Marshal of Italy explained

Marshal of Italy
Image Size2:50px
Service Branch:
Formation:4 November 1924
Abolished:18 January 1947
Higher Rank:First Marshal of the Empire
Lower Rank:Army general
Equivalents:Grand admiral
Marshal of the air force

Marshal of Italy (Italian: Maresciallo d'Italia) was a rank in the Royal Italian Army (Regio Esercito). Originally created in 1924 by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini for the purpose of honoring generals Luigi Cadorna and Armando Diaz, the rank was granted to several other general officers from 1926 to 1943. The rank was the highest in the Italian Army prior to the creation of the rank of First Marshal of the Empire in 1938. The rank of Marshal of Italy was abolished in 1946 with the creation of the Italian Republic. The equivalent Royal Navy (Regia Marina) rank was Grand admiral (Grande Ammiraglio), while the equivalent Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) rank was Marshal of the Air Force (Maresciallo dell'Aria).[1]

The rank was formally abolished on 18 January 1947 by the Provisional Head of State Enrico de Nicola.[2]

List of the Marshals of Italy

PortraitNameDate of promotionMilitaryNotes
Luigi Cadorna
4 November 1924
Armando Diaz
4 November 1924
Paolo Thaon di Revel
4 November 1924
Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta
25 June 1926
Pietro Badoglio
25 June 1926Succeeded Mussolini as Prime Minister in 1943, following the fall of the Fascist regime
Enrico Caviglia
25 June 1926
Gaetano Giardino
25 June 1926
Guglielmo Pecori Giraldi
25 June 1926
Italo Balbo
13 August 1933Co-leader of the 1922 March on Rome. Marshal of the Royal Italian Air Force; died in 1940 in a friendly fire incident over Tobruk
Emilio De Bono
16 November 1935Co-leader of the 1922 March on Rome
Rodolfo Graziani
9 May 1936After the Armistice of Cassibile, commanded the National Republican Army
Ugo Cavallero
1 July 1942
Ettore Bastico
12 August 1942Governor-General of Italian Libya. Commander-in-chief of Axis forces in the North African campaign; promoted to have rank equal to field marshal Erwin Rommel
Umberto, Prince of Piedmont
29 October 1942Later King Umberto II
Giovanni Messe
12 May 1943

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.esercito.difesa.it/root/Uniformi/gradi_spalline_2GMg.asp Page
  2. Web site: DECRETO LEGISLATIVO DEL CAPO PROVVISORIO DELLO STATO 18 gennaio 1947, n. 66 - Normattiva . 2022-04-09 . www.normattiva.it.