Field marshal

Field marshal is a senior military rank used by several countries, generally above general. Its authority, duties, and whether it remains an active rank vary by country.

Marshal: A senior official or military rank whose duties and status vary across countries and historical periods. Field marshal is one military form of the broader marshal title.
Military rank: A hierarchical designation that establishes a service member’s position and authority within armed forces. Field marshal is a rank whose place in the hierarchy differs by country.
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington: A British soldier and statesman who commanded allied forces against Napoleon and later served as prime minister. Wellington became a British field marshal after victories that made the rank a symbol of distinction.
General of the Army: A top military rank used in several countries, including the United States and Russia. It fills a comparable senior position but uses a different national title.
Honorary rank: A military rank granted as recognition without necessarily conferring its usual command authority. Some field marshal promotions chiefly recognize service rather than assign operational command.
Holy Roman Empire: A central European polity that existed from the Middle Ages until its dissolution in 1806. Its Reichsmarschall title was an early high-ranking marshal office.
General officer: A senior commissioned officer category that includes ranks such as brigadier general and general. Field marshal sits at or above the general-officer level in many systems.
Bernard Montgomery: A British general who commanded Allied forces in North Africa and northwest Europe during the Second World War. His 1944 promotion to field marshal followed major wartime commands.
Generalissimo: A title for a commander-in-chief or exceptionally senior general, often outside ordinary rank structures. Unlike field marshal, it is commonly an exceptional title rather than a regular rank.
British Army officer rank insignia: The badges and symbols used to identify officers’ ranks in the British Army. The crown and crossed batons make the British field marshal rank visually distinctive.

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