Field marshal (Denmark)

{{Infobox military rank

| name = Field marshal

| native_name = {{lang|da|Feltmarskalk}}

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| country = {{flag|Denmark}}

| service branch = {{army|Denmark}}

| abbreviation =

| rank group = General officer

| rank = Field marshal

| NATO rank =

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| abolished = 1842

| higher rank = General field marshal

| lower rank = {{ubl|Quartermaster general (until 1699)|Lieutenant field marshal (1699–1801)|General (1801–1842)}}

| equivalents =

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}}

Field marshal ({{langx|da|Feltmarskalk}}; {{IPA|da|ˈfεlˀdˌmɑːˌɕalˀ}}) was the highest rank of the Royal Danish Army until its abolition in 1842.

History

The origins of the rank can be traced back to the creation of the rank of field lord ({{langx|da|feltherre}}) and field colonel ({{lang|da|feltøverste}}, {{literally|field supreme}}). These ranks were based on German origins.{{sfn|Hedegaard|1979|p=31}}

Initially, there were two ranks: {{lang|da|feltmarskalk}} was the highest cavalry commander, and {{lang|da|feltoberst}} was the highest commander of the infantry.{{sfn|Madsen|1904|pp=216–217}} These were later merged to a single rank called {{lang|da|feltmarskalk}}.

On 25 May 1671, the ranks were codified, by King Christian V, with the publication of the Danish order of precedence. Here General field marshal ({{lang|da|Ober-Feldt-Marskalk}}) was the highest rank, with {{lang|da|Feldt-Marschalks}} placed just below, and Quartermaster general below that.{{sfn|danmarkshistorien.dk|2017}}

List of field marshals

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! Portrait

! Name
{{small|(born–died)}}

! Appointed

! Retired

! {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}

| Meindert van Ham
{{small|({{circa|1470}}–1545)}}

| June 1536
{{small|(as {{lang|de|Obrister Veldhaubtman}})}}

| 5 August 1536{{POW}}

| {{sfn|Madsen|1904|p=217}}

80px

| Johan Rantzau
{{small|(1492–1565)}}

| 1559
{{small|(as {{lang|da|feltmarskalk}})}}

| {{sfn|Madsen|1904|p=216}}

80px

| Günther XLI, Count of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt
{{small|(1529–1583)}}

| 1563
{{small|(as {{lang|da|feltøverste}}, {{translation|Field colonel}})}}

| {{sfn|Madsen|1904|p=217}}

| {{ill|Hilmar von Quernheim|de}}
{{small|(1508–1581)}}

| 1563
{{small|(as {{lang|da|feltmarskalk}})}}

| 15 December 1564

| {{sfn|Madsen|1904|p=217}}

80px

| Otte Krumpen
{{small|(1473–1569)}}

| 15 December 1564
{{small|(as {{lang|da|feltoberst}})}}

| 19 July 1565

| {{sfn|Madsen|1904|pp=217-218}}

80px

| Daniel Rantzau
{{small|(1529–1569)}}

| 19 July 1565
{{small|(as {{lang|da|feltoberst}}, {{translation|Field colonel}})}}
24 October 1567
{{small|(as {{lang|da|general kaptajn og feltoberst}}, {{translation|Field colonel}})}}

| 11 November 1569 †

| {{sfn|Madsen|1904|p=218}}{{cite journal |last1=Bassing |first1=E. |title=Daniel Rantzau |journal=Det Krigsvidenskabelige Selskab |date=13 May 1969 |url=https://krigsvidenskab.dk/emne/daniel-rantzau |access-date=19 March 2021 |language=da}}

| {{ill|Josias von Qualen|da|Josias von Qualen (feltmarskal)}}
{{small|(?–1586)}}

| 12 November 1569
{{small|(as {{lang|da|feltmarskalk}})}}

| 1581

| {{sfn|Madsen|1904|p=220}}

80px

| Hans Schack
{{small|(1608–1676)}}

| 11 February 1659

| {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Fridericia |first1=J.A. |editor1-last=Bricka |editor1-first=Carl Frederik |editor1-link=Carl Frederik Bricka |encyclopedia=XV. Bind. Scalabrini - Skanke |title=Schack, Hans |url=http://runeberg.org/dbl/15/0025.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da |date=1901 |publisher=Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag |series=Dansk biografisk Lexikon |location=Kjøbenhavn |page=23}}

80px

| Paul Würtz
{{small|(1612–1676)}}

| July 1665

| 31 October 1665

| {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Hirsch |first1=J.C.W. |editor1-last=Bricka |editor1-first=Carl Frederik |editor1-link=Carl Frederik Bricka |encyclopedia= XIX. Bind. Vind - Oetken. Rettelser og Tilføjelser |title=Würtz, Poul |url=https://runeberg.org/dbl/19/0339.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da |date=1905 |publisher=Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag |series=Dansk biografisk Lexikon |location=Kjøbenhavn |page=249}}

80px

| Claus von Ahlefeldt
{{small|(1614–1674)}}

| 1671

| {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Sørensen |first1=S. A. |editor1-last=Bricka |editor1-first=Carl Frederik |editor1-link=Carl Frederik Bricka |encyclopedia=I. Bind. Aaberg - Beaumelle |title=Ahlefeldt, Claus |url=http://runeberg.org/dbl/1/0149.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da |date=1887 |publisher=Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag |series=Dansk biografisk Lexikon |location=Kjøbenhavn |page=131}}

80px

| John Adolphus, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön
{{small|(1634–1704)}}

| 20 January 1676
{{small|(as {{lang|da|Overfeltmarskal}})}}

| {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Harbou |first1=H. W. |editor1-last=Bricka |editor1-first=Carl Frederik |editor1-link=Carl Frederik Bricka |encyclopedia=VIII. Bind. Holst - Juul |title=Johan Adolf af Pløen |url=https://runeberg.org/dbl/8/0501.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da |date=1894 |publisher=Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag |series=Dansk biografisk Lexikon |location=Kjøbenhavn |page=499}}

| {{ill|Frédéric Charles de La Rochefoucauld|da}}
{{small|(1633–1690)}}

| May 1683
{{small|(as {{lang|da|generalfeltmarskal}})}}

| {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Harbou |first1=H. W. |editor1-last=Bricka |editor1-first=Carl Frederik |editor1-link=Carl Frederik Bricka |encyclopedia=XIV. Bind. Resen - Saxtrup |title=de la Rochefoucauld, Frédéric Charles |url=http://runeberg.org/dbl/14/0139.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da |date=1900 |publisher=Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag |series=Dansk biografisk Lexikon |location=Kjøbenhavn |page=137}}

80px

| {{ill|Gustav Wilhelm Wedel Jarlsberg|da|Gustav Wilhelm Wedel Jarlsberg|lt=Gustav Wilhelm Wedel of Jarlsberg}}
{{small|(1641–1717)}}

| 1687

| {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Munthe |first1=C. O. |editor1-last=Bricka |editor1-first=Carl Frederik |editor1-link=Carl Frederik Bricka |encyclopedia=XVIII. Bind. Ubbe - Wimpffen |title=Wedel (Jarlsberg), Gustav Vilh. |url=http://runeberg.org/dbl/18/0325.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da |date=1900 |publisher=Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag |series=Dansk biografisk Lexikon |location=Kjøbenhavn |page=323}}

80px

| Frederick Ernest of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
{{small|(1703–1762)}}

| 12 July 1745

| 1762

| {{cite web |last1=Dyrn |first1=Ole |title=Generalfeltmarskal, markgreve, Friederich Ernst af Brandenburg-Culmbach |url=https://www.sctm.dk/generalfeltmarskal-markgreve-friederich-ernst-af-brandenburg-culmbach |website=Sct. Michaelis Kirke |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da}}

| {{ill|Werner von der Schulenburg|da|Werner von der Schulenburg (1679-1755)}}
{{small|(1679–1755)}}

| 1748
{{small|(as {{lang|da|feltmarskal}})}}

| 7 September 1755 †

| {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Bobé |first1=Louis |editor1-last=Bricka |editor1-first=Carl Frederik |editor1-link=Carl Frederik Bricka |encyclopedia=XV. Bind. Scalabrini - Skanke |title=v. d. Schulenburg, Werner |url=http://runeberg.org/dbl/15/0326.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da |date=1901 |publisher=Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag |series=Dansk biografisk Lexikon |location=Kjøbenhavn |page=324}}

| {{ill|Hans Jacob Arnoldt|da}}
{{small|(1669–1758)}}

| 1749
{{small|(as {{lang|da|feltmarskal}})}}

| 24 December 1758 †

| {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Huitfeldt-Kaas |first1=H. J. |editor1-last=Bricka |editor1-first=Carl Frederik |editor1-link=Carl Frederik Bricka |encyclopedia=I. Bind. Aaberg - Beaumelle |title=Arnoldt, Hans Jacob |url=https://runeberg.org/dbl/1/0359.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da |date=1887 |publisher=Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag |series=Dansk biografisk Lexikon |location=Kjøbenhavn |page=341}}

| {{ill|Michael Numsen|da}}
{{small|(1686–1757)}}

| 30 June 1756

| 7 September 1757 †

| {{cite book |last1=von Munthe af Morgenstierne |first1=Otto |author1-link=Otto von Munthe af Morgenstierne

|title=Feltmarskal Michael Numsen og hans Tid |date=1938 |publisher=Levin & Munksgaard |location=Copenhagen |page=116 |url=https://slaegtsbibliotek.dk/2024/943757.pdf |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=da}}

80px

| Claude Louis, Comte de Saint-Germain
{{small|(1707–1778)}}

| 1 December 1760

| 5 December 1767

| {{sfn|Mygind|1999|pp=20, 50}}

| Frederick Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
{{small|(1729–1809)}}

| 1764

| 1784

| {{sfn|Mygind|1999|p=55}}

80px

| Christian August of Augustenburg
{{small|(1768–1810)}}

| 25 July 1808

| {{cite book |title=Königlich-Dänischer Hof-und Statts-Calender |date=1812 |location=Altona |page=79 |url=https://slaegtsbibliotek.dk/910071.pdf |access-date=17 August 2024 |language=de |chapter=V. Der Land-Militair-Etat}}

80px

| Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel
{{small|(1744–1836)}}

| 1815

| 17 August 1836 †

| {{sfn|Mygind|1999|pp=39, 72}}

80px

| Prince Frederik of Hesse
{{small|(1771–1845)}}

| 17 August 1836

| 31 March 1842

| {{sfn|Hedegaard|1979|p=39}}{{sfn|Mygind|1999|p=72}}

References

=Citations=

=Sources=

{{cite web |author1=danmarkshistorien.dk |title=Rangforordningen, 25. maj 1671 |url=https://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/rangforordningen-25-maj-1671/ |publisher=danmarkshistorien.dk |access-date=15 March 2021 |language=da |date=17 May 2017}}
{{cite journal |last1=Madsen |first1=Emil |title=De nationale Tropper, samt Hærvæsenets Styrelse i det 16. Aarhundrede |trans-title=The National Troops, as well as the Administration of the Army in the 16th Century |journal=Historisk Tidsskrift |date=1904 |volume=5 |issue=7 |pages=199–200 |url=http://img.kb.dk/tidsskriftdk/pdf/hto/hto_7rk_0005-PDF/hto_7rk_0005_97050.pdf |access-date=6 August 2023 |language=da}}
{{cite book |last1=Mygind |first1=A. |title=Den landmilitære embedsetat og centraladministratio (1763 - 1848) |publisher=Forsvarets Arkiver |url=https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=18484855#237833,45188647 |access-date=19 March 2021 |date=1999 |language=da}}
{{cite book |last1=Hedegaard |first1=E. O. A. |title=Den militære feltmarskalstavs historie: En våben- og krigshistorisk studie |trans-title=The History of the Field Marshal's Baton: A Study of the History of Weapons |date=1979 |publisher=Forlaget ZAC |language=da}}

Category:Military ranks of Denmark

Category:Royal Danish Army

da:Feltmarskal

Field marshal (Denmark)

History

List of field marshals

See also

References

=Citations=

=Sources=