Captain general facts for kids

A Captain General is a very important title that can mean two main things: a top military leader or a high-ranking governor. It's like being the boss of an army or a whole region!

History of the Title

The term "Captain General" first appeared around the 1300s. It was used for the main commander of an army or navy in battle. This was probably one of the first times the word "General" was used in a military way.

In the 1500s and 1600s, it was a popular title, but its exact meaning changed from country to country. By the 1700s, it became less common, often replaced by simpler titles like "General" or "Field Marshal." After the big wars led by Napoleon Bonaparte ended, the title almost disappeared in most European countries, except for Spain and its former colonies.

Venice: Leaders of Land and Sea

In the old Republic of Venice, a Captain General was the chief commander during wartime. The Captain General for land forces was often a hired soldier from another country. But the leader of the Venetian navy was always a noble from Venice itself, called the Captain general of the Sea. This role existed from at least 1370 until Venice fell in 1797.

Great Britain: Royal Commanders

In England, the title was sometimes used for the top military commander.

Royal Leaders of the Forces

In 1513, Catherine of Aragon, who was the Queen Regent of England, held the title of Captain General of the King's Forces. She even won a major battle, the Battle of Flodden, while her husband, King Henry VIII, was away fighting.

Later, in the mid-1600s, when England started having a regular army, the title Captain General was used for its main leader. For example, Thomas Fairfax was named "Captain General and Commander-in-Chief" of all the armies in England in 1645.

After the king returned to power, General Monck was also called "Captain General of all our Armies." The title was later held by famous military leaders like the Duke of Marlborough in the early 1700s. The last person to be appointed Captain General of the Forces was Prince Frederick, the Duke of York, in 1799.

It's a bit unclear if there was a big difference between "Captain General" and "Commander-in-Chief" back then. Often, the same person held both titles.

Other Uses in Britain

Since the 1600s, the title Captain General has also been used for the ceremonial head of certain groups. For example, it's used for the leader of the Honourable Artillery Company in England and the senior officer of the Royal Company of Archers in Scotland.

In 1947, King George VI changed his title from Colonel-in-Chief to Captain General for both the Royal Marines and the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The formal head of the Combined Cadet Force also uses this title.

New South Wales: Early Governors

From 1787 to 1837, the Governor of New South Wales in Australia was called Captain-General. This was before the First Fleet even arrived in Australia.

Prussia: Castle Guards

In Prussia, a Generalkapitän was the commander of the castle guard and the king's personal guards.

United States: George Washington and State Governors

During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington was the "Captain-General and Commander in Chief of the Forces." He is the only general in U.S. history to be called "Captain-General" of the armed forces.

Connecticut

In Connecticut, the state's Constitution says that the Governor is also the Captain General of the Connecticut State Militia.

Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, the Governor has two military titles: "captain-general" and "Commander-in-Chief."

Vermont

The 1786 Constitution of Vermont, when it was an independent country, stated that the Governor would be the "captain-general and commander-in-chief of the forces of the State."

Netherlands: Commander of the Union

Maurice of Nassau was appointed "Captain General of the Union" in 1587. This meant he was the commander-in-chief of the Dutch States Army. He was also "Admiral General" of the Dutch Republic. This was a national role, while he also served as stadtholder (a provincial leader) for several provinces. The title was not passed down through families, but after 1747, only members of the House of Orange-Nassau could be appointed to it.

Spain: Highest Military Rank and Regional Leaders

By the late 1400s, the title Captain General in Spain meant the commander-in-chief in battle. It was also given to the top commanders of special military groups, like artillery or royal guards.

Over time, these military duties and the title became linked to the highest civilian leader of a region. During Spain's rule in Latin America, many areas were called Captaincies General, led by a Captain General. This military post as the top regional commander lasted in Spain until the early 1980s.

Army

In the late 1600s or early 1700s, "captain general" became the highest personal rank in the Spanish Army and Navy, similar to a Marshal of France. Kings would wear the captain general's uniform.

After being briefly removed, the rank was brought back in 1938. Only a few officers have held this rank while actively serving. Since 1999, the rank has been reserved only for the reigning monarch.

Navy

The title's history in the Spanish Navy is similar to the army's. In the 1500s and 1600s, there were two main naval Captain General roles: one for the Atlantic Ocean and one for the Mediterranean Sea.

A special use of the rank in the 1500s Spanish Navy was for the leader of a fleet, who had full legal power over everyone in the fleet. The second-in-command was the 'almirante' (admiral). A famous Captain General who sailed under the Spanish flag was Ferdinand Magellan, who led the first fleet to sail around the world.

Air Force

The rank of Captain General of the Air Force is also now reserved for the reigning monarch.

Portugal: Army and Navy Chiefs

Army

In 1508, the title was given to the commander-in-chief of the Ordenanças (the country's local army).

After 1640, during the Portuguese Restoration War, the "Captain-General of the Arms of the Kingdom" became the commander-in-chief of the Portuguese Army. This role was replaced in 1762 by the title marechal-general (field marshal-general).

Navy

Like in the Army, the Capitão-General da Armada Real (Captain-General of the Royal Navy) was the commander-in-chief of the Portuguese Navy in the 1600s and 1700s.

France: Rare Use

The title "Captain General" was not used much in France. For a short time in the 1600s, it was a rank between a Lieutenant General and a Marshal of France. The King of France was the Captain General of the Army, but he was represented in the field by lieutenant generals.

Kingdom of Bavaria: Royal Guards

In the old Kingdom of Bavaria, the generalkapitän was the leader of the royal Hartschier guard. This position was very high up in the court's order of importance.

Papal States: Church Army Leaders

During the time of the Papal States (lands ruled by the Pope), the title Captain General of the Church was given to the actual commander-in-chief of the Pope's army. This was different from the Gonfalonier of the Church, which was more of a ceremonial role. Both roles were later replaced by the "Flag-bearer of the Holy Roman Church."

Eastern Europe: Hetman

The term "Captain General" is similar to "Hetman" in Eastern Europe (like Bohemia, Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine). Hetman was a political title for military commanders. It was the second-highest military command after the monarch from the 1400s to the 1700s, and also in the 1900s.

Siam: Wild Tiger Corps

In Siam (now Thailand), the rank Captain General (Thai: นายกองใหญ่) was the highest rank in the Wild Tiger Corps. This rank was only for King Vajiravudh. In 1915, he created the rank General of the Wild Tiger Corps (Thai: นายพลเสือป่า) for other leaders, which was like a Brigadier.

Current Usage as a Military Rank

Bolivia

In Bolivia, the President of Bolivia automatically holds the rank and dignity of Captain General while in office. This means the President is the head of the Armed Forces, even though they are a civilian.

Commonwealth Realms

In the armies of various Commonwealth realms (countries that have Charles III as their monarch), "Captain General" is a ceremonial title for the head of a military group. For example, King Charles III is the Captain General of the British Royal Artillery, the Honourable Artillery Company, and similar artillery groups in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Royal Company of Archers in Scotland also has a Captain General, a position currently held by the Earl of Airlie.

Chile

In Chile, if the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Head of State are the same person, they are promoted to the permanent military rank of Captain General (Spanish: capitán general). This has only happened three times in Chile's history. Today, laws prevent the Commander-in-Chief from becoming president.

Spain

In Spain, the title Captain General (capitán general) is the highest military rank. Since 1999, it has been held only by the Spanish monarch (currently Felipe VI).

Administrative Positions

The term "captain general" can also refer to administrative titles used in the old Spanish Empire and Portuguese Empire, especially in the Americas. Each was in charge of a captaincy.

In the Spanish Empire and Latin America

Capitán General was the military title for the Spanish military governor of a province in the Spanish Empire. In the colonies, this person was usually also the head of the civilian court (audiencia).

In the Portuguese Empire

In the Portuguese Empire, a capitão-general was a governor of a capitania geral (captaincy general). This was a higher rank than a simple capitão-mor (captain-major) and reported directly to the Crown. A captaincy general was a more important area than regular captaincies. The governors of these areas were often called "governor and captain-general," with "governor" for their administrative role and "captain-general" for their military role as commander-in-chief.

The title capitão-general was also used for the Governor-General or Viceroy of Portuguese India and Brazil. So, in Brazil, there were local captains-general for different regions, plus a central captain-general who was the overall governor-general.

In Fiction

• In J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Boromir is called "Captain-General" of the armies of Gondor.
• In the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, "captain-general" is the highest rank in the Ever Victorious Army of Seanchan. It's also the title for the leader of the Queen's Guard of Andor and the head of the Green Ajah of the Aes Sedai.
• In the BattleTech universe, "captain-general" is the title for the military and political leader of the Free Worlds League.
• In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Cesare Borgia is shown as the Captain General of the Papal Army, a position he actually held.
• In the Ring of Fire universe by Eric Flint, King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden is given the title "Captain General of the State of Thuringia."
• In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the title Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes is given to the head of the Adeptus Custodes, who are the God-Emperor of Mankind's elite bodyguards.

See also

• Colonel-in-Chief
• Captain-major
• Captaincy, an administrative division in the Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires, led by a captain general.
• Five-star rank
• General, a description of various general officer ranks, including the full general which is a successor to captain general.
• Generalissimo
• List of senior officers of the British Army
• Queen Elizabeth II's honorary military positions