Generalissimo

A title for a supreme military commander above all other generals, held by figures from Wallenstein to Chiang Kai-shek.

Overview

Generalissimo, from the Italian superlative of general, has been used for a commander placed above all other generals of a state or alliance. Albrecht von Wallenstein held such a supreme command in the Thirty Years War, and Alexander Suvorov was made generalissimo by the Russian emperor in 1799. In the twentieth century the title became associated with heads of state who combined political and military power: Chiang Kai-shek in China, Francisco Franco in Spain, and Joseph Stalin, who was named Generalissimus of the Soviet Union in 1945. North Korea has also bestowed the title on its leaders. It is rarely a normal step in a career ladder.