Six marshals of France have been given the even more exalted rank of ' Marshal General of France' ( Maréchal général de France): Duke de Biron, Duke de Lesdiguières, Viscount de Turenne, de Villars, Count de Saxe and Jean-de-Dieu Soult.Īlthough they all wear the same insignia and titles, officers are divided into: When he was tried for high treason, the judges were empowered to demote his other ranks and titles, but due to the principle of separation of powers, the judges had no authority to cancel the law that had made Pétain a Marshal and it remained the only title he kept after being sentenced. The most famous example is Philippe Pétain, who became famous as Maréchal Pétain, chief of state of the Vichy France regime. For this reason, it is impossible to demote a Marshal. The marshals wear seven stars and carry a baton.Īs a distinction rather than a rank, the title of Marshal is granted through a special law voted by the French Parliament. The title of ' marshal of France' ( maréchal de France) is awarded as a distinction, rather than a rank.

JSTOR ( December 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message).Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.įind sources: 'Ranks in the French Army' – news Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources.

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