Grand admiral is a historic naval military rank, the highest rank in the several European navies that used it. It is best known for its use in Germany as Großadmiral. A comparable rank in modern navies is that of admiral of the fleet.
Grand admirals in individual navies
Austria-Hungary
The Austrian grand admirals were all members of the Imperial family, except for italic=no, the commander of the Austro-Hungarian Navy for part of World War I:
France
In Bourbon Restoration France, the rank was an honorific one equivalent to that of marshal in the
French Army.
Germany
In the Imperial German Navy, and later in the
Kriegsmarine, the rank
Großadmiral was the equivalent of a British admiral of the fleet or a United States fleet admiral; as a
five-star rank (OF-10). Its holders were authorised to carry a baton.
[BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 9: 3-7653-3660-2, page 164; definition: «Großadmiral»]
The rank was created in 1901 and discontinued in 1945, by which time a total of eight men had been promoted to it. The next most junior rank was General admiral]] (admiral-general).
Imperial Germany
Before and during World War I, the following were made grand admirals of the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine):
|
| | King
Edward VII
| 26 June 1902 | |
| | Hans von Koester
| 28 June 1905 | |
| | King
Oscar II
| 13 July 1905 | |
| | Prince
Henry of Prussia
| 4 September 1909 | |
| | Alfred von Tirpitz
| 27 January 1911 | |
| | Henning von Holtzendorff
| 31 July 1918 | |
Nazi Germany
Großadmiral was the most senior rank of the
Kriegsmarine, immediately senior to Generaladmiral. The rank was reintroduced in 1939 and was only awarded to the Commander-in-Chief of the
Kriegsmarine.
Italy
The rank of grand admiral () was created by italic=no in 1924. It was established primarily to honour italic=no, who had been head of the Italian
Regia Marina during World War I — he was the only person to be awarded the rank. It was equivalent to marshal of Italy in the army and also marshal of the Air Force.
Peru
In 1967 the rank of Grand Admiral of
Peru () was awarded posthumously to Miguel Grau Seminario and is equivalent to the army rank of Grand Marshal of Peru.
Sweden
In Sweden the rank of grand admiral was only ever awarded twice. Once to Duke
Charles XIII (later king Charles XIII), who was given the title at birth and which was used by him as the commander of the
Swedish Navy and once to
crown prince Oscar (I) as a courtesy title to honour his adoptive grandfather, the late king Charles XIII.
Turkey
Grand Admiral (
Turkish language:
Büyük Amiral) is nominally a rank in the Turkish Navy. It is the equivalent of the ranks of
field marshal in the Army and Air Force. Since the foundation of the
Turkey in 1923, no person has held the rank. It is awarded by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to persons who are holding the rank of
admiral and displayed distinguished merit in wartime.
In fiction
Among the grand admirals appearing in fiction and
science fiction:
