Generalissimo

Francisco Franco, Generalissimo of Spain

Francisco Franco, Generalissimo of Spain from 1936 to 1975.

Proposed insignia of the Generalissimus of USSR, (only held by Joseph Stalin)

Proposed insignia of the Generalissimo of the Soviet Union (only held by Joseph Stalin)

Template:Use mdy datesGeneralissimo (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell), 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 (), an Italian term, is the absolute superlative of ('general') thus meaning "the highest-ranking of all generals". The superlative suffix itself derives from Latin , meaning "utmost, to the highest grade". Similar cognates in other languages include in Spanish, in Portuguese, in French, and in Latin. The Russian word Template:Langx 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
	The Deluge		1655–1660	Named "Generalissimo of the Swedish armies in Poland and Prussia" by his brother King Charles X Gustav of Sweden
	Philippine Revolutionary Army		1898–1901	Generalissimo of the Katipunan
	Royal Swedish Army		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.
	Thirty Years' War		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.
	National Revolutionary Army		1926–1975	Appointed commander in chief of the Nationalist Army for the Northern Expedition. Appointed "general special class" (特級上將 Tèjí shàng jiàng) in 1935
	War of the Spanish Succession		1702	Referred to as generalissimo by the Dutch States General
	French Army		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.
	Brazilian Army		1890
	Spanish Armed Forces		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.
	Royal Swedish Army		1716–1720	Fredrick was named "Generalissimo of the Swedish Armed forces to horse and foot" in 1716 by King Charles XII.
	French Army		1939	His rank was général d'armée, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces was généralissime.
	British Army		1702–1708	Declared "generalissimo of all our Forces within Our Kingdom of England and Ireland and Elsewhere" by his wife Queen Anne
	Cuban Liberation Army		1895–1898
	Revolutionary Army of Mexico		1810–1811
	Armed Forces of the Empire of Japan		1926–1945	Dai-gensui, as sovereign ruler of the Empire of Japan
	Mexican Army		1821–1823
	Third Anglo-Dutch War		1673	"Generalissimo and supreme commander" over forces employed against the Dutch.
	French Army		1914	His dignity (rank) was Marshal of France, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Army was généralissime.
	Hawaiian Army		1886–1891	King of Hawaii, was given titles of "supreme commander and generalissimo of the Hawaiian Army".
	Austrian Army		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.
	Korean People's Army		1992	Taewonsu
	Korean People's Army		2012	Taewonsu (posthumously awarded)
	War of the Spanish Succession		1708	Commanded the French Army
	People's Liberation Army	People's Republic of China	1955	Proposed the rank of Generalissimo of the People's Republic of China (declined usage)
	Imperial Russian Army		1727–1728
	Venezuelan Army		1812
	Revolutionary Army of Mexico		1813–1815
	Ararat Forces		1927–1930
	Imperial Russian Army		1799
	Imperial Russian Army		1740–1741
	French Army		1940	His rank was général d'armée, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces was généralissime.
	Peruvian Army		1821–1822	Generalísimo de las Armas del Perú
	Soviet Armed Forces		1945	Generalissimus of the Soviet Union (declined usage)
	National Pacification Army	Republic of China	1921	Technically as dayuanshuai or "grand marshal of the army and navy"
	Dominican Army		1930
	Thirty Years' War		1625	Via the "Principal Decree of the Imperial Deputation"
	Continental Army United States Army		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
	Royal Portuguese Army		1762–1763	Became Generalissimus of the Allied Armies in Portugal during the Spanish invasion
	Beiyang Army	Template:Country data Republic of China (1912–1949)	1913–1916	Leader of the Beiyang government, declared generalissimo (dayuanshuai) in 1913
	National Pacification Army	Template:Country data Republic of China (1912–1949)	1927–1928	Leader of the Beiyang government, declared generalissimo (dayuanshuai) in June 1927
	Brazilian Army		1967	Patroness of Brazil, uses the feminine equivalent title Generalissima.

See also

• Admiralissimo
• Capo dei capi
• Caudillo
• Commander-in-chief
• Grand marshal
• Dayuanshuai
• Dai-gensui
• Field marshal
• First marshal of the empire
• General of the Armies
• Generalissimo of the Soviet Union
• Highest military ranks
• Magister Militum
• Marshal General of France
• Shogun
• Six-star rank