Marshal of France (, plural ) is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, which is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements.

The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) and for a period dormant (1870–1916). It was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France during the ancien régime and Bourbon Restoration, and one of the Grand Dignitaries of the Empire during the First French Empire (when the title was Marshal of the Empire, not Marshal of France).

Between the end of the 16th century and the middle of the 19th century, six Marshals of France were given the even more exalted rank of Marshal General of France: Biron, Lesdiguières, Turenne, Villars, Saxe, and Soult. The last Marshal of France to be elevated to date is Marie-Pierre Kœnig in 1984, posthumously.

The distinction of Admiral of France is the equivalent in the French Navy.

History The title derived from the office of marescallus Franciae created by King Philip II Augustus for Albéric Clément about 1190.

The title was abolished by the National Convention in 1793. It was restored as Marshal of the Empire during the First Empire by Napoleon. Under the Bourbon Restoration, the title reverted to Marshal of France, and Napoleon III kept that designation.

After the fall of Napoleon III and the Second French Empire, the Third Republic did not use the title until the First World War, when it was recreated as a military distinction and not a rank.

As with any official position, the distinction of Marshal of France is awarded by executive decree,Decree of november 21st 1918 nominating Philippe Pétain as Marshall of France but usually after a special law voted by the French Parliament.

The last living Marshal of France was Alphonse Juin, promoted in 1952, who died in 1967. The latest Marshal of France was Marie-Pierre Kœnig, who was made a Marshal posthumously in 1984. Today, the title of Marshal of France can only be granted to a general officer who fought victoriously in war-time.

Insignia and symbols A Marshal of France wears insignia consisting of seven stars on each shoulder strap. As a symbol of their rank, marshals are also presented with a ceremonial baton, a blue cylinder adorned with stars that historically featured fleurs-de-lis under the monarchy and eagles during the First French Empire. The baton bears the Latin motto Terror belli, decus pacis, meaning "terror in war, ornament in peace".

Direct Capetians Philip II, 1180–1223 Albéric Clément, Lord of Le Mez (died 1191), Marshal of France in 1185 Matthew II of Montmorency, Lord of Montmorency and Marly, Marshal of France in 1191 Guillaume de Bournel (died 1195), Marshal of France in 1192 Nivelon d'Arras (died 1204), Marshal of France in 1202 Henry I Clément, called the "Little Marshal", Lord of Le Mez and of Argentan (1170–1214), Marshal of France in 1204 Jean III Clément, Lord of Le Mez and of Argentan (died 1262), Marshal of France in 1214 Guillaume de la Tournelle (dates unknown), Marshal of France in 1220

Louis IX, 1226–1270 Ferry Pasté, Lord of Challeranges (died 1247), Marshal of France in 1240 Jean Guillaume de Beaumont (died 1257), Marshal of France in 1250 Henri de Cousances (died 1268), Marshal of France in 1255 Gauthier III, Lord of Nemours (died 1270), Marshal of France in 1257 Henri II Clément, Lord of Le Mez and Argentan (died 1265), Marshal of France in 1262 Héric de Beaujeu (died 1270), Marshal of France in 1265 Renaud de Précigny (died 1270), Marshal of France in 1265 Hugh of Mirepoix, Marshal of France in 1266Steven Runciman, The Sicilian Vespers: A History of the Mediterranean World in the Later Thirteenth Century, (Cambridge University Press, 2000), 93. Raoul II Sores (died 1282), Marshal of France in 1270 Lancelot de Saint-Maard (died 1278), Marshal of France in 1270

Philip III, 1270–1285 Ferry de Verneuil (died 1283), Marshal of France in 1272 Guillaume V du Bec Crespin (died 1283), Marshal of France in 1283 Jean II d'Harcourt, Viscount of Châtellerault, Lord of Harcourt (died 1302), Marshal of France in 1283 Raoul V Le Flamenc (died 1287), Marshal of France in 1285

Philip IV, 1285–1314 Jean de Varennes (died 1292), Marshal of France in 1288 Simon de Melun, Lord of La Loupe and of Marcheville (died 1302), Marshal of France in 1290 Guy Ier de Clermont de Nesle (died 1302), Marshal of France in 1292 Foulques du Merle (died 1314), Marshal of France in 1302 Miles VI de Noyers (died 1350), Marshal of France in 1302 Jean de Corbeil, Lord of Grez (died 1318), Marshal of France in 1308

Louis X, 1314–1316 Jean IV de Beaumont (died 1318), Marshal of France in 1315

Philip V, 1316–1322 Mathieu de Trie (died 1344), Marshal of France in 1318 Jean des Barres (dates unknown), Marshal of France in 1318 Bernard VI de Moreuil, Lord of Moreuil (died 1350), Marshal of France in 1322

Charles IV, 1322–1328 Robert-Jean Bertran de Briquebec, Baron of Briquebec, Viscount of Roncheville (1285–1348), Marshal of France in 1325

Valois Philip VI, 1328–1350 Anseau de Joinville (1265–1343), Marshal of France in 1339 Charles I de Montmorency, Lord of Montmorency (1325–1381), Marshal of France in 1344 Robert de Waurin, Lord of Saint-Venant (died 1360), Marshal of France in 1344 Guy II de Nesle, Lord of Offémont and of Mello (died 1352), Marshal of France in 1345 Édouard I de Beaujeu, Lord of Châteauneuf (1316–1351), Marshal of France in 1347

Jean II 1350–1364 Arnoul d'Audrehem, Lord of Audrehem (died 1370), Marshal of France in 1351 Rogues de Hangest, Lord of Avesnecourt (died 1352), Marshal of France in 1352 Jean de Clermont, Lord of Chantilly and of Beaumont (died 1356), Marshal of France in 1352 Jean I Le Maingre (1310–1367), Marshal of France in 1356

Charles V, 1364–1380 Jean IV de Mauquenchy, Lord of Blainville (died 1391), Marshal of France in 1368 Louis de Sancerre, Count of Sancerre (1342–1402), Marshal of France in 1369

Charles VI, 1380–1422 Jean II Le Meingre (1364–1421), Marshal of France in 1391 Jean II de Rieux, Lord of Rochefort and of Rieux (1342–1417), Marshal of France in 1397 Pierre de Rieux, Lord of Rochefort and of Rieux (1389–1439), Marshal of France in 1417 Claude de Beauvoir, Lord of Chastellux and Viscount of Avallon (1385–1453), Marshal of France in 1418 Jean de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam (1384–1437), Marshal of France in 1418 Jacques de Montberon, Lord of Engoumois (died 1422), Marshal of France in 1418 Gilbert Motier de La Fayette (1396–1464), Marshal of France in 1421 Antoine de Vergy (died 1439), Marshal of France in 1422 Jean de La Baume, Count of Montrevel-en-Bresse (died 1435), Marshal of France in 1422

Charles VII, 1422–1461 Amaury de Séverac, Lord of Beaucaire and of Chaude-Aigues (died 1427), Marshal of France in 1424 Jean de Brosse, Baron of Boussac and of Sainte-Sévère (1375–1433), Marshal of France in 1426 Gilles de Rais, Lord of Ingrande and of Champtocé ( 1405 – 1440), Marshal of France in 1429 André de Laval-Montmorency, Lord of Lohéac and of Retz (1408–1486), Marshal of France in 1439 Philippe de Culant, Lord of Jaloignes, of La Croisette, of Saint-Armand and of Chalais (died 1454), Marshal of France in 1441 Jean Poton de Xaintrailles, Seneschal de Limousin (1390–1461), Marshal of France in 1454

Louis XI, 1461–1483 Joachim Rouhault de Gamaches, Lord of Boismenard (died 1478), Marshal of France in 1461 Jean de Lescun, Count of Comminges (died 1473), Marshal of France in 1461 Wolfart VI Van Borselleen, Lord of Veere in Zeeland and Earl of Buchan in Scotland (died 1487), Marshal of France in 1464 Pierre de Rohan de Gié, Lord of Rohan (1450–1514), Marshal of France in 1476

Charles VIII, 1483–1498 Philippe de Crèvecœur d'Esquerdes (1418–1494), Marshal of France in 1486 Jean de Baudricourt, Lord of Choiseul and Bailiff of Chaumont (died 1499), Marshal of France in 1486

Valois-Orléans Louis XII, 1498–1515 Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, Marquis of Vigevano (1448–1518), Marshal of France in 1499 Charles II d'Amboise, Lord of Chaumont, of Meillan and of Charenton (1473–1511), Marshal of France in 1506 Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, Viscount of Lautrec (1485–1528), Marshal of France in 1511 Robert Stewart, Lord of Aubigny, Count of Lennox (1470–1544), Marshal of France in 1514

Valois-Angoulême Francis I 1515–1547 Jacques II de Chabannes, Lord of La Palice (died 1525), Marshal of France in 1515 Gaspard I de Coligny, Lord of Châtillon-sur-Loing (died 1522), Marshal of France in 1516 Thomas de Foix-Lescun (died 1525), Marshal of France in 1518 Anne de Montmorency, Duke of Montmorency and Baron of Damville, Count of Beaumont-sur-Oise and of Dammartin, Viscount of Melun, first Baron of France and Grand Master, Constable of France etc. (1492–1567), Marshal of France in 1522 Théodor Trivulce (1458–1531), Marshal of France in 1526 Robert III de La Marck, Duke of Bouillon, Lord of Sedan (1491–1537), Marshal of France in 1526 Claude d'Annebaut (1500–1552), Marshal of France in 1538 René de Montjean (died 1538), Lord of Montjean, Marshal of France in 1538 Oudard du Biez, Seigneur of Le Biez (died 1553), Marshal of France in 1542 Antoine de Lettes-Desprez, Lord of Montpezat (1490–1544), Marshal of France in 1544 Jean Caraccioli, Prince of Melphes (1480–1550), Marshal of France in 1544

Henry II 1547–1559 Jacques d'Albon de Saint-André, Marquis of Fronsac (died 1562), Marshal of France 1547 Robert IV de La Marck, Duke of Bouillon and Prince of Sedan (1520–1556), Marshal of France in 1547Frederic J. Baumgartner, Henry II: King of France 1547–1559, (Duke University Press, 1988), 56. Charles de Cossé, Count of Brissac (1505–1563), Marshal of France in 1550 Pietro Strozzi (1500–1558), Marshal of France in 1554 Paul de La Barthe, Lord of Thermes (1482–1562), Marshal of France in 1558

Francis II 1559–1560 François de Montmorency, Duke of Montmorency (1530–1579), Marshal of France in 1559

Charles IX, 1560–1574 François de Scépeaux, Lord of Vieilleville (1509–1571), Marshal of France in 1562 Imbert de La Plâtière, Lord of Bourdillon (1524–1567), Marshal of France in 1562 Henri I de Montmorency, Lord of Damville, Duke of Montmorency, Count of Dammartin and Alais, Baron of Chateaubriant, Lord of Chantilly and Ecouen (1534–1614), Marshal of France in 1566 Artus de Cossé-Brissac, Lord of Gonnor and Count of Secondigny (1512–1582), Marshal of France in 1567 Gaspard de Saulx, Lord of Tavannes (1509–1575), Marshal of France in 1570 Honorat II de Savoye, Marquis of Villars (1511–1580), Marshal of France in 1571 Albert de Gondi, Duke of Retz (1522–1602), Marshal of France in 1573

Henry III 1574–1589 Roger I de Saint-Lary, Lord of Bellegarde (died 1579), Marshal of France in 1574 Blaise de Lasseran-Massencôme, Seigneur de Montluc (1500–1577), Marshal of France in 1574 Louis Prévost de Sansac, Baron de Sansac (1496–1576), Marshal of France Armand de Gontaut, Baron de Biron (1524–1592), Marshal of France in 1577 Jacques II de Goyon, Lord of Matignon and of Lesparre, Count of Thorigny, Prince of Mortagne sur Gironde (1525–1597), Marshal of France in 1579 Jean VI d'Aumont, Baron of Estrabonne, Count of Châteauroux (1522–1595), Marshal of France Guillaume de Joyeuse, Viscount of Joyeuse, Lord of Saint-Didier, of Laudun, of Puyvert and of Arques (1520–1592), Marshal of France in 1582

Bourbons

Henry IV 1589–1610 Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne, Duc de Bouillon (1555–1623), Marshal of France in 1592 Charles de Gontaut, Duc de Biron (1562–1602), Marshal of France in 1594 Claude de La Châtre (1536–1614), Marshal of France in 1594 (1560–1603), Marshal of France in 1594 Charles II de Cossé, Duke of Brissac (1562–1621), Marshal of France in 1594 Jean III de Baumanoir, Marquis of Lavardin and Count of Nègrepelisse (1551–1614), Marshal of France in 1595 Henri, Duke of Joyeuse (1567–1608), Marshal of France in 1595 (1557–1629), Marshal of France in 1595