Generalissimo

Usage

The word generalissimo (pronounced [dʒeneraˈlissimo]), an Italian term, is the absolute superlative of generale ('general') thus meaning "the highest-ranking of all generals". The superlative suffix -issimo itself derives from Latin -issimus,[2][3][4][5][6] meaning "utmost, to the highest grade". Similar cognates in other languages include generalísimo in Spanish, generalíssimo in Portuguese, généralissime in French, and generalissimus in 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.[7] The military leader Albrecht von Wallenstein in 1632 was the first imperial generalissimo (general of the generals). 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.[8][9] In fact the grade was established by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet which did not need the "approval" of Stalin.[10] The rank of Generalissimo for Stalin was used also by Western diplomacy.[11]

List of generalissimos
Chiang Kai-shek
Emilio Aguinaldo
Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
Wallenstein – Albrecht von Waldstein, 1625, 1st Generalissimo
Alexander Suvorov
PersonServiceCountryEraNotes
Chiang Kai-shekNational Revolutionary ArmyRepublic of China1926Appointed commander in chief of the Nationalist Army for the Northern Expedition.[12] In 1935 was appointed "general special class" (特級上將 Tèjí shàng jiàng).
Joseph JoffreFrench ArmyFrance1914His dignity (rank) was Marshal of France, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Army was généralissime.
Alexander Danilovich MenshikovRussian Imperial ArmyRussian Empire1727–1728[13]
Duke Anthony Ulrich of BrunswickRussian Imperial ArmyRussian Empire1740–1741[14]
Alexander SuvorovRussian Imperial ArmyRussian Empire1799
Ferdinand FochFrench 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 (rank) of Marshal of France and later the ranks of British Field Marshal and Marshal of Poland.[15]
Maurice GamelinFrench ArmyFrance1939His rank was général d'armée, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces was généralissime.
Maxime WeygandFrench ArmyFrance1939His rank was général d'armée, but his title as commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces was généralissime.
Francisco de MirandaVenezuelan ArmyVenezuela1812
Miguel Hidalgo y CostillaRevolutionary Army of MexicoAmérica Mexicana1810– 1811[16]
José de San MartínPeruvian ArmyPeru1821–1822Generalísimo de las Armas del Perú
Francisco FrancoSpanish Armed ForcesSpain1936–1975Generalísimo[17]
Emilio AguinaldoPhilippine Revolutionary ArmyPhilippines1898–1901Generalissimo of the Katipunan[18]
Ihsan NuriArarat ForcesKurdish Republic of Ararat1927–1930[19]
Crown Prince Charles JohnRoyal Swedish ArmySweden1810–1818[20][Note 1]
Joseph StalinSoviet Armed ForcesSoviet Union1945Generalissimus of the Soviet Union[21] (declined usage)
Kim Il-sungKorean People's ArmyNorth Korea1992Taewonsu[22]
Kim Jong-ilKorean People's ArmyNorth Korea2012Taewonsu (posthumously awarded)[23]
Rafael TrujilloDominican ArmyDominican Republic1930[24]
Sun Yat-senNational Revolutionary Army – Warlord Era (Northern Expedition) Republic of China1921Technically as da yuan shuai or "grand marshal of the army and navy"[25][26]
Albrecht von Wallenstein30 Year's WarHoly Roman Empire via the "Principal Decree of the Imperial Deputation"[27]1625[28]
John J. PershingUnited States ArmyUnited States of America1919Promoted to General of the Armies of the United States on September 3, 1919.[29]
John Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughWar of the Spanish SuccessionDutch Republic1702Referred to as Generalissimo by the Dutch States General.[30]
Prince George of DenmarkBritish ArmyKingdom of Great Britain1702–1708Declared 'Generalissimo of all our Forces within Our Kingdom of England and Ireland and Elsewhere' by his wife Queen Anne[31][32]
James, Duke of YorkThird Anglo-Dutch WarKingdom of England1673'Generalissimo and Supreme Commander' over forces employed against the Dutch.[31]
Louis Dauphin of FranceWar of the Spanish SuccessionFrance1708Commanded French Army[33]
Prince Consort FrederickSwedish ArmySweden1720[34]
George WashingtonContinental 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.[35] Promoted posthumously to General of the Armies of the United States on January 19, 1976 with date of rank of July 4, 1976.[36]
Deodoro da FonsecaBrazilian ArmyBrazil1890[37]
KalākauaHawaiian ArmyKingdom of Hawaii1886–1891King of Hawaii, was given titles of "Supreme Commander and Generalissimo of the Hawaiian Army".[38]
Zhang ZuolinNational Pacification ArmyRepublic of China (1912–1949)1927–1928Leader of the Beiyang government, declared Generalissimo in June 1927[39]

See also

Notes
  1. The Napoleonic Marshal of France Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, Prince of Ponte Corvo, was elected Crown Prince of Sweden by the Riksdag of the Estates and King Charles XIII in 1810. Given his exalted French military rank, the rank of generalissimus was likely granted him in order to give him precedence over "mere" Swedish field marshals. Once he became King of Sweden and Norway in 1818, the generalissimus rank became superfluous.

References
  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature, Enlarged and Improved. Archibald Constable. 1823. pp. 484. generalissimo.
  2. Webster's Third New International Dictionary. Missing or empty |title= (help), French Larousse Étymologique.
  3. "Online Etymology Dictionary". Online Etymology Dictionary.
  4. "Define Generalissimo at Dictionary.com". Reference.com.
  5. "Generalissimo – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". Merriam-Webster.
  6. "Definition of generalissimo – Oxford Dictionaries (British & World English)". Oxford Dictionary of English.
  7. Thomas Hobbes (1660), Chapter XVIII: Of the Rights of Sovereigns by institution, retrieved 16 August 2015
  8. Service, Robert (2005). Stalin: A Biography. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 548. ISBN 978-0-674-01697-2.
  9. S. M. Shtemenko. The General Staff in the War Years. Moskva 1985. Vietnamese version (vol. 2) . pp. 587–588.
  10. Сборник законов СССР и Указов Президиума Верховного Совета СССР (1938 — июль 1956) / Сост.: М. И. Юмашев, Б. А. Жалейко. — М., 1956. — С. 202.
  11. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1945/nov/07/generalissimo-stalin
  12. New York Times, Dec 04, 1926, pg.6.
  13. "Menschikow und Stalin waren die einzigen Heerführer der russischen Geschichte, die sich "Generalissimus" nennen ließen." [Menshikov and Stalin were the only military leaders in Russian history who declared themselves "generalissimus".] Jena, Detlev (1996): Die russischen Zaren in Lebensbildern, Graz, p. 520.
  14. https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/01.+Paintings/128240
  15. John McGroarty :The Gray Man of Christ: Generalissimo Foch (1919) Los Angeles, Walter A Abbott
  16. Comunica Miguel Hidalgo su proclamaci n como General simo de Am rica. Documentos Historicos de Mexico, 24 Oct 1810.
  17. Cover, TIME magazine, 18 Oct 1943
  18. Whitefield, George. "Annual report of Major General George W. Davis, United States Army commanding Division of the Philippines from October 1, 1902 to July 26, 1903" (1903) [Textual record]. Archive.Org, ID: annualreportofma03unit, p. 188. Boston Public Library. OCLC 1039990497.
  19. Bletch Chirguh, La Question Kurde: ses origines et ses causes, Le Caire, Impimerie Paul Barbey, 1930, front cover, IHSAN NOURI PACHA Généralissime des forces nationales Kurdes (in French)
  20. (in Swedish) Ancienneté och Rang-Rulla öfver Krigsmagten år 1813
  21. Joseph Stalin was appointed Generalissimus of the Soviet Union. See: Ivan Aleksandrovich Venediktov, Selskokhozyaystvennaya yentsiklopediya, Vol. 4, Gos. izd-vo selkhoz, 1956, p. 584. (in Russian)
  22. The Daily Yomuiri, 29 September 2010, Kim Jong Un spotlighted / 'Heir apparent' promoted to general, makes DPRK media debut
  23. The Australian, 15 February 2012, Late Kim Jong-il awarded highest honour by North
  24. Stanley Walker, Generalissimo Rafael L. Trujillo (1955) Caribbean Library
  25. Linda Pomerantz-Zhang (1992). Wu Tingfang (1842–1922): Reform and Modernization in Modern Chinese History. Hong Kong University Press. p. 255. ISBN 962209287X. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  26. Taylor, Jay (15 April 2009). The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the struggle for modern China. Harvard University Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-674-05471-4. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  27. A short history of Germany. Ernest Flagg Henderson, 1908
  28. Tilly und Wallenstein – ein Vergleich zweier Heerführer. Harry Horstmann, 2010. (in German)
  29. Public Law 66-45 of September 3, 1919 to revive the office of General of the Armies
  30. Rapin de Thoyras (M., Paul) (1745). Nicholas Tindal (ed.). The History of England. Volume IV, part 1 (French original: Histoire d'Angleterre, 1724–27). J. and P. Knapton. p. 562. Retrieved 16 September 2018. The Earl of Athlone [Godard van Reede] was set on by the other Dutch Generals, to insist on his quality of Velt-Marshal, and to have the command with the Earl of Marlborough by turns. But, though he was now in high reputation by his late conduct, the States obliged him to yield this point to the Earl of Marlborough, whom they declared Generalissimo of all their forces, and sent orders to all their Generals and other Officers to obey him.
  31. Roper, Michael (1998). The Records of the War Office and Related Departments, 1660-1964. Kew, Surrey: Public Record Office. p. 5.
  32. Rapin de Thoyras (M., Paul) (1745). Nicholas Tindal (ed.). The History of England. Volume IV, part 1 (French original: Histoire d'Angleterre, 1724–27). J. and P. Knapton. p. 104. Retrieved 16 September 2018. The Prince was Duke of Cumberland, Lord High-Admiral of Great-Britain and Ireland, Generalissimo of all her Majesty's forces both by sea and land, and Warden of the Cinque-ports.
  33. Rapin de Thoyras (M., Paul) (1745). Nicholas Tindal (ed.). The History of England. Volume IV, part 1 (French original: Histoire d'Angleterre, 1724–27). J. and P. Knapton. p. 68. Retrieved 16 September 2018. But an unexpected alteration was suddenly made, and the French King declared the Duke of Burgundy Generalissimo of his forces, appointing the Duke de Vendosme [sic: Vendôme] to serve under him; and he was to be accompanied by the Duke of Berry.
  34. Pock, Johann Joseph (1724). Der politische, katholische Passagier, durchreisend alle hohe Höfe, Republiquen, Herrschafften und Länder der ganzen Welt. Brechenmacher. p. 832. Retrieved 16 September 2018. wurde 1720. von dem König in Schweden [...] zum Generalissimo der sämmtlichen Schwedischen Trouppen ernennet
  35. Chadwick, Bruce (2005). George Washington's War: The Forging of a Revolutionary Leader and the American Presidency. Sourcebooks, Inc. p. 40. ISBN 9781402226106. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  36. Public Law 94-479 of January 19, 1976 to provide for the appointment of George Washington to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States
  37. Andermann, Jens; Rowe, William (2006). Images of Power: Iconography, Culture and the State in Latin America. Berghahn Books. p. 176. ISBN 9781845452124.
  38. Chapter XXII: Act Act To Organize The Military Forces Of The Kingdom. Laws of His Majesty Kalakaua, King of the Hawaiian Islands: Passed by the Legislative Assembly at Its Session of 1886. Honolulu: Black & Auld. 1886. pp. 37–41. OCLC 42350849.
  39. Moore, Frederick (18 June 1927). "Chang Tso-lin Made Dictator in Move to Beat Back South". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
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