Captain General
Encyclopedia
Captain general is a high military rank
and a gubernatorial
title.
in military settings. A popular term in the 16th and 17th centuries, but with various meanings depending on the country, it became less and less used in the 18th century, usually substituted by full General
s or Field Marshals; and after the end of the Napoleonic Wars
it had but disappeared in most European countries, except Spain and former colonies.
held the titles Governor of the Realm and Captain General of the King's Forces as Queen Regent
of England
. First attested in the 1520s as the title for the permanent Commander in Chief of the Armies. Though commonly used in the 17th century, in the 18th century, the office was held by Duke of Marlborough
(1702 to 1711, and again 1714 to 1717), and the Duke of Ormonde
, 1711 to 1714 and the Duke of Cumberland 1745. The rank remains in Scottish use of the Royal Company of Archers
.
The title appeared, as in some other countries, linked to the head of state in his military capacity. The last were the King of England up to the mid 19th century, and his prior replacement the Lord Protector
, Oliver Cromwell
.
title, to the Orange-Nassau family, until taken away by the States General
in 1786.
No later than the fall of Granada
(1492) the title was conferred also to officers with full jurisdiction of every person subject to fuero militar in a certain territorial circumscription. Those officers usually also acted as commanders for the troops and military establishments in their area, and as time passed, those duties (and the title) were mostly united in the highest civilian authority of the area. The military post of Captain General as highest territorial commander lasted in Spain till the early 1980s.
In the late 17th or very early 18th century, a personal rank of Captain General was created in the Spanish Army (and Navy) as the highest rank in the hierarchy, not unlike the Marechal de France. When wearing uniform, the Kings used captain general insignia. Perhaps the best-known holder of the rank for Americans was Valeriano Weyler
, Governor General
of Cuba
in 1896-97 during the period preceding the Spanish-American War
. Briefly abolished by the Second Spanish Republic
, it was restored by/for Francisco Franco
in 1938. In 1999, the rank was reserved to the reigning monarch
.
Since its restoration in 1938, only Franco, Juan Carlos I (1975), Agustín Muñoz Grandes
(1956) and Camilo Alonso Vega (1972) were promoted while on active duty, being the rest of the (scarce) promotions either posthumous or to retired officers.
During the 16th and 17th century the two main naval captain general posts were Capitán-General de la Armada de la Mar Oceana and Capitán-General de Galeras, roughly CIC
for the Atlantic and the Mediterranean respectively.
A peculiar usage of the term Captain General arose in the Spanish Navy
of the 16th century. A Capitán-General (General Captain) 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. 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.
Under the Nationalist regime of 1939-1975, the only holder of the rank of Capitán General de la Armada was the Caudillo
, Generalísimo Francisco Franco
.
During the Portuguese Restoration War
, after 1640, the "Captain-General of the Arms of the Kingdom", become the commander-in-chief of the Portuguese Army
, under the direct authority of the War Council and the King. In 1762 the captain-general was substituted by the marechal-general - fieldmarshall-general.
in the 17th and 18th centuries.
and Marshal of France
of this denomination was created. The king of France was the Captain General of the Army
, but was represented in the field by Lieutenant Generals who commanded in his absence.
, the Generalkapitän was the leader of the royal Hartschier
guard. The position was held by a higher military.
, and the armies of various Commonwealth
nations, the term Captain General is used generally when describing the ceremonial head of the artillery corps. As such, HM The Queen
is the Captain General of the Honourable Artillery Company
, Royal Regiment of Artillery, Royal Canadian Artillery, Royal Australian Artillery and Royal New Zealand Artillery. The Queen is also Captain General of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps
.
One other appointment of Captain General is of The Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland, Royal Company of Archers
, the position currently held by David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie
.
the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines
is the Captain-General
, currently HRH Prince Philip.
, the head of state for the duration of his tenure has the rank and dignity of Captain General as head of the Armed forces, even if he is a civilian
, Ramon Freire and Augusto Pinochet Ugarte). Current electoral provisions (as of 2008) forbid the Commander in Chief becoming President.
and the Portuguese Empire
, especially in the Americas
. Each was in charge of a captaincy
.
military governor of a province of the Spanish Empire
, in the colonies usually also the president of the civilian audiencia (court of law).
and office given by the Portuguese Crown
to noblemen granted the rule of captaincies in the territories of the Portuguese Empire
, most importantly in Terra de Santa Cruz (modern Brazil
). They held absolute powers in their lands, subject only to the Crown, and were given the task of settling and colonizing their respective domains.
In Brazil, most of these settlements failed, and their nominal dominions were actually haphazardly settled by colonists and Jesuit Reductions
, and ultimately the land was incorporated first into the only succeeding capitanias, São Vicente
and Pernambuco
, which then became the Viceroyalty of Brazil
and the Viceroyalty of Grão-Pará
. The absolute power of the Capitães-Mor was continued, in Brazil, by the tradition of Coronelism that endures to this day in the northeast of that nation.
's The Lord of the Rings
, Boromir
is considered to be a Captain General of Gondor
.
In the Wheel of Time
series by Robert Jordan
, "Captain-General" is the highest rank of the Ever Victorious Army of Seanchan, excepting only the rank of Marshal-General, which may be temporarily assigned to a Captain-General given the command of a war. In addition, Captain-General is also the title of both 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 of the military and political leader of the Free Worlds League
. Since the 25th century, Captain-Generals have been members of the Marik family.
In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
, Cesare Borgia
is Captain General of the Papal army.
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
and a gubernatorial
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
title.
History
This term Captain General (actually "General Captain") started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army (or fleet) in the field, probably the first usage of the term GeneralGeneral
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in military settings. A popular term in the 16th and 17th centuries, but with various meanings depending on the country, it became less and less used in the 18th century, usually substituted by full General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
s or Field Marshals; and after the end of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
it had but disappeared in most European countries, except Spain and former colonies.
Republic of Venice
There it meant the commander in chief of the fleet in war times. It is at least documented since 1370 and was used up to the end of the republic (late 18th century)Great Britain
From 30 June 1513 – 22 October 1513, Catherine of AragonCatherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
held the titles Governor of the Realm and Captain General of the King's Forces as Queen Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. First attested in the 1520s as the title for the permanent Commander in Chief of the Armies. Though commonly used in the 17th century, in the 18th century, the office was held by Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
(1702 to 1711, and again 1714 to 1717), and the Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde KG KT was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom of Ormonde...
, 1711 to 1714 and the Duke of Cumberland 1745. The rank remains in Scottish use of the Royal Company of Archers
Royal Company of Archers
The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. It is currently known as the Queen's...
.
The title appeared, as in some other countries, linked to the head of state in his military capacity. The last were the King of England up to the mid 19th century, and his prior replacement the Lord Protector
Lord Protector
Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...
, Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
.
New South Wales
From 1787, the Governor of New South Wales has been also granted the title of Captain-General.Rhode Island
In Rhode Island, the Governor holds two different military titles. According to Article IX, section 3 of the Rhode Island Constitution, the Governor holds the titles of "captain-general" and "Commander-in-Chief"Netherlands
Maurice of Nassau received the title of "Captain General of the Union" and "Admiral General" in 1587, which became hereditary - like the StadtholderStadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
title, to the Orange-Nassau family, until taken away by the States General
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
in 1786.
Spain (Army)
By the late 15th century, the title, besides the usual meaning of Commander In Chief in the Field, was also linked to the highest commander of specialized military branches (artillery, royal guards, ...), usually signaling the independence of that particular corps.No later than the fall of Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
(1492) the title was conferred also to officers with full jurisdiction of every person subject to fuero militar in a certain territorial circumscription. Those officers usually also acted as commanders for the troops and military establishments in their area, and as time passed, those duties (and the title) were mostly united in the highest civilian authority of the area. The military post of Captain General as highest territorial commander lasted in Spain till the early 1980s.
In the late 17th or very early 18th century, a personal rank of Captain General was created in the Spanish Army (and Navy) as the highest rank in the hierarchy, not unlike the Marechal de France. When wearing uniform, the Kings used captain general insignia. Perhaps the best-known holder of the rank for Americans was Valeriano Weyler
Valeriano Weyler
Don Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau, 1st Duke of Rubí and 1st Marquis of Tenerife Don Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau, 1st Duke of Rubí and 1st Marquis of Tenerife Don Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau, 1st Duke of Rubí and 1st Marquis of Tenerife (Seed in Ambos Camarines.-Philippines:In 1888, he was sent out as...
, Governor General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in 1896-97 during the period preceding the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. Briefly abolished by the Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
, it was restored by/for Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
in 1938. In 1999, the rank was reserved to the reigning monarch
Spanish monarchy
The Monarchy of Spain, constitutionally referred to as The Crown and commonly referred to as the Spanish monarchy or Hispanic Monarchy, is a constitutional institution and an historic office of Spain...
.
Since its restoration in 1938, only Franco, Juan Carlos I (1975), Agustín Muñoz Grandes
Agustín Muñoz Grandes
Agustín Muñoz Grandes was a Spanish general, and politician, vice-president of the Spanish Government and minister with Francisco Franco several times; also known as the commander of the Blue Division between 1941 and 1943.-Biography:Born to a humble family in Madrid, Muñoz Grandes enrolled at the...
(1956) and Camilo Alonso Vega (1972) were promoted while on active duty, being the rest of the (scarce) promotions either posthumous or to retired officers.
Spain (Navy)
The evolution of the title in the Spanish Navy is parallel to that of the army.During the 16th and 17th century the two main naval captain general posts were Capitán-General de la Armada de la Mar Oceana and Capitán-General de Galeras, roughly CIC
CIC
- Organizations :* Chelsea Independent College* Central Information Commission* Cable in the Classroom* Cadet Instructors Cadre, or le Cadre des instructeurs de cadets in French, sub-element of the Canadian Reserve Force* Canadian International Council...
for the Atlantic and the Mediterranean respectively.
A peculiar usage of the term Captain General arose in the Spanish Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
of the 16th century. A Capitán-General (General Captain) 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
Second-in-command
The Second-in-Command is the deputy commander of any British Army or Royal Marines unit, from battalion or regiment downwards. He or she is thus the equivalent of an Executive Officer in the United States Army...
was the 'almirante' (admiral), an officer appointed by the capitan-general and responsible for the seaworthiness of the squadron. One Captain-General that sailed under the Spanish flag that is now well known was Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Sabrosa, in northern Portugal, and served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" ....
, leader of the first fleet to sail around the world.
Under the Nationalist regime of 1939-1975, the only holder of the rank of Capitán General de la Armada was the Caudillo
Caudillo
Caudillo is a Spanish word for "leader" and usually describes a political-military leader at the head of an authoritarian power. The term translates into English as leader or chief, or more pejoratively as warlord, dictator or strongman. Caudillo was the term used to refer to the charismatic...
, Generalísimo Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
.
Portugal (Army)
Given, in 1508, to the commander-in-chief of the Ordenanças - the Territorial Army of the Crown.During the Portuguese Restoration War
Portuguese Restoration War
Portuguese Restoration War was the name given by nineteenth-century 'romantic' historians to the war between Portugal and Spain that began with the Portuguese revolution of 1640 and ended with the Treaty of Lisbon . The revolution of 1640 ended the sixty-year period of dual monarchy in Portugal...
, after 1640, the "Captain-General of the Arms of the Kingdom", become the commander-in-chief of the Portuguese Army
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
, under the direct authority of the War Council and the King. In 1762 the captain-general was substituted by the marechal-general - fieldmarshall-general.
Portugal (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 NavyPortuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
in the 17th and 18th centuries.
France
The title has been only sporadically used in France. During the 17th century, and for a short while, a rank between Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and Marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
of this denomination was created. The king of France was the Captain General of the Army
General of the Army
General of the Army is a military rank used in some countries to denote a senior military leader, usually a General in command of a nation's Army. It may also be the title given to a General who commands an Army in the field....
, but was represented in the field by Lieutenant Generals who commanded in his absence.
Kingdom of Bavaria
In the former Kingdom of BavariaKingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
, the Generalkapitän was the leader of the royal Hartschier
Hartschier
Hartschiere were predominantly members of the Bavarian residence guards before 1918, a historic military branch of the formerDuchy and the later Electorate and at last Kingdom of Bavaria.- History :...
guard. The position was held by a higher military.
British Army
In the modern British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and the armies of various Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
nations, the term Captain General is used generally when describing the ceremonial head of the artillery corps. As such, HM The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
is the Captain General of the Honourable Artillery Company
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
, Royal Regiment of Artillery, Royal Canadian Artillery, Royal Australian Artillery and Royal New Zealand Artillery. The Queen is also Captain General of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps
Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps
The Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps is the overall umbrella grouping of Regular Force and Territorial Force units equipped with armoured vehicles in the New Zealand Army. The corps was formed in 1942 as the New Zealand Armoured Corps, before being given the Royal prefix in 1947...
.
One other appointment of Captain General is of The Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland, Royal Company of Archers
Royal Company of Archers
The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. It is currently known as the Queen's...
, the position currently held by David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie
David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie
David George Coke Patrick Ogilvy, 8th Earl of Airlie, KT, GCVO, PC, JP is the eldest son of David Ogilvy, 7th Earl of Airlie and Lady Alexandra Coke. His younger brother was Sir Angus Ogilvy, the husband of HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent.Born in London, Lord Airlie was educated at Eton, and...
.
Royal Navy
Currently in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
is the Captain-General
Captain General Royal Marines
The Captain General Royal Marines is the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines. The current incumbent is HRH the Duke of Edinburgh.The uniform and insignia are those of a Field Marshal....
, currently HRH Prince Philip.
Bolivia
In BoliviaBolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, the head of state for the duration of his tenure has the rank and dignity of Captain General as head of the Armed forces, even if he is a civilian
Chile
If the Commander in Chief of the Army and the Head of State are reunited in the same person, he is promoted to the permanent military rank of Capitan General. It has only happened three times in Chile's history (Bernardo O'HigginsBernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
, Ramon Freire and Augusto Pinochet Ugarte). Current electoral provisions (as of 2008) forbid the Commander in Chief becoming President.
Spanish Armed Forces
In Spain, the title Captain General (capitán general) is the highest military rank, since 1999 reserved for the king. Assimilated to a NATO OF-11 rank (OF-10 till that year).Administrative positions
The term "captain general" can also be used to translate Spanish capitán general or Portuguese capitão-mor, administrative titles used in the Spanish EmpireSpanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
and the Portuguese Empire
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
, especially in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. Each was in charge of a captaincy
Captaincy
A captaincy is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. Each was governed by a captain general.-In the Portuguese Empire:...
.
In the Spanish Empire and Latin America
Capitán General was the military title given to the SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
military governor of a province of the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
, in the colonies usually also the president of the civilian audiencia (court of law).
In the Portuguese Empire
Capitão-mor (plural capitães-mores), sometimes also capitão-donatário, was the hereditary titleHereditary Title
Hereditary titles, in a general sense, are titles, positions or styles that are hereditary and thus tend or are bound to remain in particular families....
and office given by the Portuguese Crown
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
to noblemen granted the rule of captaincies in the territories of the Portuguese Empire
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
, most importantly in Terra de Santa Cruz (modern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
). They held absolute powers in their lands, subject only to the Crown, and were given the task of settling and colonizing their respective domains.
In Brazil, most of these settlements failed, and their nominal dominions were actually haphazardly settled by colonists and Jesuit Reductions
Jesuit Reductions
A Jesuit Reduction was a type of settlement for indigenous people in Latin America created by the Jesuit Order during the 17th and 18th centuries. In general, the strategy of the Spanish Empire was to gather native populations into centers called Indian Reductions , in order to Christianize, tax,...
, and ultimately the land was incorporated first into the only succeeding capitanias, São Vicente
São Vicente, São Paulo
São Vicente is a coastal city of southern São Paulo, Brazil. Its estimated population in 2006 was 329,370 inhabitants.It was the first Portuguese permanent settlement in the Americas and the first capital of the Captaincy of São Vicente, now the state of São Paulo...
and Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
, which then became the Viceroyalty of Brazil
Viceroyalty of Brazil
The Viceroyalty of Brazil was the implementation of Portuguese viceroyalty in Brazil. It was restricted to the current South, Center-West and Southeastern regions of Brazil, mainly as a result of expansionism from the Capitania de São Vicente, the current state of São Paulo, which then sought to...
and the Viceroyalty of Grão-Pará
Grão-Pará
The vice-kingdom of Grão-Pará was one of the two Portuguese vice-kingdoms in South America, corresponding to today's North Brazil. Its capital city was Belém do Pará....
. The absolute power of the Capitães-Mor was continued, in Brazil, by the tradition of Coronelism that endures to this day in the northeast of that nation.
In fiction
In J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, Boromir
Boromir
Boromir is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the first two volumes of The Lord of the Rings , and is mentioned in the last volume, The Return of the King....
is considered to be a Captain General of Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
.
In the Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, the length was increased by increments; at the time of Rigney's death, he expected it to be 12, but it will actually...
series by Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
, "Captain-General" is the highest rank of the Ever Victorious Army of Seanchan, excepting only the rank of Marshal-General, which may be temporarily assigned to a Captain-General given the command of a war. In addition, Captain-General is also the title of both the leader of the Queen's Guard of Andor and the head of the Green Ajah of the Aes Sedai.
In the BattleTech
BattleTech
BattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
universe, Captain-General is the title of the military and political leader of the Free Worlds League
Free Worlds League
The Free Worlds League is one of the five Successor States within the fictional BattleTech universe. The Free Worlds League has been traditionally ruled by House Marik, which has held the title of Captain-General for centuries, and a central Parliament, located on Atreus, the capital of the Free...
. Since the 25th century, Captain-Generals have been members of the Marik family.
In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2010, Microsoft Windows in March 2011 and Mac OS X in May 2011...
, Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
is Captain General of the Papal army.
See also
- Colonel-in-ChiefColonel-in-ChiefIn the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...
- Captain General of the ChurchCaptain General of the ChurchThe Captain General of the Church was the de facto commander-in-chief of the papal armed forces during the Middle Ages. The post was usually conferred on an Italian noble with a professional military reputation or a relative of the pope...
- CaptaincyCaptaincyA captaincy is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. Each was governed by a captain general.-In the Portuguese Empire:...
, an administrative division in the Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires, governed by a captain general. - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
, a description of the various general officer ranks, including the full general which is the successor to captain general. - List of senior officers of the British Army
- Queen Elizabeth II's honorary military positions