Generalissimo
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).
Usage
The word "generalissimo" is an Italian term, from generale, plus the suffix -issimo, itself from Latin -issimus, meaning "utmost, to the highest grade".
The rank was historically given to a military officer leading an entire army or the entire armed forces, only subordinated to the Sovereign. Other usage of the title is for a commander of united armies of several allied powers. In fact, most of the generalissimos are 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 one who has suspended pre-existing constitutional mechanisms in order to retain power by means of a military hierarchy.
Notable historical generalissimos
Republic of China
Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925)
Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975)
Chile
Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) was (and to some degree still is) known by some, especially ardent supporters, as El Generalissimo.
Cuba
Maximo Gomez y Baez (1836–1905)
North Korea
Kim Il-sung (1912-94)
Dominican Republic
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina (1891–1961)
France
Henry III of France (1551–1589)
Henry I, Duke of Guise (1550–1588)
Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé (1621–1686)
Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne (1611–1675)
Claude Louis Hector de Villars (1653–1734)
Maurice de Saxe (1696–1750)
Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult (1769–1851)
Ferdinand Foch (1851–1929), Supreme Commander of the Allies of World War I
Maurice Gamelin (1872–1958)
The Holy Roman Empire / Austrian Empire
Albrecht von Wallenstein (1583–1634)
Mexico
Ignacio José de Allende (1769–1811)
Antonio López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (1794–1876)
José María Morelos y Pavón, Insurgent Leader.
Poland
Jerzy Ossoliński (1643–1648)
Józef Antoni Poniatowski (1763 - 1813)
Portugal
Michael, Infante of Portugal (1820 - 1824)
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 four holders of the Russian rank or title "generalissimus" prior to the 20th century. 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.
Aleksei Shein (1662–1700)
Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov (1673–1729)
Anthony Ulrich II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1714–1776)
Aleksandr Suvorov (1729–1800)
Joseph Stalin (1879–1953)
Spain
Don Juan de Austria (1547–1578)
Manuel Godoy, Prince of the Peace
Baldomero Espartero (1793-1879)
Francisco Franco (1892-1975)
Sweden
Lennart Torstenson (1603–1651)
Charles X Gustav (1622-1660, for the forces in Germany)
Crown Prince Charles John of Sweden and Norway (Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte), later Charles XIV John of Sweden and Norway (1763–1844)
Venezuela
Francisco de Miranda (1750–1816)
Venice
Pietro Loredan (?–1439)
Other Italians
Cesare Borgia (1475-1507)
Translation
The word "Generalissimo" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Dutch, Norwegian (Bokmål), Finnish.
Translation(s) in other languages: Bulgarian: Генералисимус, German: Generalissimus, Spanish: Generalísimo, French: Généralissime, Korean: 대원수, Croatian: Generalissimus, Italian: Generalissimo (grado), Hebrew: גנרליסימו, Georgian: გენერალისიმუსი, Lithuanian: Generalisimas, Macedonian: Генералисимус, Malay: Generalisimo, Japanese: 大元帥, Polish: Generalissimus, Portuguese: Generalíssimo, Romanian: Generalisim, Russian: Генералиссимус, Swedish: Generalissimus, Thai: จอมทัพ, Ukrainian: Генералісимус, Vietnamese: Đại Thống chế, Chinese: 大元帅.
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