Commanders who never lost a battle

This is a list of commanders who have never lost a battle. This list includes important historical generals and admirals, rather than simply any commander who has never lost a battle for the sake of brevity.

Africa
  • Ahmose I - founder of the Eighteenth Dynasty and the New Kingdom of Egypt after defeating the Hyksos and leading a successful siege into their capital Avaris. Ahmose also campaigned in Nubia and Levant.
  • Thutmose I - pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Thutmose I was the first pharaoh to cross the Euphrates. Thutmose I also campaigned in Nubia.
  • Thutmose III - pharaoh of Egypt from the Eighteenth Dynasty. Thutmose III conquered 350 towns without losing any battle.
  • Tutankhamun - pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Two victorious battles were fought during his reign: the Asiatic Battle, and the Nubian Battle. Partially recovered Talatat blocks from his tomb record 4 different episodes from his battles. Various militant objects were found in his tomb such as military body armor, 8 shields, swords, scimitars, slings, throw-sticks and 2 military trumpets.[1]
  • Seti I - second pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He led successful campaigns in Nubia, Libya and Levant. He also captured Kadesh and re-established the Egyptian rule over it which was lost since the rule of Akhenaten.
  • Ramesses II - one of the greatest pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. He was involved in naval battles against pirates and battles on the land against the Canaanites and the Hittite Empire. Ramesses signed the oldest peace treaty in history with the Hittites after a long war.
  • Tariq ibn Ziyad (679 – 707) - Berber[2] Muslim commander who led the Islamic Umayyad conquest of Visigothic Hispania in 711–718 A.D. Led the decisive Battle of Guadalete. The name Gibraltar is derived from him.
  • Shaka Zulu (1787-1828) - One of the most influential leaders of the Zulu Kingdom. Shaka was known for conquering the Ndwandwe and the Mthethwa Paramountcy without losing any battles. His role in the Mfecane led to the depopulation and migration of various tribes as well as the establishment of Zulu hegemony in the region.

Asia

Ancient

Modern
  • Khalid ibn al-Walid (585–642) - Arab military commander and Companion of Muhammad. He is noted for his military tactics and prowess. He was chosen by Muhammad, and later Abu Bakr and Umar to lead many military campaigns, especially in Muslim conquest of Persia and Levant. Khalid is the only military leader who fought more than 200 undefeated battles and is considered to be one of the finest military leaders in history.[3]
  • Narses (478–573) - ethnic Armenian, he was, with Belisarius, one of the great generals in the service of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I during the Roman reconquest that took place during Justinian's reign, where he succeeded in recapturing Rome from the Ostrogoths. The last general to receive a Roman triumph in Rome.
  • David IV of Georgia (1073 – 24 January 1125) - also known as David the Builder[4] (Georgian: დავით აღმაშენებელი, Davit Aghmashenebeli), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125.[5] Popularly considered to be the greatest and most successful Georgian ruler in history and an original architect of the Georgian Golden Age, he succeeded in driving the Seljuk Turks out of the country, winning the major Battle of Didgori in 1121. His reforms of the army and administration enabled him to reunite the country and bring most of the lands of the Caucasus under Georgia’s control.
  • Yue Fei (March 24, 1103 – January 27, 1142) - Han Chinese military general who lived during the Southern Song dynasty. He led many successful campaigns against the Jurchens, before being put to death by Emperor Gaozong. He was seen today as a patriotic role model in China.
  • Subutai (1175–1248) - Uriankhai general, also the primary military strategist of Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan. Famed for his military achievements in Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Europe. His strategies were carefully studied by the Soviets.
  • Tamerlane (April 9, 1336 – February 14, 1405) - infamous Turco-Mongol conqueror. As the founder of the Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia, he became the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty.[6] Notorious for causing the deaths of 17 million people during his time. His descendant, Babur, would establish the Mughal Empire in India.
  • Kumbha of Mewar (1433–1468) - ruler of Mewar kingdom of western India. Successfully expanded his kingdom against the combined forces of the Gujaratis, Malwans, Marwaris and Nagauris. Built the massive Kumbhalgarh fortress in Rajasthan. Kumbha is also credited with having worked assiduously to build up the state again. Of 84 fortresses that form the defense of Mewar, 32 were erected by Kumbha. He did not lose any war in 35 years of his reign.[7]
  • Akbar (October 15, 1542 – October 27, 1605) - third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. He succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expand and consolidate Mughal domains in India. A figure with strong personality and successful military leadership, Akbar gradually expanded the Mughal Empire to include nearly all of the Indian subcontinent north of the Godavari river. Helped the spread and growth of Indo-Persian culture in India.
  • Admiral Yi (April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598) - Korean naval commander during the Joseon period. Defeated the much-larger invading Japanese naval forces under Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Imjin War, especially at Battle of Myeongnyang. Mortally wounded in his last battle at Noryang.
  • Baji Rao (August 18, 1700 – April 28, 1740) - General and Peshwa (prime minister) of the Maratha Empire in India, renowned for his rapid tactical movements in battle. Baji Rao was possibly the finest cavalry general ever produced by India. Baji Rao never lost a single war in his lifetime and expanded Maratha Empire to its highest expansion ever.[8] He led many battles against the Mughals during his service. He is best known for being the first successful general in guerrilla warfare after Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
  • Nguyễn Huệ (1753 – September 16, 1792) - second emperor of the Tây Sơn dynasty of Vietnam, reigning from 1788 until 1792.[9] He was one of the most successful military commanders in Vietnam's history,[10] famously known for his achievements of almost unifying Vietnam after defeating Nguyễn Lords, Trịnh Lords, Rattanakosin Kingdom and Qing. Ten years after his death, his dynasty was defeated by his rival Nguyễn Ánh and was replaced by Nguyễn dynasty.

Europe

Ancient
  • Alexander the Great - Macedonian Emperor of the 4th century BC who led an army from Greece against the Persian Empire and into India. He is often regarded as one of the finest battlefield tacticians in history.
  • Epaminondas - Theban general and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a pre-eminent position in Greek politics.
  • Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus - Roman general and later consul whose main achievements were during the Second Punic War. The victory and subsequent defeat of Hannibal at the final Battle of Zama was one of the feats that earned him the agnomen Africanus. He is often regarded as one of the greatest military commanders and strategists of all time.
  • Lucius Cornelius Sulla, First dictator for life of Rome. Accomplished great success while serving under Marius during his early military career. Began his career as a commander in the Social War. He fought his political opponents in a civil war, defeated Pontic forces in the first Mithridatic war.
  • Nero Claudius Drusus - stepson of emperor Augustus. He served as governor of the Gallic Provinces and led the first major Roman expeditions across the Rhine River into Germania, creating alliances and conquering territories. Additionally, he was the first Roman to navigate the North Sea and reach the Elbe River.
  • Burebista - Dacian Great King and general of who transformed the Dacian Kingdom into an Empire. He defeated the Celts (Boii,Taurisci,Scordisci); Germanic tribes (Bastarnae,Marcomanni);Odrysian Kingdom;Ancient greeks from the Black Sea and Sarmatians. His empire stretched from Bohemia and parts from Poland and Germany to Thrace (Turkey;Greece;Bulgaria).

Medieval

Early modern

Modern
  • August von Mackensen - Field Marshal of the Imperial German army on the Eastern Front of World War I, the most successful senior commander of the war. He isn't undisputedly undefeated as he lost some engagements which could be seen as just a part of a bigger battle. He lost these minor engagements due to the refusal of the Austrian army to cooperate with him.
  • Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck - general in the Prussian Army and the commander of its forces in the German East Africa campaign. He was outnumbered throughout the campaign at 20:1, with no hope of reinforcements or external help. He was able to defeat armies 8 times the size of his own, and held his troops in high esteem. He was never captured, and surrendered only when ordered by the German High Command in Europe.

North America

References
  1. Charolette Booth (2007). The Boy Behind the Mask: Meeting the Real Tutankhamun. Oneworld Publications. ISBN 9781851685448.
  2. Marvine Howe (2005). Morocco: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges. Oxford University Press. p. 59. ISBN 9780195346985.
  3. Alkhateeb, Firas (2017). Lost Islamic History: Reclaiming Muslim Civilisation from the Past. Oxford University Press. p. 43. ISBN 9781849046893.
  4. Britannica online
  5. Georgia in the Developed Feudal Period (XI-the first quarter of the XIII c.) www.parliament.ge/ Retrieved 13 August 2006.
  6. Josef W. Meri (2005). Medieval Islamic Civilization. Routledge. p. 812. ISBN 9780415966900.
  7. http://www.historydiscussion.net/history-of-india/achievements-of-rana-kumha-and-rana-sanga/2758
  8. "Baji Rao the greatest cavalry general in India".
  9. Patricia M. Pelley Postcolonial Vietnam: New Histories of the National Past - 2002- Page 191 "The people of the North, who warmly welcomed Nguyễn Huệ, formed peasant armies to help him wage war against the Trịnh. Thus, the movement that had begun in Qui Nhơn came to engulf all of Vietnam."
  10. Théophile Le Grand de la Liraye Notes historiques sur la nation annamite
  11. "Edward IV". Archontology.org. 14 March 2010. Set sail on 2 October 1470 from England and took refuge in Burgundy; deposed as King of England on 3 October 1470
  12. 80 Jaar Oorlog by Hans Goedkoop
  13. "Dordrechtsmuseum". dordrechtsmuseum.nl.
  14. Nationaal Militair Museum
  15. Van Deursen, A. Th. (1931). Maurits Van Nassau, 1567-1625. Netherlands: Bakker.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.