Generalissimo of the USSR how many there were. How many generalissimos in the world. Holy Roman Empire and Austrian Empire

It was awarded only to outstanding people who significantly influenced the course of history, won the most important battles for their peoples, and were brilliant tacticians. Naturally, there cannot be many such exceptional personalities, even in the entire long history of mankind. About those who rose to the rank of generalissimo, as well as the current state of this rank, read below.

Interpretation of the term "generalissimo"

The title of "generalissimo" is the pinnacle of a military career. He was awarded for outstanding services to his native country, for victory in key battles. At the same time, the military had to command one or more allied armies and take tactically successful actions. The title acquired special significance in the 20th century, when two world wars one after another shocked humanity.

From the Latin language "generalissimo" is translated as "chief in the army." In the entire history of hostilities, there was no higher rank. It was first appropriated back in the distant 16th century, or rather, in 1569.

All the generalissimos of the world are outstanding leaders, brilliant tacticians and virtuoso strategists. However, among those who were awarded this title, there are controversial figures.

Number of generalissimos in the world

How many generalissimos were there in the world? To date, their number is 77. Among them, nine French military, six Austrian commanders, two German. History also has five Russian generalissimos.

However, this is only official data. How many generalissimos in the world were really worthy of this title? There are significantly fewer of them than 77. This is due to the fact that the title was awarded not only for outstanding military merits. It was awarded to many representatives of royal families, as well as their entourage as an encouragement. In this case, "generalissimo" was nothing more than an honorary title that did not reflect the real state of affairs and any relation to the army.

First Generalissimo

It is not so important how many generalissimos there were in the world, the main thing is which of them became the first person to deserve this title. In the second half of the 16th century, namely in 1569, the French king Charles IX awarded this title to his brother, who later became the next head of state - Henry III. This is just the case when the title was awarded by the highest will of the monarch, and not for military merit, which simply did not exist due to the age of the king's cousin.

Many generalissimos of the world, as mentioned above, also received this title as a sign of the favor of the royal person. In some states, the title was awarded for life. In others - only for the duration of hostilities. In peacetime, the former commanders-in-chief did not have any privileges, for example, the supreme army rank.

Generalissimo of Russia

The list of generalissimos of our country is not at all long. The first person to be awarded this highest title was governor Alexander Shein, who distinguished himself in the second Azov campaign. For services to the Fatherland, the Russian Emperor Peter I officially awarded him this title.

There were also cases where the title was first awarded and then taken away if a person fell out of favor. This is exactly what happened to Alexander Menshikov, who was listed as Generalissimo for only a few months. A similar situation was with the father of John VI, the Russian emperor. The son granted his father the highest military rank as an honorary title. After the overthrow of John VI, his parent was demoted.

It is not so important how many generalissimos there were in the world. It is important that the representative of our country is, perhaps, the greatest of them. We are talking about Alexander Suvorov, famous for his victories over the Turkish armies. But his main achievement is the Italian campaign, during which the commander showed the wonders of strategy and tactics.

Joseph Stalin

Approximately two months after the victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War, the highest military rank was introduced on the territory of the country. It is not difficult to guess who was the first and only during the existence of the USSR to be awarded it. It was the leader of the state, Joseph Stalin. The honorary title was approved by a group of military leaders who commanded the allied armies, as well as members of the Politburo.

Thus, Generalissimo Stalin was added to the list of holders of the highest military ranks. It is worth noting that the head of the USSR became the first commander-in-chief in the modern history of our country since the time of Suvorov to be awarded this title. The leader of the Soviet Union was also awarded a second Order of Victory.

The current state of the title

It is difficult to overestimate the role of each historical figure who has been awarded the highest military rank. To date, the title "generalissimo" in Russia does not exist. It was abolished along with many other titles of the USSR. Thus, Generalissimo Stalin became the last person in our country to be awarded the highest military rank.

This title was often associated with the traits of the personality cult of the person to whom it was assigned. This is one of the reasons why this military rank has been abolished in many countries. In modern history, without exception, all generalissimos were also heads of state. Moreover, all were prone to dictatorship. That is why many historians have doubts about the military merits of some generalissimos.

On June 26, 1945, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the highest military rank was introduced - "Generalissimo of the Soviet Union". There was this rank in the military system of tsarist Russia. True, only a few have been awarded this honorary title over three centuries. Someone for military exploits, someone for belonging to the imperial family. Today we remember who these chosen ones were.

Peter I, as a teenager, produced his associates Fyodor Yurievich Romodanovsky And Ivan Ivanovich Buturlin in the "generalissimos of amusing troops." These titles were used during the amusements of the king and were not taken seriously.

Despite the fact that the title of Generalissimo is found only in the Military Regulations of 1716, for the first time the title of "chief in the army" was awarded in 1696. He became an associate of Peter I, boyar Alexey Semenovich Shein. In the Azov campaigns, he commanded first the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments, and then all the ground forces. After the capture of Azov for military merit, Peter I elevated Shein to the rank of generalissimo.

The second generalissimo was another closest associate of Peter I, Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov. Major victories of the Russian troops in the Northern War are associated with his name. However, despite the favor of the ruler, Field Marshal Menshikov was promoted to generalissimo not by Peter I, but by his grandson Peter I. I. 1727. “Today I want to destroy the field marshal!” the emperor said, shocking the audience. And then he handed the prince a patent for the highest military rank.

Along with the largest commanders, a member of the imperial dynasty, who had no military merit, was also awarded the highest military rank. Princess Anna Leopoldovna (mother of John VI) during her short reign conferred the title of Generalissimo to her husband, Duke Anton Ulrich of Brunswick. The highest military rank was not for long the privilege of Anna Leopoldovna's husband: after Elizabeth Petrovna came to power, the Duke of Brunswick was stripped of all ranks and sent into exile.

The only generalissimo who really deserved the highest military rank was Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov. He became famous during the Italian and Swiss campaigns, he is rightfully considered a great commander. “Fight not by numbers, but by skill,” said Suvorov and always followed this rule. No wonder most of his victories were won with the numerical superiority of the enemy.

Generalissimos For a long time there have been disputes among historians: how many Generalissimos were there in the world? At one time, we knew that there were very few of them - a few people. Naturally, the image of a "real" general over generals was associated with Joseph Stalin, who, the only one in the Soviet country, was awarded this title.

GENERALISSIMO The title and title of Generalissimo arose a long time ago. It is historically known that for the first time this title was granted by the French king Charles XI in 1569 to his brother Henri of Anjou, who later became King Henry the Third. This title was assigned only to persons of royal blood, and as a title - to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces or a coalition of armed forces. The names of 76 people who were awarded this title are known, among which not all were military leaders. This title or title was assigned to the reigning special or highest body of state power - the Senate, Parliament, etc. They became Generalissimo for life or for the period of the war.

GENERALISSIMO Let's start with Russia. There, this title and title was introduced by Peter the Great in the "Military Regulations" in 1716. But even before this Charter, a similar title was awarded to the boyar A.S. Shein, who commanded all the ground forces during the Azov campaign in 1669.

GENERALISSIMO This title was also awarded to Menshikov, who proved himself to be a talented commander, whose name is associated with many victories of the Russian army over the Swedish king Charles X !! during the Northern War (). But the title was awarded much later, and a patent for the title of Generalissimo was issued to him by Peter II - the grandson of Peter the Great

GENERALISSIMO J. Stalin became the Generalissimo. At the same time, the history of awarding him this military rank (not a title, but a title) is very interesting. On June 26, 1945, Marshal Stalin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and he was awarded the second Order of Victory, which he agreed to accept only on April 20, 1950. In fairness, it should be noted that he did not express his approval on this matter and did not receive the Star of the Hero. On the same day, June 26, the highest military rank of Generalissimo of the Soviet Union was established. On June 27, 1945, on the written submission of the front commanders, he was awarded this highest military rank. He had 9 orders and 5 medals, among which were those that were awarded to all participants in certain battles. For example, he was the first to be awarded the medal "For the Defense of Moscow", "800 Years of Moscow", etc. In total, the leader had 14 awards.

GENERALISSIMO The most outstanding commander in Russian history was A. V. Suvorov. During his life he gave more than 60 battles, and did not lose a single one. And only three times had a numerical superiority over the enemy. Under his leadership, the Russian army won a number of brilliant victories at Focsani, Izmail, Trebbia, Novi. He was elevated to this rank by Emperor Paul the First, who wrote to Suvorov on this occasion: "Now I reward you according to my gratitude and, putting on the highest degree of honor granted to heroism, I am sure that I am elevating the most famous commander of this and other centuries." In Switzerland, the memory of Suvorov is highly honored. It is immortalized with monuments, there are several museums.

GENERALISSIMO Before the Soviet period of history in the Russian Empire, there was another person who was granted the title of Generalissimo - Shamil! Yes, yes, the same Shamil, who led the liberation war of the Caucasian peoples. This title was granted to him by the Turkish Sultan. Therefore, the leader and unifier of the highlanders of Dagestan and Chechnya is quite rightly called the Turkish Generalissimo. In military terms, he was a very talented person. At the age of 25, Shamil ruled over the highlanders of Dagestan and Chechnya. At this time, he successfully fought against the huge forces of Russia. In the end, he was forced to give up. But the attitude of the Russian tsar to him is an example of nobility in relations with a defeated enemy. Shamil died in March 1871 at the age of 73. There were 19 stab wounds and 3 gunshot wounds on his body. They buried him in Medina, not far from the tomb of the prophet Magomed.

Generalissimos Among the people who fully deserved this title, I would like to name the name of a descendant of baptized Jews, Franco Baamonde Francisco. In 1926, at the age of 33, he became a general, which was incredible for Spain. The Generalissimo died in 1975. As we have already noted, he bequeathed to be buried in the Valley of the Fallen. On his grave there is a slab of light marble with the inscription "Francisco Franco", and at the foot there are always flowers from grateful fellow citizens.

Generalissimos There were several Generalissimos in China. The most famous of them was Sun Yat-sen. He was born in 1866. He was a doctor by profession. Actively participated in the revolutionary movement and was one of the founders of the Kuomintang. He took an active part in the civil war. He was elected President of China. It was he who reorganized the Cantonese army and set up a military school on Whampu Island to train communist and Kuomintang youth. Many teachers there were from the USSR. Back in 1922, he turned to the USSR for help in order to defeat his opponents - the militarists. There, in Moscow, the future Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek traveled for the same purpose. Sun Yat-sen became Generalissimo in 1917. It was then that the emergency session of Parliament elected him Generalissimo of the country's armed forces. On March 12, 1925, he died.

Generalissimos Unlike Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek was a military man to the marrow of his bones. He received a military education in Japan, and a very solid one, and even served for some time in the Japanese army. He took an active part in the civil war. By the end of 1926, the army he commanded was the largest in the world. It numbered 2 million people. The commander-in-chief, who was 40 years old, began to be called the Generalissimo. Everything else about this commander is known quite well. But few people in China knew about Chiang Kai-shek's decision to convert to Christianity. After his marriage, he studied the Bible for four years and then, in 1931, became a Christian.

Generalissimo It should be noted that the Generalissimo was very tolerant of the Jews. It is known that during the Second World War, a very significant number of Jews fled and settled in China. Shanghai, Harbin and other Jewish communities under the rule of Chiang Kai-shek felt very at ease. And the ruler himself expressed his sympathy for them more than once. During the years of communist rule, these communities ceased to exist in the country. Most of the Jews left this country. And this page of Jewish history is waiting for its pioneer.

Generalissimos I think that we have not yet fully appreciated Franco and Chiang Kai-shek. Their role in the fate of Jews during the Second World War requires fundamental research. After the defeat in the civil war, he led the government in Taiwan and managed to make this island province prosperous. On April 5, 1975, at the age of 82, the head of the Kuomintang and President of Taiwan, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, died. His son Jiang Jingguo became the new president.

Generalissimos There was another Generalissimo in China - Tang Ji-Yao - Generalissimo of Yunnan, during the Xinghai Revolution (), and after it was its governor. However, little is known about him even to the authors of the Encyclopedia. Yes, and he became famous more for robberies than military operations.

Generalissimo

Generalissimo(from Latin generalissimus - “the most important”) - the highest military rank and honorary title in France, the Holy Roman Empire, pre-revolutionary Russia, the USSR, Sweden, Spain, China, the DPRK and other states. Historically, it was assigned to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of a country or a coalition of countries (more often only for a period of war), as well as sometimes to persons from families of reigning dynasties and statesmen.

At various times in some states, the term "generalissimo" was used in several meanings related to the sphere of military activity.

France in the 16th-19th centuries - an honorary title that was granted to persons of the reigning dynasties and the most prominent statesmen. In the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire and England - the position of commander of the army in time of war or commander-in-chief of all the troops of the state. In Russia XVIII-XX centuries. and Spain in the 19th and 20th centuries. - the highest military rank, assigned for life. For the first time, the title of generalissimo, separated from the position of constable, was granted in 1569 in France by King Charles IX to his brother the Duke of Anjou (later King Henry III). Currently, there are no holders of the title, title and position of "generalissimo".

List of generalissimos by country

France

King Henry III (1551-1589)

Duke Henry of Guise (1550-1588)

Duke Armand Richelieu (1585-1642)

Duke of the Duchy of Savoy Victor Amadeus I (1587-1637)

Prince of Savoy-Carignan Thomas (1595-1656)

Prince Armand of Conti (1629-1666)

Antoine Ruhr (?-1670)

Duke of Orleans Philippe (1640-1701)

Pierre Laporte (Roland) (1680-1704)

King of Sardinia Victor Amadeus II (1666-1732)

Duke Louis of Burgundy (1682-1712)

duke Claude Villars (1653-1734)

Duke Louis Richelieu (1696-1788)

Duke Victor of Broglie (1718-1804)

Nicolas Luckner (1722-1794)

Jacques Catelino (1759-1793)

Maurice d'Elbe (1752-1794)

Henri La Rochejaquelin (1772-1794)

Duke of Angouleme Louis (1775-1844)

Holy Roman Empire and Austrian Empire

Prince Albrecht Wallenstein (1583-1634)

Count Johann Tilly (1559-1632)

Emperor Ferdinand III (1608-1657)

Count Peter Melander (1589-1648)

Duke Raymond Montecuccoli (1609-1680)

Duke of Lorraine Charles (1643-1690)

Elector of Bavaria Maximilian II (1662-1726)

Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736)

Margrave of Baden-Baden Ludwig Wilhelm (1655-1707)

Prince Leopold Daun (1705-1766)

Baron Ernst Laudon (1717-1790)

Archduke Karl of Austria (1771-1847)

Prince Karl Schwarzenberg (1771-1819)

Prince Alfred Windischgrätz (1787-1862)

Russia

In Russia, the title of "Generalissimo" was granted on June 28, 1696 by Peter I to the governor A.S. Shein for successful operations near Azov (however, F.Yu. Romodanovsky and I.I. Buturlin were awarded the rank of “generalissimo of amusing troops” 2 years earlier, in 1694). Officially, the military rank of generalissimo in Russia was introduced by the Military Regulations of 1716: "This rank is only due to crowned heads and great ruling princes, and especially to those who have an army." It was received:

A.G. Brikner considers the first Russian generalissimo to be Prince Mikhail Alegukovich Cherkassky. Patrick Gordon, one of the leaders of the second Azov campaign (1696), even names the date of the election of Prince Cherkassky as Generalissimo - December 14, 1695.

Of the above persons, only A.V. Suvorov, being the greatest Russian commander, received the title of Generalissimo as a recognition of his brilliant military victories (the Battle of Rymnik, the capture of Ishmael, the battles of the Swiss campaign, and others). He was the Prince of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Count and Prince of the Russian Empire, Count of the Holy Roman Empire and Commander-in-Chief of Russian, Austrian and Sardinian troops.

USSR

After the Great Patriotic War, on June 26, 1945, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the highest military rank "Generalissimo of the Soviet Union" was introduced and on June 27, 1945 I.V. Stalin.

The archives preserved letters containing proposals for conferring this title on Lieutenant General N. S. Khrushchev and Marshal of the Soviet Union L. I. Brezhnev.

In the post-Soviet states, this military rank is not provided for by law.

Sweden

King Charles X Gustav (1622-1660)

Count Palatinate of the Palatinate of Kleburg Adolf Johann I (1629-1689)

King Fredrik I (1676-1751)

King Adolf Fredrik (1710-1771)

king Charles XIV Johan (1763-1844)

Spain

Juan of Austria (1547-1578)

Prince Louis of Condé (1621-1686)

Prince Manuel Godoy (1767-1851)

Francisco Mina (1781-1836)

Francisco Franco (1892-1975)

Mexico

Miguel Hidalgo (1753-1811)

Ignacio Allende (1769-1811)

José Morelos (1765-1815)

Emperor Agustin I (Iturbide) (1783-1824)

Antonio Santa Anna (1794-1876)

Japanese empire

In the Empire of Japan, the title of generalissimo was held by the head of state.

Emperor Mutsuhito (1852-1912)

Emperor Yoshihito (1879-1926)

Emperor Hirohito (1901-1989)

China

Emperor Yuan Shikai (1859-1916)

Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925)

Tang Jiyao (1882-1927)

Hu Hanming (1879-1936)

Zhang Zuolin (1875-1928)

Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975)

Generalissimos of other states

Duke Arthur Wellington (1769-1852) (Netherlands)

Prince Karl Wrede (1767-1838) (Bavaria)

Francesco Morosini (1619-1694) (Venice)

Pascal Paoli (1725-1807) (Corsica)

Prince Jerzy Ossolinski (1595-1650) (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth)

Juan Berbeo (1739-1795) (Colombia)

Francisco Miranda (1750-1816) (Venezuela)

José San Martin (1778-1850) (Peru)

Maximo Gomez (1836-1905) (Cuba)

Rafael Trujillo (1891-1961), Hector Trujillo (1908-2002) (Dominican Republic)

Deodoro Fonseca (1827-1892) (Brazil)

Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964) (Philippines)

Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), Kim Jong Il (1941-2011) (DPRK)

Wikipedia materials used

Despite the history of our country, full of military events, the title of generalissimo in Russia did not become widespread, almost every production in it was extremely politicized, which in fact gives special historical significance and increased interest in this extraordinary highest honorary military rank.

"Generalissimo" translated from Latin - general, the most important in the army. In the dictionary of V.I. Dahl, this word is interpreted as "commander-in-chief, head of the entire military force of the state."

The title of generalissimo was first granted by the French king Charles IX in 1569. his eighteen-year-old brother Henri (later King Henry III). There was no uniformity in conferring the highest military rank: in some cases, they became generalissimos for life, and in others - only for the period of a particular military campaign. The Venetian commander Morosini, for example, held the title of Generalissimo four times - in 1678, 1681, 1684 and 1694, and the Archduke Charles of Austria - twice. The word "generalissimo" was introduced into the Russian language by foreign commanders during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich when they turned to the governor of the Big Regiment.

In Russian history, he became the first Russian generalissimo in 1696. ally of the young Tsar Peter the boyar Alexei Semenovich Shein, who commanded all the troops in the second Azov campaign.

The second Russian generalissimo was the closest associate of Peter I, Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (1673-1729). Many victories in the Russian-Swedish Northern War (1700-1721) are associated with his name. On the field of the Poltava victory in 1709. triumphant Peter promoted his favorite and comrade-in-arms to field marshal general. However, the highest rank of A.D. Menshikov received only after the death of Peter the Great under the following circumstances. The grandson of the latter, Emperor Peter II, May 12, 1727. declared: "Today I want to destroy the field marshal!" Everyone present looked at each other in confusion. Then the emperor handed Menshikov a patent signed by him for the rank of generalissimo. But soon the Most Serene Prince, implicated in court intrigues, was exiled to Siberia in the city of Berezov.

The title of generalissimo in Russia, along with the largest commanders, was also held by one of the members of the imperial dynasty. Anna Leopoldovna (mother of the infant emperor John VI who did not reign) during her short reign on November 11, 1740. awarded this rank to her 26-year-old husband, Prince Anton-Ulrich of Brunswick, who had practically no military merit.

October 28, 1799 The great Russian commander Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (1730-1800), who victoriously completed his legendary Swiss campaign in 1799, became the generalissimo of the Russian land and sea forces. Emperor Paul I, erecting A.V. Suvorov to the rank of Generalissimo, wrote: “Now, rewarding you according to my gratitude and putting you on the highest degree, honor and heroism granted, I am sure that I am erecting the most famous Commander of this and other centuries.” Suvorov participated in six major wars, was wounded six times in battle, made 20 campaigns, gave 63 battles and did not lose a single one, and his army outnumbered the enemy only three times.

After the October Revolution, the rank of generalissimo was abolished along with other military ranks.

In the USSR, the military rank of Generalissimo of the Soviet Union was introduced after the victorious end of the Great Patriotic War by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 26, 1945. For outstanding services to the Soviet Motherland in the leadership of all the armed forces of the state during the Great Patriotic War, this title is June 27, 1945. was awarded to Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin.

In 1993 along with other military ranks of the Soviet Army, the title of Generalissimo of the Soviet Union was formally abolished.