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Captain general of the Army

{{Short description|Spanish Army rank equivalent to field marshal}}

{{About|the Spanish Army rank|other uses|Captain general}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox military rank

| name = Captain General

| native_name = {{lang|es|Capitán General}}

| image = Flag for Captain general of the Army.svg

| image_size = 120px

| alt =

| caption = Rank flag

| image2 = Spain-Army-OF-10.svg

| image_size2 = 70px

| alt2 =

| caption2 = Shoulder insignia

| image3 =

| image_size3 =

| alt3 =

| caption3 =

| country = {{flag|Spain}}

| service branch = {{army|Spain}}

| abbreviation = CG

| rank insignia =

| rank = Five-star rank

| NATO rank = OF-10

| Non-NATO rank = O-11

| formation = {{circa|1714}}

| abolished =

| rank group =

| higher rank =

| lower rank = General of the Army

| equivalents = Captain general of the Navy (N)
Captain general of the Air Force (AF)

| history =

}}

Captain General ({{langx|es|link=no|Capitán General}}) has been the highest rank in the Spanish Army (Ejército de Tierra) since the 18th century. A five-star rank with NATO code OF-10, it is equivalent to a field marshal of the armies of numerous countries, a general of the Army of the United States, a captain general of the Spanish Navy (Armada Española) or a Captain general of the Air Force in the Spanish Air and Space Force (Ejército del Aire y del Espacio). A Captain General's insignia consists of two command sticks under five four-pointed stars below the Royal Crown.

A personal rank of captain general was created in the Spanish Army (and Navy) as the highest rank in the hierarchy, not unlike the Marechal de France. Since King Charles IV's reign (1788–1808), the monarchs used captain general insignia when wearing uniform. Briefly abolished by the Second Spanish Republic (except one honorary promotion), it was restored during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco; Franco himself was the only holder of this rank. Since the restoration of the monarchy in 1975, the effective rank was reserved to the reigning monarch. A few posthumous honorary promotions and honorary promotions of retired officers to this rank were also made, such as José Moscardó Ituarte (1956), Agustín Muñoz Grandes (1957), Camilo Alonso Vega (1969) or Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado (1994). Some members of the Spanish Royal Family were promoted to the rank after periods of service and Queen Isabella II appointed her consort, Francis, Duke of Cádiz (1846). Two foreign monarchs, Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and four distinguished foreign military officers also held the honour.

Insignia history

File:Je1889.png|{{center|19th century}}

File:Je1931.png|{{center|Early 20th century – 1931}}

File:Je1936.png|{{center|1931–1939 declared to be abolished}}

File:Vintagedivi2.png|{{center|1939–1943}}

File:Vintagedivi1.png|{{center|1943–1975}}

File:Je1976.png|{{center|1975–1986}}

File:Je1990.png|{{center|1986–1999}}

File:Spain-Army-OF-10.svg|{{center|1999–present}}

List of Captains general

class="wikitable sortable"

! Date of promotion
!!class=unsortable| Image
!! Name and style
!! Dead/Annulled
!!class=unsortable| Notes

1763110pxPedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea, 10th Count of Aranda† 1798
1777110pxPedro Antonio de Cevallos Cortés y Calderón† 1778
1783110pxLouis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon 4th Duke of Crillon and 1st Duke of Mahon† 1796
bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1788|12|14}}bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|110pxbgcolor="#FBDDBD"|King Charles IVbgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1808|03|19}}
(Abdication)		bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|Ex officio
1793110pxAntonio Ricardos y Carrillo de Albornoz† {{dts|format=dmy|1794|03|13}}
{{dts|format=dmy|1793|05|25}}110pxManuel Godoy y Álvarez de Faria, Prince of the Peace{{dts|format=dmy|1808|03|19}}Generalissimo (1801–1808)
1794110pxHonorato Ignacio de Glimes de Brabante, Count Glimes de Brabante† 1804
1794110pxJosé Carlos Álvarez de Bohórquez y Molina, Marquis of Ruchena† ?
1794110pxMartín Antonio Álvarez de Sotomayor y Flores, Count of Colomera† 1819
1795110pxManuel de Negrete y de la Torre, Count of Campo de Alange† 1818
1795File:General Jose de Urrutia (1739-1803) por Goya.jpgJosé Ramón de Urrutia y de las Casas† 1803
1799File:MigueldelaGruaTalamancayBranciforte.jpgMiguel de la Grúa Talamanca, 1st Marquis of Branciforte† 1812
1806110pxVentura Caro y Fontes† 1809
bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1808|03|19}}bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|110pxbgcolor="#FBDDBD"|King Ferdinand VIIbgcolor="#FBDDBD"|† {{dts|format=dmy|1833|09|29}}He abdicated on 6 May 1808 and kept under guard in France. Restored in 1814.bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|Ex officio
1808110pxVicente María de Vera de Aragón y Enríquez de Navarra, Duke of La Roca and Marquis of Sofraga† 1813
1808110pxFrancisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén† {{dts|format=dmy|1852|09|24}}
1808110pxVicente María de Acevedo y Pola-Navia† November 1808
1808110pxJoaquín de Navia-Osorio y Miranda, Marquis of Santa Cruz de Marcenado and Viscount of Puerto† 1816
1809110pxRafael Vasco y del Campo, Count of la Conquista de las Islas Batanes† 1810
1809110pxGregorio García de Cuesta y Fernández de Celis† {{dts|format=dmy|1811|11|26}}
1809110pxJosé Rebolledo de Palafox y Melci, 1st Duke of Zaragoza† {{dts|format=dmy|1847|02|15}}
1809110pxVentura Escalante y Bruen† 1811
1810110pxPedro Caro, 3rd Marquis of La Romana† {{dts|format=dmy|1811|01|23}}
1811110pxArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington† {{dts|format=dmy|1852|09|14}}Ad honorem
1811110pxWilliam Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford† {{dts|format=dmy|1854|01|08}}Ad honorem
1811110pxJoaquín Blake y Joyes† {{dts|format=dmy|1827|04|27}}
1811110pxClaude-Anne de Rouvroy de Saint Simon, Marquis of Saint Simon and Montblerú† {{dts|format=dmy|1819|02|27}}Émigré and Spanish Grandee.
1816110pxJosé Manuel de Ezpeleta, 1st Count of Ezpeleta de Beire† 1823
1816110pxPedro Mendinueta y Múzquiz† 1825
1816110pxRamón de Osorio y Patiño, 4th Marquis of Castelar† 1817
1816110pxJosé Fernando de Abascal y Sousa, 1st Marquis of La Concordia† {{dts|format=dmy|1821|07|31}}
1823110pxFrancisco Javier de Elio y Olondriz† 1822
1823110pxFrancisco de Eguía, 1st Count of the Real Aprecio† {{dts|format=dmy|1827|01|06}}President of the Provisional Board of Spain and the Indies
1824110pxPedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duke of the Infantado† {{dts|format=dmy|1841|11|27}}*President of Council of Castile (1808–1809 and 1814–1823)

1824110pxJoaquín Ibáñez, Baron de Eroles† {{dts|format=dmy|1825|08|22}}
1825110pxJuan de Henestrosa y Orcasitas† 1831
1827110pxJosé Miguel de Carvajal-Vargas, 2nd Duke of San Carlos† 1828Secretary of state (1814)
1831110pxFrancisco Fernández de Córdoba, 1st Duke of Alagón† 1841
{{dts|format=dmy|1838|05|01}}110pxBaldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara† {{dts|format=dmy|1879|01|08}}*Regent of Spain (1840–1843)
  • Minister of War
    (29 July-30 August 1837 and 16 December 1837–1838)
  • Prime Minister
    (18 August-18 October 1837, 1840–1841 and 1854–1856)
    • {{dts|format=dmy|1841|10|9}}110pxJosé Ramón Rodil, 1st Marquis of Rodil† {{dts|format=dmy|1853|02|20}}*Viceroy of Navarre
    (1 July-2 October 1834)
  • Minister of War
    (27 April-15 May and 20 August-26 November 1836, and 1842–1843)
  • Prime Minister (1842–1843)
    • {{dts|format=dmy|1843|08|19
    }||110px||Juan José Nieto y Aguilar, 2nd Marquis of Monsalud|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1851|02|28|}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1844|01|05|}}||110px||Prudencio de Guadalfajara y Aguilera, duque de Castroterreño || † {{dts|format=dmy|1855|06|16|}}||

    • Minister of War (August–September 1835)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1844|01|05|}}||110px||Ramón María Narváez, 1st Duke of Valencia|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1868|04|23|}}||

    • Minister of State (1844, 1846 and 1847)
    • Minister of War (1844–1846, 1846, 1847 and 1866–1868)
    • Prime Minister
      (1844–1846, 1846, 1847–1849, 1849–1851, 1856–1857, 1864–1865 and 1866–1868)

    |-

    |bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1846|10|10|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|110px ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|Francis, King Consort ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"| {{dts|format=dmy|1868|09|19|}}
    (Abolition of monarchy)
    † {{dts|format=dmy|1902|04|17|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|

    • Ex officio (As consort of Queen Isabella II)[http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/f/francisco_de_asis_de_borbon.htm Francisco de Asís de Borbón]. Biografías y vidas. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
    • Reinstated ad honorem after 1874.

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1849|05|21|}}||110px||Manuel Gutiérrez de la Concha e Irigoyen, 1st Marquis of Duero|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1874|06|27|}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1852|11|19|}}||110px||Pedro Villacampa y Maza de Lizana|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1854|12|27|}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1854|07|30|}}||110px|| Evaristo Fernández de San Miguel y Valledor, 1st Duke of San Miguel|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1862|05|29|}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1854|07|30|}}||110px||Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan || † {{dts|format=dmy|1867|11|05|}}||

    • Prime Minister
      (14 July-12 October 1856, 1858–1863 and 1865–1866)
    • Minister of War (30 July-29 November 1854, 1858–1863 and 1865–1868)
    • Minister of State (30 June-2 de July 1858)
    • Minister of the Navy (25–27 November 1858)
    • Minister of Overseas (17 January-2 March 1863)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1856|07|18|}}||110px||Francisco Serrano, 1st Duke of la Torre || † {{dts|format=dmy|1885|11|25|}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1858|01|5|}}||110px||Antoine, Duke of Montpensier || December 1870Accession of King Amadeo.||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1867|10|10|}}||110px||Juan de la Pezuela y Cevallos, 1st Count of Cheste|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1906|11|01|}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1868|04|24|}}||110px||Manuel Pavía y Lacy, 1st Marquis de Novaliches || † {{dts|format=dmy|1896|10|22|}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1868|04|24|}}||110px|| José Gutiérrez de la Concha, 1st Marquis of Havana|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1895|11|05|}}||

    • Minister of Overseas (20 May-6 August 1863 and 29 November 1863–1864)
    • Minister of the Navy (19 June-16 July 1863 and 19–21 September 1868)
    • Minister of War (1863–1864 and 19 September-8 October 1868)
    • Prime Minister (19 September-8 October 1868)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1868|09|30|}}||110px||Juan Prim, 1st Marquis of los Castillejos || † {{dts|format=dmy|1870|12|30|}}||

    • Minister of War (1868–1870)
    • Prime Minister (1869–1870)

    |-

    |bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1870|11|16|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|File:Retrato de Amadeo I de España (Banco de España).jpg ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|King Amadeo ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1873|02|11|}}
    (Abdication) ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|Ex officio

    • Captain General of the Navy (1870–1873)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1874|05|1|}}||110px|| Juan de Zavala, 1st Marquis of Sierra Bullones|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1879|12|29|}}||

    • Minister of state (1855–1856)
    • Minister of the Navy (1860–1863)
    • Minister of War (8 April-26 May 1872 and 3 January-29 June 1874)
    • Prime Minister (26 February-3 September 1874)

    |-

    |bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1874|12|29|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|File:Retrato de Alfonso XII de medio cuerpo (Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando).JPG ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|King Alfonso XII ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"| † {{dts|format=dmy|1885|11|25|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|

    • Ex officio
    • Captain General of the Navy (1874–1885)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1875|08|21|}}[http://www.xtec.cat/~jrovira6/bio/cabrera2.htm Ramón Cabrera y Griñó (1806–1877)]. Base documental d'Història Contemporània de Catalunya.. Acceded 12 January 2017||110px|| Ramón Cabrera y Griñó, 1st duke of the Maestrazgo || † {{dts|format=dmy|1877|05|24|}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1876|03|27|}}||110px|| Jenaro Quesada, 1st Marquis of Miravalles || † {{dts|format=dmy|1889|01|19|}}||

    • Ad honorem
    • Prime Minister (7 March-9 December 1879)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1876|03|27|}}||110px|| Arsenio Martínez-Campos y Antón || † {{dts|format=dmy|1892|09|23|}}||Ad honorem

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1878|07|07|}}||110px|| Joaquín Jovellar y Soler || † {{dts|format=dmy|1892|04|16|}}||Ad honorem

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1892|07|29|}}||110px|| Manuel Pavía y Rodríguez de Alburquerque || † {{dts|format=dmy|1895|01|04|}}||Ad honorem

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1895|01|22|}}||110px|| José López Domínguez || † {{dts|format=dmy|1911|10|17|}}||

    • Ad honorem
    • Prime Minister (6 July-30 November 1906)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1895|05|16|}}||110px|| Ramón Blanco y Erenas, 1st Marquis de Peña Plata|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1906|04|4|}}||Ad honorem

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1895|11|14|}}||110px|| Fernando Primo de Rivera y Sobremonte, 1st Marquis of Estella|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1921|05|23|}}||

    • Ad honorem
    • Minister of War (1907–1909 and June–October 1917)

    |-

    |bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1902|05|17|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|File:Retrato de Alfonso XIII (Real Academia de la Historia).jpg ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|King Alfonso XIII ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"| {{dts|format=dmy|1931|04|14|}}
    (Second Spanish Republic established)On 14 April 1931 Alfonso XIII renounced as head of state but did not formally abdicate.||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|

    • Ex officio
    • Captain General of the Navy (1902–1931)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1907|04|7|}}||110px|| Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom[https://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE//1907/098/A00101-00101.pdf Royal Decree of the Ministry of War 7 April 1907]. Gaceta de Madrid|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1910|05|6|}} ||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1910|01|23|}}||110px|| Camilo García de Polavieja y del Castillo-Negrete, 1st Marquis Polavieja || † {{dts|format=dmy|1914|01|15|}}|| Ad honorem

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1910|01|23|}}||110px|| Valeriano Weyler Nicolau, 1st Duke of Rubí and Marquis of Tenerife || † {{dts|format=dmy|1930|10|20|}}||

    • Ad honorem
    • Minister of War (1901–1902, 23 June-1 December 1905 and 1906–1907)
    • Minister of the Navy (1 October-1 December 1905)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1910|01|23|}}||110px|| Wilhelm II, German Emperor|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1941|06|04|}} ||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1911|03|12|}}||110px|| Marcelo de Azcárraga y Palmero|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1915|05|30|}} ||

    • Ad honorem
    • Minister of War (1890–1892, 1895–1897 and 1899–1900)
    • Prime Minister (8 August-4 October 1897, 1900–1901 and 1904–1905)
    • Minister of the Navy (23–31 October 1900)

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1921|05|17|}}||110px|| Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infante of Spain || {{dts|format=dmy|1931|04|14|}}
    † {{dts|format=dmy|1949|11|11|}} ||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1931|05|2|}}||110px||Francisco Aguilera y Egea|| † {{dts|format=dmy|1931|05|19|}} ||

    • Ad honorem
    • Minister of War (19 April-11 June 1917)

    |-

    | {{dts|1936|07|20|}}||110px||José Sanjurjo y Sacanell, 1st Marquis of the Rif||{{center|—}}|| Posthumous promotion

    |-

    |bgcolor="#FBDDBD"| {{dts|format=dmy|1938|07|18|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|110px||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|Francisco Franco Bahamonde||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"| † {{dts|format=dmy|1975|11|20|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|

    |-

    | {{dts|1947|03|22|}}|| 110px ||Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, 2nd Marquis of Estella||{{center|—}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|1951|03|24|}}|| 110px ||José Enrique Varela Iglesias, 1st Marquis of San Fernando de Varela||{{center|—}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|1952|10|21|}}||110px|| Juan Yagüe Blanco, 1st Marquis of San Leonardo de Yagüe||{{center|—}}||

    |-

    | {{dts|1956|04|12|}}||110px|| José Moscardó Ituarte, 1st Count of the Alcázar de Toledo||{{center|—}}|| Posthumous promotion

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1957|02|27}}||110px|| Agustín Muñoz Grandes || † {{dts|format=dmy|1970|07|11|}} ||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1962|03|23|}}|| 110px || Fidel Dávila Arrondo || † {{dts|format=dmy|1962|03|22|}} ||

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1969|10|29|}}|| 110px ||Camilo Alonso Vega || † {{dts|format=dmy|1971|07|01|}}||

    |-

    |bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|1975|11|20|}}[https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1975-23876 Decree 16/1975, 20 November, por el que se promueve al empleo de Capitán General de los Ejércitos de Tierra, Mar y Aire a S. A. R. el Príncipe de España]. Spanish Official GazetteMonarch since 22 November 1975.||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|110px ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|King Juan Carlos I ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|Active until 19 June 2014.
    (Abdication)||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|

    • Ex officio
    • Retired since 19 June 2014
    • Captain General of the Navy and the Air Force

    |-

    | {{dts|format=dmy|1994|07|24|}} || 110px ||Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado, 1st Marquis Gutiérrez-Mellado || † {{dts|format=dmy|1995|12|15|}}||

    |-

    |bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|{{dts|format=dmy|2014|06|19|}}||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|110px ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|King Felipe VI ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|Present ||bgcolor="#FBDDBD"|

    |-

    |}

    See also

    Notes

    {{NoteFoot}}

    References

    = Citations =

    {{Reflist}}

    = Sources =

    {{refbegin}}

    • [http://www.asasve.es/portal/index.php?mod=article&cat=biblioteca2&article=214&page_order=6 List of captain generals of the Spanish Army] ASAVE {{in lang|es}}
    • Guaita Martorell, Aurelio. ''Capitanes y capitanías generales." Revista de Historia Militar, {{ISSN|0482-5748}}, Nº 65, 1988, pp. 125–172.

    {{refend}}

    Army Captain General

    Category:Five-star officers

    Category:Commanders in chief