Generalissimo


Generalissimo 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, an Italian term, is the absolute superlative of suffix in 1632 was the first imperial generalissimo. Other usage of the rank has been for the commander of the united armies of several allied powers and if a senior military officer becomes the head of state or head of government of a nation like Chiang Kai-Shek in China and later in Taiwan, and 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.

List of ''generalissimo''s

PersonServiceCountryEraNotes
Chiang Kai-shekNational Revolutionary Army1926Appointed commander in chief of the Nationalist Army for the Northern Expedition. In 1935 was appointed "general special class".
French ArmyFrance1914His dignity was Marshal of France, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Army was généralissime.
Russian Imperial ArmyRussian Empire1727–1728
Duke Anthony Ulrich of BrunswickRussian Imperial ArmyRussian Empire1740–1741
Russian Imperial ArmyRussian Empire1799
French ArmyFrance1918Généralissime was the title used to describe Ferdinand Foch's Allied Command, starting 26 March 1918. He actually held the rank of général de division, the dignity of Marshal of France and later the ranks of British Field Marshal and Marshal of Poland.
French ArmyFrance1939His rank was général d'armée, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces was généralissime.
French ArmyFrance1939His rank was général d'armée, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces was généralissime.
Venezuelan ArmyVenezuela1812
Revolutionary Army of Mexico1810– 1811
Peruvian ArmyPeru1821–1822Generalísimo de las Armas del Perú
Spanish Armed ForcesSpain1936–1975Generalísimo
Emilio AguinaldoPhilippine Revolutionary ArmyPhilippines1898–1901Generalissimo of the Katipunan
Ihsan NuriArarat Forces1927–1930
Crown Prince Charles JohnRoyal Swedish ArmySweden1810–1818
Soviet Armed ForcesSoviet Union1945Generalissimus of the Soviet Union
Kim Il-sungKorean People's Army1992Taewonsu
Kim Jong-ilKorean People's Army2012Taewonsu
Dominican ArmyDominican Republic1930
Sun Yat-senNational Revolutionary Army – Warlord Era 1921Technically as da yuan shuai or "grand marshal of the army and navy"
Albrecht von Wallenstein30 Year's WarHoly Roman Empire via the "Principal Decree of the Imperial Deputation"1625
United States ArmyUnited States of America1919Promoted to General of the Armies of the United States on September 3, 1919.
War of the Spanish SuccessionDutch Republic1702Referred to as Generalissimo by the Dutch States General.
British Army1702–1708Declared 'Generalissimo of all our Forces within Our Kingdom of England and Ireland and Elsewhere' by his wife Queen Anne
Third Anglo-Dutch War1673'Generalissimo and Supreme Commander' over forces employed against the Dutch.
War of the Spanish SuccessionFrance1708Commanded French Army
Prince Consort FrederickSwedish ArmySweden1720
Continental Army
United States Army		United States of America1776When chosen to be the Commander in Chief, was called by the Virginia Gazette the generalissimo of the 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.
Brazilian ArmyBrazil1890
KalākauaHawaiian Army1886–1891King of Hawaii, was given titles of "Supreme Commander and Generalissimo of the Hawaiian Army".
Zhang ZuolinNational Pacification Army1927–1928Leader of the Beiyang government, declared Generalissimo in June 1927