There have been many discussions of the greatest generals of history. In keeping with the tradition, I am posting my list here for discussion and criticism. I began this list after reading Michael Lee Lanning's Military 100, a listing of "influential" generals, which seems to have meant to Lannning "Anglo-American." I was originally planning to turn this collection of generals into a card game, but that is on the back burner at this point.
In creating this list, I borrowed extensively from Travis Congleton (AKA Congo) and from Spartan (AKA Spartan JKM), both of whom have posted their own lists on various forums. My list was initially posted on the AllEmpires forums (All Empires History Forum: Top 100 Generals), and I have modified the list based upon responses there. I consider that the list is good enough now to be shown here at Paradox Forums, where I have been active far longer.
Without further ado, here is the list:
Version 8 Beta 2 (See below for original list)
Oh, and one more thing: I tend to discount any endorsements of people for generals from their nation, and to put more stock in people endorsing generals from nations their nation was historically at odds with (e.g. I probably would not put much stock in a Turk endorsing Ataturk, but a Greek endorsing Ataturk as a great general would really make me take note.)
Enjoy, and I look forward to your (constructive) discussion and criticism!
Excel Version of the List (sortable, with macros!)
My Criteria:
EDIT: The original list I posted here, for reference:
EDIT 2: Here is a post from page 12 or so giving some criteria used (not all inclusive):
And another look at how to evaluate:
In creating this list, I borrowed extensively from Travis Congleton (AKA Congo) and from Spartan (AKA Spartan JKM), both of whom have posted their own lists on various forums. My list was initially posted on the AllEmpires forums (All Empires History Forum: Top 100 Generals), and I have modified the list based upon responses there. I consider that the list is good enough now to be shown here at Paradox Forums, where I have been active far longer.
Without further ado, here is the list:
Version 8 Beta 2 (See below for original list)
Code:
Rank Name Born Died Era Country/People Region
1 Temujin (Genghis Khan) 1167 1227 Medieval Mongol Central Asia
2 Alexander the Great 356 BC 323 BC Ancient Macedonia Middle East
3 Napoleon Bonaparte 1769 1821 Imperial France Europe
4 Hannibal Barca 241 BC 183 BC Ancient Carthage Mediterranean
5 Timur 1336 1405 Medieval Turks Middle East
6 Khalid ibn al-Walid 584 642 Medieval Arabs Middle East
7 Aleksandr Suvorov 1729 1800 Imperial Russia Eastern Europe
8 Jan Žižka 1370 1424 Gunpowder Bohemia Europe
9 Belisarius 505 565 Medieval Byzantines Mediterranean
10 John Churchill (Duke of Marlborough) 1650 1722 Gunpowder England Europe
11 Subotai 1176 1248 Medieval Mongol Central Asia
12 Gustav II Adolf 1594 1632 Gunpowder Sweden Europe
13 Scipio Africanus the Older 237 BC 183 BC Ancient Rome Mediterranean
14 Gaius Julius Caesar 100 BC 44 BC Ancient Rome Mediterranean
15 Eugene of Savoy 1663 1736 Gunpowder Austria Europe
16 Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne de Turenne 1611 1675 Gunpowder France Europe
17 Heraclius 575 641 Medieval Byzantines Middle East
18 Sir Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington1769 1852 Imperial England Europe
19 Frederick II of Prussia 1712 1786 Imperial Prussia Europe
20 Maurice, comte de Saxe 1696 1750 Gunpowder France Europe
21 Raimondo Montecuccoli 1608 1680 Gunpowder Austria Europe
22 Philip II of Macedon 382 BC 336 BC Ancient Macedonia Mediterranean
23 Stefan cel Mare (Stephen III) 1433 1504 Gunpowder Moldavia Mediterranean
24 Selim I 1470 1520 Gunpowder Ottomans Mediterranean
25 Gaius Marius 157 BC 86 BC Ancient Rome Mediterranean
26 George Kastrioti (Skanderbeg) 1405 1468 Gunpowder Albania Mediterranean
27 Erich von Manstein 1887 1973 Modern Germany Europe
28 Nadir Shah 1688 1747 Gunpowder Persia Middle East
29 Robert Clive 1725 1774 Imperial England South Asia
30 Hán Xìn 196 BC Ancient China East Asia
31 Gonzalo de Córdoba (El Gran Capitán) 1453 1515 Gunpowder Spain Europe
32 Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke 1800 1891 Imperial Prussia Europe
33 Shapur I 272 Ancient Persia Middle East
34 Chandragupta Maurya 298 BC Ancient India South Asia
35 Maurice of Nassau 1567 1625 Gunpowder Netherlands Europe
36 Heinz Wilhelm Guderian 1888 1954 Modern Germany Europe
37 Robert E. Lee 1807 1870 Imperial Confederate Americas
38 Louis Nicholas Davout 1770 1823 Imperial France Europe
39 Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé 1621 1686 Gunpowder France Europe
40 Tiglath-Pileser III 727 BC Ancient Assyria Middle East
41 Thutmose III 1540 BC Ancient Egypt Middle East
42 Tr?n Hung Ð?o 1228 1300 Medieval Vietnam South Asia
43 Toyotomi Hideyoshi 1536 1598 Gunpowder Japan East Asia
44 Lucius Cornelius Sulla 138 BC 78 BC Ancient Rome Mediterranean
45 Yue Fei 1103 1142 Medieval China East Asia
46 Babur 1483 1530 Gunpowder Mughal South Asia
47 Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson 1824 1863 Imperial Confederate Americas
48 Janos Hunyadi 1387 1456 Gunpowder Hungary Europe
49 Duke of Parma (Alessandro Farnese) 1545 1592 Gunpowder Spain Europe
50 Leo III the Isaurian 685 741 Medieval Byzantines Mediterranean
51 Hamilcar Barca 270 BC 228 BC Ancient Carthage Mediterranean
52 Simeon I the Great 864 927 Medieval Bulgaria Mediterranean
53 Winfield Scott 1786 1866 Imperial United States Americas
54 Nurhaci 1558 1626 Gunpowder Manchu East Asia
55 Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck 1870 1964 Modern Germany Africa
56 Charles XII 1682 1718 Gunpowder Sweden Europe
57 Oda Nobunaga 1534 1582 Gunpowder Japan East Asia
58 Shivaji Bhosle 1627 1680 Gunpowder Maratha South Asia
59 Francesco I Sforza 1401 1466 Gunpowder Milan Mediterranean
60 Stanislaw Koniecpolski 1590 1646 Gunpowder Poland Eastern Europe
61 Claude-Louis-Hector de Villars 1653 1734 Gunpowder France Europe
62 Louis Joseph de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme 1654 1712 Gunpowder France Europe
63 Georgy Zhukov 1896 1974 Modern Russia Eastern Europe
64 Aurelian (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus) 214 275 Ancient Rome Mediterranean
65 Epaminondas 418 BC 362 BC Ancient Greece Mediterranean
66 Jan III Sobieski 1629 1696 Gunpowder Poland Eastern Europe
67 Alp Arslan 1029 1072 Medieval Turks Middle East
68 Constantine I the Great 272 337 Ancient Rome Mediterranean
69 Murad IV 1612 1640 Gunpowder Ottomans Mediterranean
70 Baibars 1223 1277 Medieval Mamluke Middle East
71 'Amr ibn al-'As 583 664 Medieval Arabs Middle East
72 Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li ShìMín) 599 649 Medieval China East Asia
73 Sargon of Akkad 2215 BC Ancient Akkad Middle East
74 Suleiman I 1494 1566 Gunpowder Ottomans Mediterranean
75 Shaka Zulu 1787 1828 Imperial Zulu Africa
76 Charles Martel 688 741 Medieval Franks Europe
77 François de Montmorency-Bouteville 1628 1695 Gunpowder France Europe
78 Aleksandr Vasilevsky 1895 1977 Modern Russia Eastern Europe
79 Jebe 1225 Medieval Mongol Central Asia
80 David 965 BC Ancient Israel Middle East
81 Lautaro (toqui) 1557 Gunpowder Mapuche Americas
82 Flavius Stilicho 359 408 Ancient Rome Mediterranean
83 André Masséna 1758 1817 Imperial France Europe
84 Mahmud of Ghazni 971 1030 Medieval Ghazni Middle East
85 Ulysses Simpson Grant 1822 1885 Imperial United States Americas
86 Carl Gustav Mannerheim 1867 1951 Modern Finland Eastern Europe
87 Uqba ibn Nafi 622 683 Medieval Arabs Middle East
88 Muhammad of Ghor 1162 1206 Medieval Ghorids South Asia
89 Gazi Evrenos 1417 Medieval Ottomans Mediterranean
90 Robert the Bruce 1274 1329 Medieval Scotland Europe
91 Mustafa Kemal 1881 1938 Modern Turkey Mediterranean
92 Albrecht Wallenstein 1583 1634 Gunpowder Austria Europe
93 Takeda Shingen 1521 1573 Gunpowder Japan East Asia
94 James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose 1612 1650 Gunpowder Scotland Europe
95 Pyotr Bagration 1765 1812 Imperial Russia Eastern Europe
96 Ranjit Singh 1780 1839 Imperial Sikh South Asia
97 Samudragupta 335 380 Ancient India South Asia
98 Michael the Brave 1558 1601 Gunpowder Wallachia Mediterranean
99 Ahmad Shah Durrani 1723 1773 Imperial Afghan South Asia
100 Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby 1861 1936 Modern England Middle East
Enjoy, and I look forward to your (constructive) discussion and criticism!
Excel Version of the List (sortable, with macros!)
My Criteria:
Evaluation of Generals
These are the primary facets to consider in evaluating generals’ skills:
1. Individual battlefield inspirational leadership—leadership of the soldier
a. Exemplary work/Personal bravery2. Tactical mastery—gaining success on the battlefield
b. Motivation
c. Discipline
d. Equipment (and hence innovation in equipment)
e. Logistics (small scale)
a. Maneuver2.5. (Less important) Siege mastery—gaining success in sieges
b. Anticipation
c. Timing
d. Deception of intentions
e. Organization of army
f. Selection of ground for battle
g. Disposition of troops
h. Reconnaissance
i. Evaluating options
j. Audacity at proper times
k. Understanding the enemy
a. Logistics3. Strategic mastery—gaining success in campaign through maneuver or battle
b. Engineering
c. Timing
d. Intelligence gathering
e. Motivation of troops
a. Logistics4. Grand strategic mastery—gaining victory/the ends desired through the military campaigns (political victory/conquest)
b. Maneuver on large scale
c. Understanding opportunities
d. Diplomacy with allied armies/generals
e. Forcing battle when necessary
f. Obtaining results from victories in battles
g. Limiting fallout from defeats in battles
h. Choosing when to siege and when to bypass strong points
i. Large-scale organization of army(s)
j. Audacity at proper times
k. Evaluating the enemy’s options
l. Defense—fortifications
a. Diplomacy with allies and foes
b. Intelligence gathering
c. Understanding when to go to war
d. Playing off rivalries
e. Properly using strategic victories
f. Choosing proper goals for campaigns
g. Peace negotiations
h. Pacification of inhabitants conquered
All of these must be considered in relation to:
1. The relative strength of each side in each of these 4 facets
2. The skill of opponents
3. The economy with which victory in each of these 4 facets was one (in money, destruction of property, and manpower).
4. Where the general was limited by influences out of his control (for instance, many generals had no opportunity to exhibit facet #4, grand strategy).
5. Where generals were stabbed in the back/not supported by their own nations—see Barca, Hannibal.
6. Whether the methods in which victories were gained were innovative or common practice (a small influence, but perhaps should be considered).
7. The time scale of victories
EDIT: The original list I posted here, for reference:
Ranking Name
1 Alexander the Great
2 Napoleon Bonaparte
3 Temujin (Genghis Khan)
4 Hannibal Barca
5 Frederick II of Prussia
6 John Churchill (Duke of Marlborough)
7 Belisarios
8 Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne de Turenne
9 Gustav II Adolf
10 Caius Julius Caesar
11 Subotai
12 Timur
13 Aleksandr Suvorov
14 Philip II of Macedon
15 Jan Žižka
16 Eugene of Savoy
17 Heraclius
18 Raimondo Montecuccoli
19 Scipio Africanus the Older
20 Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke
21 Gaius Marius
22 Cyrus the Great
23 Sir Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington)
24 Maurice, comte de Saxe
25 Louis Nicholas Davout
26 Erich von Manstein
27 Thutmose III
28 Heinz Wilhelm Guderian
29 Khalid ibn al-Walid
30 Selim I
31 Epaminondas
32 Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé
33 George Kastrioti (Skanderbeg)
34 Leo III the Isaurian
35 Hán Xìn
36 Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba (El Gran Capitán)
37 Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck
38 Lucius Cornelius Sulla
39 Winfield Scott
40 Suleiman I
41 Albrecht Wallenstein
42 Takeda Shingen
43 Nadir Shah
44 Konstantin Rokossovsky
45 Alexius I Komnenos
46 Oliver Cromwell
47 Maurice of Nassau
48 Tiglath-Pileser III
49 Janos Hunyadi
50 Duke of Parma (Alessandro Farnese)
51 Robert E. Lee
52 Yue Fei
53 Toyotomi Hideyoshi
54 Narses
55 Oda Nobunaga
56 Aurelian (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus)
57 Claude-Louis-Hector de Villars
58 William Joseph Slim
59 Charles XII
60 Babur
61 Jan III Sobieski
62 Georgy Zhukov
63 Qi Jiguang
64 André Masséna
65 Robert Guiscard
66 Erwin Rommel
67 Stanisław Koniecpolski
68 George S. Patton
69 Emperor Taizong of Tang (Lĭ ShìMín)
70 Flavius Stilicho
71 Jean Lannes
72 Charlemagne
73 Ulysses Simpson Grant
74 Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson
75 Kangxi
76 Shapur I
77 Marcus Claudius Marcellus
78 Johan t'Serclaes, Count of Tilly
79 Sebastien Le prestre de Vauban
80 François Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville (Luxembourg)
81 David
82 Constantine I the Great
83 Wolter von Plettenberg
84 Sun Tzu
85 Archduke Charles of Austria
86 Alp Arslan
87 Jebe
88 Pyotr Bagration
89 Shaka Zulu
90 Mahmud of Ghazni
91 William T. Sherman
92 Sonni Ali
93 Henry V
94 Chandragupta Maurya
95 Saladin
96 Sher Shah Suri
97 Rajaraja Chola I
98 Pyrrhus of Epirus
99 Nathanael Greene
100 William the Conqueror
EDIT 2: Here is a post from page 12 or so giving some criteria used (not all inclusive):
DSMyers1 said:Honestly, I have no quantitative criteria. That list on page 4 of this thread is not comprehensive. I look at tactical skill and strategic skill above all else--then I look at innovation, political skill, and results. To measure tactical skill and strategic skill, I look at their opponents and the "degree of difficulty" and I also look at the economy with which they achieved their ends.
That's about my logic; unlike my Top 100 Leaders ranking over on AllEmpires, this is not quantitative. I am swayed by people's opinions; that is how I have put together a list that most people like.
I do try to remove the "leadership" role from the "general" role for those who were more great leaders than great generals--e.g. Attila, George Washington. As you say, I am looking at battlefield and campaign results rather than political ends. For that reason, I don't have military theorists on here for the most part, though I did have Sun Tzu on for a while. Nor do I have Vauban, the best siege artist around.
To summarize the criteria:
1: Tactical (battlefield) and Strategic (campaign) skill.
2: Political skill, Innovation, and Results (victories, long-term impact, etc.).
To measure the first look at:
1. Degree of Difficulty of successes (look at the opponents)
2. The economy with which those successes were obtained
And another look at how to evaluate:
A post on All Empires said:But who goes to number 1? Napoleon lost, Hannibal lost. Is Temujin really that good? I don't like putting him above Alexander. Here's the way I look at those two:
1. Generalship Category 1: Personal leadership/direct command of soldiers/leadership in battle itself
* This is what great lieutenants exhibit, leadership in the heat of battle, inspiring the soldiers.
* Alexander was top of the class
* Temujin (I think) was also very good at this
* Another example of a great one in this category: Davout.
2. Generalship Category 2: Battles/Tactical Skill/Overall direction of the battlefield/winning battles
* Both Alexander and Temujin were excellent battlefield generals, never losing any significant battles.
* Another example of a great one in this category: Conde.
3. Generalship Category 3: Campaigns/Winning overall campaigns/accomplishing objectives economically
* Both Alexander and Temujin won their campaigns
* Another example of a great one in this category: Montecuccolli.
4. Generalship Category 4: Expanding empire/Subjugating lands/Political expansion.
* This level of generalship is more political, and requires a certain level of authority to even use it.
* Both Alexander and Temujin successfully expanded their empires (vastly).
* Another example of a great one in this category: Caesar.
That, I think, looks at the 4 levels of generalship, from corps command up to empire command. Obviously, many on this list did not have opportunity to exhibit all of those levels of skill. I think Category 2 and Category 3 are most important for inclusion on this list. A fifth category, Category 0, would be the equipping of an individual soldier, innovation in arms and organization--essentially logistics. Both excelled in this as well, though Alexander inherited some from his father.
Thus we see that these are approximately even across the board. So, looking outside of the basic traits:
* Time scale. Alexander showed his skills for a far shorter time and accomplished everything far faster. (You can look at it either way).
* What they started with. Alexander had things set up for him better.
* Who they fought. Persians for Alexander; Chinese and Khwarizmians (?) for Genghis, besides uniting the Mongols. (I think that's about even).
* Area conquered. Alexander conquered most of the known world; Genghis a smaller proportion but a larger area.
* Their legacy--Alexander's empire fell/split, Genghis's continued to expand. (Should this be counted on them?)
Essentially, they are equal. I go with Alexander on the tie-break, due to the speed at which he accomplished his work and his slightly superior (in my opinion) battlefield leadership and tactical acumen.
Genghis will move up to #2 in the next list to come out.
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