Captain General
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Captain General is a military rank which was formerly relatively common within various European forces, usually ranking above a lieutenant general, in the current location of a full general. This is derived from the fact that sergeant major general (now just major general), lieutenant general, and colonel general exist in many armies of the world, with the rank of general located between colonel general and lieutenant general. In lower ranks, the rank of captain is located between lieutenant and colonel. From this, the rank of captain general logically follows to be where general currently is. It is likely that the "captain" was simply dropped over time, much like how sergeant was dropped from sergeant major general to form major general.
A Captain General can also be:
- Commander of all military forces in a Vice-Regal Domain
- The next grade of general above brigadier general or colonel commandant
- The next grade of general above major general
- The next grade of general below full general
- The next grade of general above full general (this is the current situation in Spain with the rank of Capitán general)
In fiction
In J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Boromir is considered to be a captain general of Gondor.
See also
- General, a description of the various general officer ranks, including the full general which is the successor to captain general.
- Captaincy General, a division of viceroyalty
- List of senior officers of the British ArmyTemplate:Mil-stub