Generalissimo ( ), 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 ,, French . meaning "utmost, to the highest grade". Similar cognates in other languages include in Spanish, in Portuguese, in French, and in Latin. The Russian word comes from Latin.

Historically, this rank was given to a military officer leading an entire army or the entire armed forces of a state, - "A supreme commander; spec. an officer in command of a combined military, naval, and air force, or of several armies. Also: a prefixed title or form of address for such a commander. Frequently figurative." 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.S. M. Shtemenko. The General Staff in the War Years. Moscow, 1985. Vietnamese version (vol. 2) . pp. 587–588. In fact the grade was established by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, which did not need the approval of Stalin.Сборник законов СССР и Указов Президиума Верховного Совета СССР (1938 — июль 1956) / Сост.: М. И. Юмашев, Б. А. Жалейко. — М., 1956. — С. 202. 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.Marshall, B: Father Hilary's Holiday Doubleday & Company, New York 1965.

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,Barton, Sir Dunbar (1925). Bernadotte Prince and King. P. 39. John Murray, London. of a restored Bourbon France in 1814 (offered by Louis XVIII's brother the Comte D'Artois),Barton, Sir Dunbar (1925). Bernadotte Prince and King. P. 127. John Murray, London. and a desperate offer by Napoleon in early 1814 as an inducement for Sweden to switch its alliance to France.Scott, Franklin (1935). Bernadotte and the Fall of Napoleon. P. 153. Harvard University Press, Cambridge. Charles John declined the latter three. Ancienneté och Rang-Rulla öfver Krigsmagten år 1813Barton, Sir Dunbar (1925). Bernadotte Prince and King. P. 4. John Murray, London.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. 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.The New York Times, December 4, 1926, pg.6. 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.John McGroarty :The Gray Man of Christ: Generalissimo Foch (1919) Los Angeles, Walter A Abbott 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."Franco of Iberia". Time, October 18, 1943. cover. 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 Comunica Miguel Hidalgo su proclamaci n como General simo de Am rica . Documentos Historicos de Mexico, October 24, 1810. 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 1955 Proposed the rank of Generalissimo of the People's Republic of China (declined usage) Imperial Russian Army 1727–1728 "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. Venezuelan Army 1812 Revolutionary Army of Mexico 1813–1815 Ararat Forces 1927–1930 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 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 UnionJoseph Stalin was appointed generalissimus of the Soviet Union. See: Ivan Aleksandrovich Venediktov, Selskokhozyaystvennaya entsiklopediya, Vol. 4, Gos. izd-vo selkhoz, 1956, p. 584. (declined usage) National Pacification Army 1921 Technically as dayuanshuai or "grand marshal of the army and navy"Ottoman Armed Forces1909Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire who was associated with the title by many observers Dominican Army 1930 Stanley Walker, Generalissimo Rafael L. Trujillo (1955) Caribbean Library Thirty Years' War 1625 Via the "Principal Decree of the Imperial Deputation"A short history of Germany. Ernest Flagg Henderson, 1908Tilly und Wallenstein – ein Vergleich zweier Heerführer. Harry Horstmann, 2010. Continental ArmyUnited 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, 1976Public 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 Royal Portuguese Army 1762–1763 Became Generalissimus of the Allied Armies in Portugal during the Spanish invasion Beiyang Army 1913–1916 Leader of the Beiyang government, declared generalissimo (dayuanshuai) in 1913 National Pacification Army 1927–1928 Leader of the Beiyang government, declared generalissimo (dayuanshuai) in June 1927Alexandros PapagosHellenic Army1926–1951Leader of the Hellenic Army in World War II 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

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