Generalissimo

Common military ranks
Officers
Navies Armies Air forces
Admiral of
the Fleet		 Marshal /
Field Marshal		 Marshal of
the Air Force
Admiral General Air Marshal
Commodore Brigadier Air Commodore
Captain Colonel Group Captain
Commander Lt. Colonel Wing Commander
Lt. Commander Major / Commandant Squadron Leader
Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer
Ensign 2nd Lieutenant Pilot Officer
Midshipman Officer Cadet Officer Cadet
Seamen, soldiers and airmen
Warrant Officer Sergeant Major Warrant Officer
Petty Officer Sergeant Sergeant
Leading Seaman Corporal Corporal
Seaman Private Aircraftman

Generalissimo or Generalissimus is a military rank of the highest degree, superior to a Field Marshal or Grand Admiral and comparable to commander-in-chief (though with power not delegated from outside the military power structure, as commander-in-chief often is; e.g. an elected official).

Contents

Usage

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek of Republic of China.

The word "generalissimo" is an Italian term, from generale, plus the suffix -issimo, itself from Latin -issimus[1], meaning "utmost, to the highest grade".

Historically this rank was given to a military officer leading an entire army or the entire armed forces of a nation, usually only subordinate to the Sovereign. Other usage of the title is for a commander of united armies of several allied powers. Many generalissimos have been dictators. "Generalissimo" is sometimes used in modern English language to refer to a military officer who has obtained political power by a military coup, or in some cases to one who has suspended pre-existing constitutional mechanisms in order to retain power by means of a military hierarchy.[citation needed]

Notable historical generalissimos

Brazil

Generalissimo Deodoro da Fonseca,first President of Brazil.

China

In Imperial China a rank of Da Jiang Jun (大將軍) existed which resembles Generalissimo.

Han Dynasty Imperial China

Republic of China

Cuba

North Korea

Dominican Republic

France

Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda

The Holy Roman Empire / Austrian Empire

Mexico

Poland

Portugal

From 1834 to 1910, the Kings of Portugal were considered "Generalissimo", in their constitutional role of Supreme Commanders of the Portuguese Army.

Russia and the Soviet Union

There were five holders of the Russian rank or title "generalissimus" prior to the 20th century. Romodanovsky and Menshikov both commanded military forces and ruled absolutely; Aleksei Shein and Aleksandr Suvorov, were principally field commanders rather than political figures. Anthony Ulrich II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1714–1776), was appointed generalissimus by his wife Anna Leopoldovna but neither commanded nor ruled. From 1918 to 1945, there were no generalissimos in the country, until Joseph Stalin applied this rank to himself following victory in the Great Patriotic War, in order to differentiate himself from other USSR marshals (such as Zhukov). The rank was abolished with Stalin's death in 1953.

Spain

Francisco Franco

Sweden

Turkey

Venezuela

Venice

Other Italians

See also

References

  1. ^ "Webster's Third New International Dictionary". Webster's Third New International Dictionary. , French Larousse Étymologique.
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ [2]
  4. ^ [3]

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This page was last modified on 19 March 2010 at 12:06.

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