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Captain general of the Navy

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Not to be confused with Captain general of the Sea.
1arm

Insignia for the Captain general of the Spanish Navy

Captain general of the Navy (capitán general de la Armada in Spanish) is a five-star naval officer rank and the highest rank of the Spanish Navy (Armada Española). The five-star NATO rank code is OF-10, the routine honorary appointments formally ceased in 1999. The rank of captain general of the Navy is equivalent to an admiral of the fleet in many nations such as the United Kingdom or the United States, a captain general of the Spanish Army (Ejército de Tierra Español) or an Air captain general in the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire).

A peculiar usage of the term captain general arose in the Spanish Navy of the 16th century. A capitán-general was appointed by the king as the leader of a fleet (although the term 'squadron' is more appropriate, as most galleon fleets rarely consisted of more than a dozen vessels, not counting escorted merchantmen), with full jurisdictional powers. The fleet second-in-command was the 'almirante' (admiral), an officer appointed by the capitan-general and responsible for the seaworthiness of the squadron.[1] One captain-general that sailed under the Spanish flag that is now well known was Ferdinand Magellan, leader of the first fleet to sail around the world.

Since King Alfonso XII's reign (1874–1885), the monarchs used captain general of the Navy rank and insignia as Commander-in-chief. Briefly abolished by the Second Spanish Republic, it was restored in 1938 during the regime of Francisco Franco, an Army general. Since 19th century honorary promotions of retired admirals to this rank were also made, such as the prime ministers Juan Bautista Aznar-Cabañas (1928) and Luis Carrero Blanco (1973), the only posthumous promotion. Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, claimant to the Spanish throne (1941–1977) and father of King Juan Carlos, was also made honorary captain general of the Spanish Navy in 1992.

Date of promotion
 Image
 Name
 Dead/Annulled
 Notes
1750 Juan José Navarro de Viana y Búfalo † February 5, 1772 1st general captain of the Navy
1783 Luis de Córdova y Córdova[2] † September 29, 1796 2nd general captain of the Navy
1789 Pedro Fitz-James Stuart y Colón de Portugal † July 23, 1791 3rd general captain of the Navy
1792 Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán[3][4] † April 4, 1816
1794 Francisco Javier Everardo y Tilly[5][6] † December 11, 1795 5th general captain of the Navy
1796 Antonio González de Arce y Ulloa[7] † February 23, 1798 6th general captain of the Navy
1798 Manuel Antonio Flórez y Maldonado[8] † March 23, 1798 7th general captain of the Navy
1798 Juan Cayetano de Lángara y Huarte[9] † January 18, 1806 8th general captain of the Navy
1802 José Solano y Bote[10][11] † April 24, 1806 9th general captain of the Navy
1805 Francisco de Borja y Poyo[12] † June 10, 1808 10th general captain of the Navy
1805 Francisco Gil de Taboada y Lemos[13] † 1809 11th general captain of the Navy
November 9, 1805 Federico Carlos Gravina y Nápoles[14] † March 9, 1806 12th general captain of the Navy
November 3, 1808 Félix Ignacio de Tejada y Suárez de Lara[15] † February 20, 1817 13th general captain of the Navy
February 24, 1817 Ignacio Maria de Álava y Sáenz de Navarrete[16] † May 26, 1817 14th general captain of the Navy
June 6, 1817 Juan María de Villavicencio y de la Serna[17] † April 25, 1830 15th general captain of the Navy
May 1, 1830 Juan Ruiz de Apodaca y Eliza[18] † January 11, 1835 16th general captain of the Navy
January 25, 1835[19] Cayetano Valdés y Flores[20] † February 16, 1835 17th general captain of the Navy
January 16, 1836 Francisco Javier de Uriarte y Borja[21][22][23][24] † November 29, 1843 18th general captain of the Navy
February 12, 1843 José Sartorio y Terol[25] † December 30, 1843 19th general captain of the Navy
June 2, 1843[note 1] Ramón Lorenzo Romay y Jiménez-Cisneros[26] † May 23, 1849
September 15, 1847[note 2][27] José Rodríguez-Arias y Alvárez-Campana[28] † January 26, 1852 21st general captain of the Navy
February 17, 1852 Francisco Javier de Ulloa y Ramírez de Laredo[29] † November 24, 1855
  • 22nd general captain of the Navy
  • Secretary of the Navy (1832–1833)
November 28, 1855 Dionisio Capaz y Rendón[30] † December 27, 1855
  • 23rd general captain of the Navy
  • Minister of the Navy (1822-1823 and 11–16 September 1840)
February 13, 1856 Francisco Armero y Fernández de Peñaranda[31] † July 1, 1856
  • 24th general captain of the Navy
  • Lieutenant general of the Army
  • Minister of the Navy, Commerce and Overseas Governance
    (1840, 1844–1846 and 1846–1847)
  • Minister of War (1846 and 1857–1858)
  • Minister of Governance (1857–1858)
  • Minister of the Navy (1851–1852 and 1864–1865)
  • Prime Minister (1857–1858)
  • Last surviving Spanish veteran officer of the Battle of Trafalgar
November 24, 1858[note 3] Casimiro Vigodet y Garnica[32][33][34] † January 2, 1872
September 5, 1872[note 4] Juan José Martínez de Espinosa y Tacón[35] † October 14, 1875
December 29, 1874 Alfonso de Borbón y Borbón † November 25, 1885
August 24, 1875[note 4] Joaquín Gutiérrez de Rubalcaba y Casal[36] † April 3, 1881
  • Ad honorem
  • Minister of the Navy (17 January – 1 March 1864 and 1866–1867)
  • 1st Marquis Rubalcaba with sucesion (1878)[note 5][37]
April 18, 1881[note 4] Luis Hernández-Pinzón y Álvarez de Vides[38] † February 22, 1891 Ad honorem
February 27, 1891[note 4] Guillermo Chacón y Maldonado[39] † March 28, 1899
April 15, 1899[note 4] Carlos Valcárcel y Ussel de Gimbarda[40] † April 23, 1903
May 17, 1902 Alfonso de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena April 14, 1931
(Second Spanish Republic established)[note 6]
April 30, 1903[note 4] José María Beranger y Ruiz de Apodaca[41] † January 23, 1907
  • Ad honorem
  • Minister of the Navy
    (1870–1871, 1872–1873, 1885–1886, 1890–1891, 11 March – 11 December 1892 and 1895–1897)
February 21, 1910[note 7] Juan Bautista Viniegra y Mendoza[42] † February 21, 1918
March 17, 1918[43] José Pidal y Rebollo[44] † May 4, 1920
  • Ad honorem
  • Minister of the Navy (1911–1912 and 23 March – 27 July 1918)
May 11, 1920[45] José María Chacón y Pery[46][47] † April 13, 1922
  • Ad honorem
  • Minister of the Navy (1918–1919)
April 22, 1922 Ricardo Fernández de la Puente y Patrón[48] † October 23, 1928
  • Ad honorem
  • President of the Supreme War and Navy Council
October 30, 1928 Juan Bautista Aznar y Cabañas[49] † February 19, 1933[50]
  • Ad honorem
  • Minister of the Navy (16 February – 15 September 1923)
  • Prime Minister (18 February – 14 April 1931)
  • Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
July 18, 1938 Francisco Franco y Bahamonde † November 20, 1975
December 21, 1973 File:Luis Carrero Blanco.jpg Luis Carrero y Blanco[51]
—
  • Posthumous promotion
  • Deputy Prime Minister (1967–1973)
  • Prime Minister (9 June – 20 December 1973)
November 20, 1975[52][note 10] Juan Carlos de Borbón y Borbón Active until June 19, 2014
(Abdication)
  • Ex officio
  • Retired since 19 June 2014
  • Captain general of the Army and Air captain general
December 5, 1992 Juan de Borbón y Battenberg[53] † April 1, 1993
  • Ad honorem
  • Infante of Spain
  • Claim to the Spanish throne (1941–1977)
June 19, 2014 Felipe de Borbón y Grecia Present
NATO Code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 OF(D) Student Officer
Bandera de España Spain
Capitán GeneralNote Almirante General Almirante Vicealmirante Contraalmirante Capitán de Navío Capitán de Fragata Capitán de Corbeta Teniente de Navío Alférez de Navío Alférez de Fragata Guardiamarina 4º Curso Guardiamarina 3º Curso Alumno 2º Curso Alumno 1º Curso
English translation Captain General

Note Rank reserved to H.M. The Monarch of Spain.

General Admiral Admiral Vice Admiral Counter Admiral Ship-of-the-line Captain Frigate Captain Corvette Captain Ship-of-the-line lieutenant Ship-of-the-line ensign Frigate Ensign Midshipman 4th Year Midshipman 3rd Year Officer Cadet 2nd year Officer Cadet 1st year
USN equivalent Fleet Admiral Admiral Vice Admiral Rear Admiral Rear Admiral (lower half)
or
Commodore 		Captain Commander Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Lieutenant (junior grade) Ensign Midshipman 4th Year Midshipman 3rd Year Officer Cadet 2nd year Officer Cadet 1st year

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ Supernumerary captain general of the Navy until 30 December 1843.
  2. ↑ Supernumerary captain general of the Navy until 23 May 1849.
  3. ↑ Supernumerary captain general of the Navy until 1866. Rank replaced by Admiral of the Spanish Navy in 1869.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Promoted as Admiral of the Spanish Royal Navy
  5. ↑ Vide Rubalcava.
  6. ↑ On 14 April 1931 Alfonso XIII renounced as head of state but did not formally abdicate.
  7. ↑ Admiral of the Spanish Royal Navy until 10 January 1912, when the traditional rank of Captain General of the Navy was recovered.
  8. ↑ Named himself.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 At Civil War until 1 april 1939.
  10. ↑ Monarch since 22 November 1975.

References[]

  • Juan y Ferragut, Mariano. La Marina en 1808, Cuadernos monográficos del IHCN. Spanish Navy (In Spanish).
  1. ↑ "Spanish Galleon: 1530–1690" by Angus Konstam, copyright 2004 Osprey Publishing, Ltd.
  2. ↑ Hattendorf, John (2000): Naval policy and strategy in the Mediterranean: past, present, and future. Taylor & Francis, p. 37. ISBN 0-7146-8054-0
  3. ↑ González de Canales, Fernando (2000). Catálogo de Pinturas del Museo Naval. Tomo II. Madrid: Ministerio de Defensa.
  4. ↑ Martínez-Valverde y Martínez, Carlos. Enciclopedia General del Mar. Garriga, Madrid, 1957.
  5. ↑ Biografía del Marqués de Casa-Tilly. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  6. ↑ Biografía del Marqués de Casa-Tilly. Portal Todo a Babor. In Spanish
  7. ↑ http://www.todoababor.es/articulos/bio_arce.htm Biografía de Antonio González de Arce. Portal Todo a Babor. In Spanish
  8. ↑ "Flores, Manuel Antonio (1987)." Enciclopedia de México, v. 5. Mexico City
  9. ↑ "Flores, Manuel Antonio (1987). " Enciclopedia de México, v. 5. Mexico City
  10. ↑ José Luis Santalo Rodríguez de Viguri (1973). Don Jose Solano y Bote, Primer Marqués del Socorro Capitán General de la Armada. Madrid: Instituto Histórico de Marina. I.S.B.N. 84-00-03891-6
  11. ↑ Colección de Opusculos del Excmo. Sr. D. Martín Fernández de Navarrete, Madrid. 1848
  12. ↑ Borja y Poyo. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  13. ↑ Gil de Lemos. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  14. ↑ Federico Gravina. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  15. ↑ Tejada y Suárez de Lara. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  16. ↑ Ignacio María de Álava y Navarrete. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  17. ↑ Villavicencio de la Serna. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish.
  18. ↑ Ruiz de Apodaca. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  19. ↑ Madrid Gazette no. 26, de 26/01/1835, pp. 103 a 104.. In Spanish
  20. ↑ Cayetano Valdés y Flores. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  21. ↑ Cervera Pery, José (2004). El Panteón de Marinos Ilustres. Trayectoria Histórica, reseña biográfica. Madrid: Ministerio de Defensa.
  22. ↑ Fernández Duro, Cesáreo (1973). La Armada Española, desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y Aragón. Madrid: Museo Naval.
  23. ↑ González de Canales, Fernando (2000). Catálogo de Pinturas del Museo Naval. Volume II.
  24. ↑ Marliani, Manuel (1850). Combate de Trafalgar. Vindicación de la Armada Española. Madrid: Impreso de Orden Superior.
  25. ↑ Sartorio y Terol. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  26. ↑ Romay y Jiménez-Cisneros en el portal TodoAvante.es
  27. ↑ XXI Capitán General de la Armada. Contando historias antiguas... de militares.
  28. ↑ Francisco Javier de Ulloa en el portal TodoAvante.es
  29. ↑ Francisco Javier de Ulloa. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  30. ↑ Capaz Rendón. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  31. ↑ Francisco Armero Peñaranda en el portal TodoAvante.es
  32. ↑ Cervera y Jácome, Juan (1926). El Panteón de Marinos Ilustres. Madrid: Ministerio de Marina.
  33. ↑ Martínez-Valverde y Martínez, Carlos (1957). Enciclopedia General del Mar. Garriga.
  34. ↑ González de Canales, Fernando (2000). Catálogo de Pinturas del Museo Naval. Volume II. Madrid: Ministerio de Defensa.
  35. ↑ Juan José Martínez de Espinosa y Tacón. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  36. ↑ Joaquín Gutiérrez de Rubalcaba y Casal. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  37. ↑ compactgen.com. In Spanish
  38. ↑ Luis Hernández-Pinzón Álvarez. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  39. ↑ Guillermo Chacón y Maldonado. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  40. ↑ Carlos Valcárcel. Portal TodoAvante.es In Spanish
  41. ↑ Rodríguez González, Agustín Ramón (1993). Isaac Peral: Historia de una Frustración. Cartagena: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena. ISBN 84-87529-21-6. http://books.google.es/books?id=w5T6iWz-LeAC&pg=PA93&lpg=PA93&dq=Fragata+blindada+Vitoria&source=bl&ots=Ihs547wnHg&sig=c-O2WH2D-veE0BnvlKOEb0PnLas&hl=es&sa=X&ei=lAY2UOihA5K5hAeOz4HwDg&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Fragata%20blindada%20Vitoria&f=false. 
  42. ↑ Biografía de Juan Bautista Viniegra y Mendoza. Portal TodoAvante.es. In Spanish
  43. ↑ Gaceta de Madrid núm. 76, de 17/03/1918.
  44. ↑ Biografía de Ricardo Fernández de la Puente. Portal TodoAvante.es
  45. ↑ Madrid Gazette (11 May 1920). In Spanish
  46. ↑ Silva Suárez, Manuel (2007). "Chacón y Orta, Francisco". pp. 395. ISBN 978-84-7820-814-2. http://www.raing.es/sites/default/files/7.2.4%20Anexo-Apuntes%20Biogr%C3%A1ficos%20vol%20VII.pdf. 
  47. ↑ Urquijo y Goitia, José Ramón de (2008). Gobiernos y ministros españoles en la edad contemporánea. Madrid: CSIC. ISBN 978-84-00-08737-1. https://books.google.es/books?id=Vp1TkdjkMh8C. 
  48. ↑ Biografía de Ricardo Fernández de la Puente en el portal TodoAvante.es (In Spanish)
  49. ↑ Madrid Gazette (30 October 1928)
  50. ↑ Hemeroteca Periódico ABC (21/02/33). Acceded 14 February 2017 (In Spanish).
  51. ↑ Decree 3204/1973, 20 December, approving the State funeral for HE Admiral Carrero Blanco, the President of the Government. Spanish Official Journal (21/12/73)
  52. ↑ Law-Decree 16/1975, 20 November, promoting HRH the Prince of Spain to honorary captain general of the Armies. Spanish Official Journal. In Spanish
  53. ↑ Royal Decree 1477/1992, 4 December, promoting HRH don Juan de Borbón y Battenberg, Navy Admiral, to honorary captain general of the Navy. Spanish Official Journal (05/12/1992). In Spanish
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