Victory title
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A victory title is an honorific title adopted by a successful military commander to commemorate his defeat of an enemy nation. The practice is first known in Ancient Rome and is still most commonly associated with the Romans, but it was also adopted as a practice by many later empires, especially the French, British and Russian Empires.
Roman victory titles
Victory titles were suffixed to the commander's name and were usually the name of the enemy defeated by the commander. Some victory titles became hereditary
The practice of awarding victory titles was established in the
The practice continued in the
In a broader sense, the term victory title is sometimes used to describe the repeatable awarding of the invariable style of Imperator (Greek equivalent Autokrator; see those articles), which is the highest military qualification (as modern states have awarded a non-operational highest rank, sometimes instituted for a particular general), but even when it marks the recipient out for one or more memorable victories (and the other use, as a permanent military command for the ruler, became in fact the more significant one), it does not actually specify one.
Medieval victory titles
After the fall of Western Rome, the practice continued in modified form.
- Charlemagne, the first Carolingian emperor of the Franks, styled himself Dominator Saxonorum ("Dominator of the Saxons") after subduing by force the last major pagan people in the empire[citation needed]
- Byzantine Emperor Basil II (r. 960–1025) — "the Bulgar-slayer"
- King Richard I of England (r. 1189–1199) — "the Lionheart"
- King Edward I of England (r. 1272–1307) — "Hammer of the Scots"
- King Afonso IV of Portugal (r. 1325–1357) — "the Brave" for his victory in the Battle of Río Salado
- Ruler of Epirus Thomas Preljubović (r. 1367–1384) — "the Albanian-slayer"
- Prince Alexander Yaroslavich of Novgorod was called Battle of Neva.
- Prince Dmitry of Moscow was styled Don.
Modern victory titles
The term "victory-title" occurs in English from as early as 1938.[1]
Modern monarchs awarded titles in commemoration of major military victories, but in the guise of a feudal aristocratic title, often hereditary, but only in appearance: an actual fief was not required, indeed they often were granted in chief of a battlefield where the awarding monarch simply had no constitutional authority to grant anything validly under local law.
This new form was even more specific than the Roman practice. Instead of naming the enemy — which could well need to be repeated — it linked the name of a battle, which was almost always unique. A further level of protection was available by naming a nearby place, such as 'Austerlitz' which Napoleon declared sounded better than the alternative.[citation needed]
Russian Empire
In the
- 1775 — Chesmensky ("Chesmean") for Count Aleksey Orlov for his victory in the naval Battle of Chesma
- 1775 — Zadunaisky ("Transdanubian") for Count Pyotr Rumyantsev for his crossing the Danube during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774)
- 1775 — Krymsky ("Crimean") for Prince Vasily Mikhailovich Dolgorukov for his victories in the Crimea during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774)
- 1783 — His Serene Highness Prince Tavrichesky for Taurida; see also Tauride Palace)
- 1789 — Rymniksky for Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792)
- 1799 — Prince Italiysky ("Italian") for Suvorov, for the Italian Campaign of 1799 after the Battle of Trebbia
- 1813 — His Serene Highness Prince Smolensky for Napoleon's invasion of Russia
- 1827 — Count Erivansky for Russo-Persian War, 1826–1828
- 1829 — Zabalkansky ("Transbalkan") for Count Russo-Turkish War, 1828–1829
- 1831 — His Serene Highness Prince Varshavsky ("Varsovian") for Paskevich for having taken Warsaw during the Polish November Uprising of 1830–1831
- 1855 — Karssky for Count Nicholas Muravyov for his capture of Kars after the Siege of Kars
Furthermore, similar titles were awarded for comparable non-military services to the empire, e.g. in 1858 — Amursky for another
General
France
First Empire
The bestowing of a victory title (French: titre de victoire), commemorating a specific victory, was an ideal form of honour, and many incumbents were victorious marshals (or posthumously, in chief of the widow).
The highest of these titles referenced four nominal principalities, in most cases awarded as a "promotion" to holders of ducal victory titles:
- Davout, Prince d'Eckmühl– 1809 (extinct 1853) – also duc d'Auerstaedt (see below)
- Marshal Masséna, Prince d'Essling– 1810 – also duc de Rivoli
- la Moskowa – 1813 (extinct 1969) – also duc d'Elchingen – Bataille de la Moskowa is the French name for the Battle of Borodinoof 1812
- Prince de Wagram – 1809 (extinct 1918) – also duc de Valengin, and Prince de Neuchâtel (a sovereign titlegranted in 1806), neither of which were victory titles.
Next in rank came ten dukedoms:
- Marshal Ney, duc de Elchingen– 1808 (extinct 1969) – also Prince de la Moskowa
- Marshal Lefebvre, duc de Dantzig– 28 May 1807 (extinct 1820) – Dantzig was then still a city republic, which became part of Prussia after Napoleon's defeat, and subsequently Gdańsk in Poland
- General Junot, duc d'Abrantès– 1808 (extinct 1859 but extended in female line in 1869, again extinct 1985)
- Auerstaedt– 1808 (extinct 1853, extended to collaterals) – also prince d'Eckmühl
- Marshal Augereau, duc de Castiglione– 1808 (extinct 1915)
- Marshal Lannes, duc de Montebello– 1808
- Illyrian provinces(1809–1816)
- Marshal Masséna, duc de Rivoli– 1808 – also Prince d'Essling
- Marshal Kellermann, duc de Valmy– 1808 (extinct 1868)
- Albufera– 1813
Counts:
- Georges Mouton, comte de Lobau – 1810
July Monarchy
- First Franco-Moroccan War)
Second Empire
In the interest of insinuating a continuation of his Uncle's Empire, to prove legitimacy during his early reign, Napoleon III reestablished many titles that Napoleon I had issued during his own reign. During his long rule, Napoleon III also created new titles rewarding his generals for victory.
Some of these included:
- Marshal Pélissier, duc de Malakoff – 1856 (from the Crimean War, extinct 1864)
- dyetook its name for the same battle)
- Charles Cousin-Montauban, comte de Palikao – 1862 (from the Second Opium War)
British Empire
Many victory titles have been created in the peerages of England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Examples include:
- Baron of Aughrim as a subsidiary title of the Earldom of Athlonein 1692.
- Admiral Viscount Barfleur as a subsidiary title of the Earldom of Orfordin 1697.
- Viscount Stanhope of Mahonin 1717.
- Sir George Augustus Eliott, victor of the Great Siege of Gibraltar, was created Lord Heathfield, Baron Heathfield of Gibraltar in 1787.
- Admiral Sir Adam Duncan, victor of the Battle of Camperdown, was created Viscount Duncan of Camperdown in 1797. (His son was later created Earl of Camperdown.)
- Battle of Cape St Vincent, was created Earl of St Vincent in 1797, and was further created Viscount St Vincentin 1801.
- Dukedom of Wellington.
- General Sir Robert Napier, who commanded the Abyssinian Expedition of 1868 and captured the fortress of Magdàla, was created Baron Napier of Magdala in 1868.
- Earl of Ava, in the Province of Burma in 1888.
- Sir Julian Byng, who played an important role in the Battle of Vimy Ridge(1917), was created Baron Byng of Vimy in 1919 and was later promoted to a viscountcy.
- Field Marshal Sir John French, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War, was created Earl of Ypres in 1922.
- Afrikakorps, was created Viscount Montgomery of Alameinin 1946.
- Battle of North Capein 1943, was created Baron Fraser of North Cape in 1946.
- Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, who oversaw the recapture of Burma from the Japanese, was created Viscount Mountbatten of Burma in 1946 and Earl Mountbatten of Burma in 1947.
Often the victory is commemorated in the territorial designation rather than the peerage itself. Examples include:
- Baron Clive, of Plassey in the County of Clare in 1767.
- The Lord Amherst, who captured Montreal during the French and Indian War, was created Baron Amherst, of Montreal in the County of Kent in 1788. Though the designation refers to Montreal Park in Kent, the estate had been named after the victory.
- Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of the Nile, was created Baron Nelson, of the Nile and of Burnham Thorpe in the County of Norfolk, in 1798, and (by this time a Vice-Admiral) was further created Viscount Nelson, of the Nile and of Burnham Thorpe in the County of Norfolk. He was created Baron Nelson, of the Nile and of Hilborough in the County of Norfolk in August 1801. After his victory and death at the Battle of Trafalgar, his brother was created Earl Nelson, of Trafalgar and of Merton in the County of Surrey, and Viscount Merton, of Trafalgar and of Merton in the County of Surrey, in 1805, in his honour. (Nelson also earned the Dukedom of Bronte in Sicily, awarded to him in 1799 (in recognition of military support) by King Ferdinand III of the Kingdom of Sicily.)
- Lady Abercromby, widow of Sir Ralph Abercromby, victor of the Battle of Aboukir, who had died of wounds received in that battle, was created Baroness Abercromby, of Aboukir and of Tullibody in the County of Clackmannan, in 1801, in honour of her late husband.
- Baron Hutchinson, of Alexandria and Knocklofty in the County of Tipperary, in 1801.
- Baron Lake, of Delhi and Laswary and of Aston Clinton in the County of Buckingham in 1804 and Viscount Lake with the same designation in 1807.
- Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley (later the 1st Duke of Wellington), victor of the Battle of Talavera, was created Viscount Wellington, of Talavera and of Wellington in the County of Somerset, in 1809.
- William Carr Beresford, victor of the Battle of Albuera (1811), was created Baron Beresford, of Albuera and Dungarvan in the County of Waterford in 1814.
- Rowland Hill, victor of the Battle of Almaraz (1812), was created Baron Hill, of Almaraz and of Hawkestone in the County of Shropshire in 1814 and Baron Hill, of Almaraz and of Hardwicke in the County of Shropshire in 1816.
- George Harris, victor of the Siege of Seringapatam (1799) against the Kingdom of Mysore, was created Baron Harris, of Seringapatam and Mysore in the East Indies and of Belmont in the County of Kent in 1815.
- Arakan, was created Earl Amherst, of Arracan in the East Indies in 1826.
- The Lord Combermere, who captured the fort at Bharatpur in 1826 while serving as Commander-in-Chief, India, was created Viscount Combermere, of Bhurtpore in the East Indies and Combermere in the County Palatine of Chester in 1827.
- Sir John Keane, commander at the Battle of Ghazni (1839), was created Baron Keane, of Ghuznee in Affghanistan and of Cappoquin in the County of Waterford in 1839.
- First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-1846), was created Baron Gough, of ChingKangFoo in China and of Maharajpore and the Sutlej in the East Indies in 1846, and following the Battle of Gujrat (1849) was further created Viscount Gough, of Goojerat in the Punjab and of the City of Limerick in 1849.
- First Anglo-Sikh War, was created Viscount Hardinge, of Lahore and of King's Newton in the County of Derby in 1846.
- Marquess of Dalhousie, of Dalhousie Castle in the County of Edinburgh, and of the Punjab in 1849.
- Baron Strathnairn, of Strathnairn in the County of Nairn and of Jhansi in the East Indies in 1866.
- Sir John Lawrence, who served as Chief Commissioner of the Punjab during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-1859, was created Baron Lawrence, of the Punjab and of Grateley in the County of Southampton in 1869.
- Baron Wolseley, of Cairo and of Wolseley in the County of Stafford, in 1882.
- Sir Frederick Sleigh Roberts, victor of the Battle of Kandahar in 1880, was created Baron Roberts, of Kandahar in Afghanistan and of the City of Waterford in 1892. Following the Battle of Diamond Hill near Pretoria in 1900, he was further created Earl Roberts, of Kandahar in Afghanistan and of Pretoria in the Transvaal Colony and of the City of Waterford in 1901.
- Major-General Sir Herbert Kitchener, in recognition of his victory in the Battle of Omdurman (1898), was created Baron Kitchener, of Khartoum and of Aspall in the County of Suffolk (Khartoum being the less obscure but relatively nearby capital of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan), in 1898. In 1902 (by this time a full General) he was further created Viscount Kitchener of Khartoum, of Khartoum and of the Vaal in the Colony of Transvaal and of Aspall in the County of Suffolk (having been Administrator of Transvaal and of the Orange River Colony in 1901). In June 1914 (having achieved the rank of Field Marshal in 1909) he was further created Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and of Broome, of Khartoum and of Broome in the County of Kent.
- Field Marshal Sir John French, the first commander (1914-1915) of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War, was created Viscount French, of Ypres and of High Lake in the County of Roscommon, in 1916.
- First Sea Lord (1919-1927) and formerly Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet (1916-1919) during the last years of the First World War, was, as one of the subsidiary titles granted to him with the Earldom of Beatty, created Baron Beatty, of the North Sea and of Brooksby in the County of Leicester, in 1919.
- Field Marshal Sir Edmund Allenby, victor of the Battle of Megiddo (1918), was created Viscount Allenby, of Megiddo and of Felixstowe in the County of Suffolk, in 1919.
- Field Marshal Sir Herbert Plumer, commander in the Battle of Messines (1917), was created Baron Plumer, of Messines and of Bilton in the County of York, in 1919 and Viscount Plumer, of Messines and of Bilton in the County of York, in 1929.
- Field Marshal Sir William Birdwood, best known as the commander (1914-1918) of ANZAC troops in the First World War, was created Baron Birdwood, of Anzac and of Totnes in the County of Devon, in 1938.
- North Russia Campaign of 1918-1920, was created Baron Ironside, of Archangel and Ironside in the County of Aberdeen, in 1941.
- Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, a senior British general in the Second World War, was created Baron Wilson, of Libya and of Stowlangtoft in the County of Suffolk, in 1946.
Austrian Empire
In the
- Colonel General Viktor Dankl, who in 1914 defeated Russian forces in the Battle of Kraśnik. When he was made a Graf (count) in 1918, he received the title of Graf Dankl von Krasnik.
- Colonel General Josef Roth, who played a decisive role in the Battle of Limanowa in 1914, when the Austro-Hungarian Army repelled a Russian breakthrough, was ennobled as Freiherr (baron) in 1918 with the style of Freiherr Roth von Limanowa-Lapanów.
- Major General Ignaz Trollmann, whose XIX. Corps helped to conquer the Lovćen mountain near Kotor in 1916, was ennobled as Freiherr (baron) in 1917 with the style of Freiherr Trollmann von Lovcenberg.
Kingdom of Hungary
The system used in the
- General Austro-Turkish War (1787–1791).
- .
- King Charles IV with the predicate de Uzsok or Uzsoki. He was the hero of the battle of Uzsok(March 1915).
During the Regency of Hungary after World War I, the Regent Miklós Horthy was not authorized to grant titles of nobility, but conferred the Order of Vitéz which sometimes but necessarily also carried noble predicates. Initially membership was restricted to men who had served with special distinction in the war. Examples commemorating military action include:
- Captain Rihmer de Granasztó granted the title vitéz Gerlefalvi for his bravery at Gerlefalva, today Girovce, Slovakia.
Kingdom of Italy
The
- General duché grand-fiefbut only the withdrawal of the French fleet made the bombardment of Gaeta from the sea by Cialdini's forces possible.
- General Armando Diaz, created 1st Duca della Vittoria ("Duke of the Victory") in 1922. He had been the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army (1917–1918) during World War I.
- Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel, created 1st Duca del Mare ("Duke of the Sea") in 1922. He had been the Chief of the Italian Naval Staff (1913–1915 and 1917–1919) during World War I.
- Commodore Grado e di Premuda for his services as naval commander in World War I during which he also sank the Austrian battleship SMS Szent István.
- President of the Italian Chamber of Deputiesbetween 1934 and 1939.
- Cesare Maria De Vecchi, created 1st Conte di Val Cismon in memory of the battles fought by his arditi on Monte Grappa in 1918. Later served as colonial administrator and Fascist politician.
- aviatorduring World War I.
- Marshal invasion of Abyssiniain 1935.
- General Rodolfo Graziani, created 1st Marchese di Neghelli for his services as leader of military expeditions in Africa before and during World War II.
- Prince Maurizio Ferrante Gonzaga di Vescovato, created 1st Marchese del Vodice in 1932. Also received the Gold Medal of Military Valor. (Full Titles and decorations, in Italian)
Other monarchies
- The Spanish crown has awarded similar titles such as Isabella II after his success at the Battle of Tétouan. José Malcampo, 3rd Marquess of San Rafael, Prime Minister of Spain in 1871, during the reign of Amadeo I, was granted the titles of Count of Jolo and Viscount of Mindanao after he victoriously took the city of Jolofrom the Sultanate of Sulu during his governorship-general (1874-1877) of the Philippines.
- So did the Portuguese kingdom, as Conde de Vimeiro (from the Battle of Vimeiroof 1808) awarded to the Duke of Wellington.
- The Maida) to British general John Stuart, commemorating the Battle of Maidain 1806.
- The Dutch royal house of Orange, then of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, created the first Duke of Wellington Prince of Waterloo (in Belgium) in 1815.
Sources and references
François R. Velde. Napoleonic Titles and Heraldry: Victory Titles
References
- ^
Nibley, Hugh (1938). The Roman Games as the Survival of an Archaic Year-cult. University of California, Berkeley. p. 164. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
The Imperator was necessarily the victorious leader, his title was awarded with his triumph, and, as Prof. Nesselhauf has recently shown, his rule was simply in the last analysis a protracted triumph: it was not the proconsular title which he chose to express his military power, but the victory-title of Imperator.