Prime Minister (1844–1846, 1846, 1847–1849, 1849–1851, 1856–1857, 1864–1865 and 1866–1868) |
| 10 October 1846 | Francis, King Consort | 19 September 1868 (Abolition of monarchy) † 17 April 1902 | Ex officio (As consort of Queen Isabella II) Reinstated ad honorem after 1874. |
| 21 May 1849 | Manuel Gutiérrez de la Concha e Irigoyen, 1st Marquis of Duero | † 27 June 1874 | |
| 19 November 1852 | Pedro Villacampa y Maza de Lizana | † 27 December 1854 | |
| 30 July 1854 | Evaristo Fernández de San Miguel y Valledor, 1st Duke of San Miguel | † 29 May 1862 | |
| 30 July 1854 | Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan | † 5 November 1867 | Prime Minister (14 July-12 October 1856, 1858–1863 and 1865–1866) Minister of War (30 July-29 November 1854, 1858–1863 and 1865–1868) Minister of State (30 June-2 de July 1858) Minister of the Navy (25–27 November 1858) Minister of Overseas (17 January-2 March 1863) |
| 18 July 1856 | Francisco Serrano, 1st Duke of la Torre | † 25 November 1885 | Prime Minister (1868–1869, 4 January-24 July 1871, 26 May-13 June 1872, 3 January-26 February 1874) Regent (1869–1871) President of the Executive Power of the Republic (3 January-30 December 1874) |
| 5 January 1858 | Antoine, Duke of Montpensier | December 1870 | Brother-in-law of Queen Isabella II |
| 10 October 1867 | Juan de la Pezuela y Cevallos, 1st Count of Cheste | † 1 November 1906 | |
| 24 April 1868 | Manuel Pavía y Lacy, 1st Marquis de Novaliches | † 22 October 1896 | |
| 24 April 1868 | José Gutiérrez de la Concha, 1st Marquis of Havana | † 5 November 1895 | Minister of Overseas (20 May-6 August 1863 and 29 November 1863–1864) Minister of the Navy (19 June-16 July 1863 and 19–21 September 1868) Minister of War (1863–1864 and 19 September-8 October 1868) Prime Minister (19 September-8 October 1868) |
| 30 September 1868 | Juan Prim, 1st Marquis of los Castillejos | † 30 December 1870 | Minister of War (1868–1870) Prime Minister (1869–1870) |
| 16 November 1870 | King Amadeo | 11 February 1873 (Abdication) | Ex officio Captain General of the Navy (1870–1873) |
| 1 May 1874 | Juan de Zavala, 1st Marquis of Sierra Bullones | † 29 December 1879 | Minister of state (1855–1856) Minister of the Navy (1860–1863) Minister of War (8 April-26 May 1872 and 3 January-29 June 1874) Prime Minister (26 February-3 September 1874) |
| 29 December 1874 | King Alfonso XII | † 25 November 1885 | Ex officio Captain General of the Navy (1874–1885) |
| 21 August 1875 | Ramón Cabrera y Griñó, 1st duke of the Maestrazgo | † 24 May 1877 | Ad honorem |
| 27 March 1876 | Jenaro Quesada, 1st Marquis of Miravalles | † 19 January 1889 | Ad honorem Prime Minister (7 March-9 December 1879) |
| 27 March 1876 | Arsenio Martínez-Campos y Antón | † 23 September 1892 | Ad honorem |
| 7 July 1878 | Joaquín Jovellar y Soler | † 16 April 1892 | Ad honorem |
| 29 July 1892 | Manuel Pavía y Rodríguez de Alburquerque | † 4 January 1895 | Ad honorem |
| 22 January 1895 | José López Domínguez | † 17 October 1911 | Ad honorem Prime Minister (6 July-30 November 1906) |
| 16 May 1895 | Ramón Blanco y Erenas, 1st Marquis de Peña Plata | † 4 April 1906 | Ad honorem |
| 14 November 1895 | Fernando Primo de Rivera y Sobremonte, 1st Marquis of Estella | † 23 May 1921 | Ad honorem Minister of War (1907–1909 and June–October 1917) |
| 17 May 1902 | King Alfonso XIII | 14 April 1931 (Second Spanish Republic established) | Ex officio Captain General of the Navy (1902–1931) |
| 7 April 1907 | Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom | † 6 May 1910 | Ad honorem Monarch of the British Dominions and Emperor of India |
| 23 January 1910 | Camilo García de Polavieja y del Castillo-Negrete, 1st Marquis Polavieja | † 15 January 1914 | Ad honorem |
| 23 January 1910 | Valeriano Weyler Nicolau, 1st Duke of Rubí and Marquis of Tenerife | † 20 October 1930 | Ad honorem Minister of War (1901–1902, 23 June-1 December 1905 and 1906–1907) Minister of the Navy (1 October-1 December 1905) |
| 23 January 1910 | Wilhelm II, German Emperor | † 4 June 1941 | Ad honorem Monarch until 9 November 1918. |
| 12 March 1911 | Marcelo de Azcárraga y Palmero | † 30 May 1915 | Ad honorem Minister of War (1890–1892, 1895–1897 and 1899–1900) Prime Minister (8 August-4 October 1897, 1900–1901 and 1904–1905) Minister of the Navy (23–31 October 1900) |
| 17 May 1921 | Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infante of Spain | 14 April 1931 † 11 November 1949 | Ad honorem Reinstated ad honorem in 1939. |
| 2 May 1931 | Francisco Aguilera y Egea | † 19 May 1931 | Ad honorem Minister of War (19 April-11 June 1917) |
| July 20, 1936 | José Sanjurjo y Sacanell, 1st Marquis of the Rif | — | Posthumous promotion |
| 18 July 1938 | Francisco Franco Bahamonde | † 20 November 1975 | Ex officio (As Head of State) Captain General of the Navy (1938-1975) and the Air Force (1939–1975) Generalissimo (1936-1975) |
| March 22, 1947 | Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, 2nd Marquis of Estella | — | Posthumous promotion Prime Minister (1923–1930) |
| March 24, 1951 | José Enrique Varela Iglesias, 1st Marquis of San Fernando de Varela | — | Posthumous promotion Minister of the Army (1939–1942) |
| October 21, 1952 | Juan Yagüe Blanco, 1st Marquis of San Leonardo de Yagüe | — | Posthumous promotion Air Minister (1939–1940) |
| April 12, 1956 | José Moscardó Ituarte, 1st Count of the Alcázar de Toledo | — | Posthumous promotion |
| 27 February 1957 | Agustín Muñoz Grandes | † 11 July 1970 | Ad honorem Minister of the Army (1951–1957) Deputy Prime Minister (1962–1967) |
| 23 March 1962 | Fidel Dávila Arrondo | † 22 March 1962 | Ad honorem President of the State Technical Board (1936–1937) Minister of the National Defence (1937–1939) Minister of the Army (1945–1951) |
| 29 October 1969 | Camilo Alonso Vega | † 1 July 1971 | Ad honorem Minister of Interior (1957–1969) |
| 20 November 1975 | King Juan Carlos I | Active until 19 June 2014. (Abdication) | Ex officio Retired since 19 June 2014 Captain General of the Navy and the Air Force |
| 24 July 1994 | Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado, 1st Marquis Gutiérrez-Mellado | † 15 December 1995 | Ad honorem Minister of Defence (1977–1979) Deputy Prime Minister for Defence (1976–1981) |
| 19 June 2014 | King Felipe VI | Present | Ex officio Captain General of the Navy and the Air and Space Force |