Military Leaders, MAH-MIR
Meet the military leaders whose strategy, daring, and command on the battlefield altered wars, empires, and the fate of nations.
Military Leaders Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Mahan, Alfred Thayer
Alfred Thayer Mahan was an American naval officer and historian who was a highly influential exponent of sea power......
Maharbal
Maharbal, Carthaginian military commander who served as one of Hannibal’s lieutenants in the Second Punic War (218–201......
Mahdī, al-
al-Mahdī was the creator of a vast Islamic state extending from the Red Sea to Central Africa and founder of a......
Mahmud II
Mahmud II was an Ottoman sultan (1808–39) whose westernizing reforms helped to consolidate the Ottoman Empire despite......
Mahone, William
William Mahone was an American railroad magnate and general of the Confederacy who led Virginia’s “Readjuster”......
Major, Léo
Léo Major was a decorated Canadian hero of World War II and the Korean War, known for being the only Canadian to......
Makarov, Stepan Osipovich
Stepan Osipovich Makarov was a Russian naval commander in charge of the Pacific fleet at the start of the Russo-Japanese......
Malet, Claude-François de
Claude-François de Malet was a French general who conspired against Napoleon and attempted an almost successful......
Malinovsky, Rodion Yakovlevich
Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky was a Soviet marshal prominent in World War II. Malinovsky was drafted into the imperial......
Mallalieu, Joseph
Joseph Mallalieu was a British politician who was successively minister of defense for the Royal Navy (1966–67),......
Manchester, Edward Montagu, 2nd earl of
Edward Montagu, 2nd earl of Manchester was a Parliamentarian general in the English Civil Wars. Son of the 1st......
Manet, Hun
Hun Manet is a Cambodian politician who became prime minister in 2023. He succeeded his father, Hun Sen, who ruled......
Mangas Coloradas
Mangas Coloradas was a Mimbreño Apache chief noted for uniting the Apache nation. Mangas Coloradas, an unusually......
Mannerheim, Carl Gustaf
Carl Gustaf Mannerheim was a Finnish military leader and conservative statesman who successfully defended Finland......
Manning, Chelsea
Chelsea Manning is a U.S. Army intelligence analyst who provided the Web site WikiLeaks with hundreds of thousands......
Mansfeld, Ernst, Graf von
Ernst, count von Mansfeld was a Roman Catholic mercenary who fought for the Protestant cause during the Thirty......
Manstein, Erich von
Erich von Manstein was perhaps the most talented German field commander in World War II. The son of an artillery......
Manteuffel, Edwin, Freiherr von
Edwin, Freiherr von Manteuffel was a Prussian field marshal, a victorious general and able diplomat of the Bismarck......
Manteuffel, Hasso, Freiherr von
Hasso, baron of Manteuffel was a German military strategist whose skillful deployment of tanks repeatedly thwarted......
Manuel I Comnenus
Manuel I Comnenus was a military leader, statesman, and Byzantine emperor (1143–80) whose policies failed to fulfill......
Manuelito
Manuelito was a Navajo chief known for his strong opposition to the forced relocation of his people by the U.S.......
Manṣūr, Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb al-
Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb al-Manṣūr was the third ruler of the Muʾminid dynasty of Spain and North Africa, who during his......
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong was the principal Chinese Marxist theorist, soldier, and statesman who led his country’s communist revolution.......
Marbot, Jean-Baptiste-Antoine-Marcelin, baron de
Jean-Baptiste-Antoine-Marcelin, baron de Marbot was a general and author of memoirs of the Napoleonic period, whose......
Marceau, François-Séverin
François-Séverin Marceau was a French general, a notable young military hero of the early years of the French Revolutionary......
Marcellus, Marcus Claudius
Marcus Claudius Marcellus was a Roman general who captured Syracuse during the Second Punic War (218–201). Although......
March, Peyton Conway
Peyton Conway March was a U.S. Army officer who, as chief of staff (1918—21), reorganized and streamlined the War......
Marchand, Jean-Baptiste
Jean-Baptiste Marchand was a French soldier and explorer known for his occupation of Fashoda in the Sudan (now......
Marcos, Subcomandante
Subcomandante Marcos is a Mexican professor who was the leader of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (Ejército......
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor (161–180), best known for his Meditations on Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius......
Mardonius
Mardonius was an Achaemenid general, a nephew of King Darius I and married to Darius’ daughter Artazostra. In 492......
Marion, Francis
Francis Marion was a colonial American soldier who fought in the American Revolution (1775–83). He was nicknamed......
Maritz, Salomon Gerhardus
Salomon Gerhardus Maritz was a general and rebel who was an ardent believer in the Boer nationalist cause in South......
Marius, Gaius
Gaius Marius was a Roman general and politician, consul seven times (107, 104–100, 86 bce), who was the first Roman......
Marlborough, John Churchill, 1st duke of
John Churchill, 1st duke of Marlborough was one of England’s greatest generals, who led British and allied armies......
Marmont, Auguste-Frédéric-Louis Viesse de, Duc De Raguse
Auguste-Frédéric-Louis Viesse de Marmont, duke de Raguse was a marshal of France whose distinguished military career......
Marshall, George C.
George C. Marshall was a general of the army and U.S. Army chief of staff during World War II (1939–45) and later......
Martínez Campos, Arsenio
Arsenio Martínez Campos was a general and politician whose pronunciamiento (military revolution) on December 29,......
Masséna, André, duc de Rivoli, prince d’Essling
André Masséna, duc de Rivoli, prince d’Essling was a leading French general of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic......
Matthias I
Matthias I was the king of Hungary (1458–90), who attempted to reconstruct the Hungarian state after decades of......
Mattis, James
James Mattis is a U.S. Marine Corps general who served as head of Central Command (Centcom; 2010–13) and who was......
Maurice
Maurice was an outstanding general and emperor (582–602) who helped transform the shattered late Roman Empire into......
Maurice
Maurice was the hereditary stadtholder (1585–1625) of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, or Dutch Republic,......
Maury, Matthew Fontaine
Matthew Fontaine Maury was a U.S. naval officer, pioneer hydrographer, and one of the founders of oceanography.......
Maximinus
Maximinus was the first soldier who rose through the ranks to become Roman emperor (235–238). His reign marked......
Mayenne, Charles de Lorraine, duc de
Charles de Lorraine, duke de Mayenne was a leader (1589–95) of the Holy League in France and opponent of Henry......
Maïnassara, Ibrahim Baré
Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara was a soldier, diplomat, and politician who orchestrated a coup in 1996 that overthrew......
Maḥmūd
Maḥmūd was the sultan of the kingdom of Ghazna (998–1030), originally comprising what are now Afghanistan and northeastern......
McAuliffe, Anthony C
Anthony C. McAuliffe was a U.S. Army general who commanded the force defending Bastogne, Belgium, in the Battle......
McCain, John
John McCain was a U.S. senator who was the Republican Party’s nominee for president in 2008 but was defeated by......
McChrystal, Stanley
Stanley McChrystal is a U.S. Army general who served as commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan (2009–10).......
McClellan, George B.
George B. McClellan was a general who skillfully reorganized Union forces in the first year of the American Civil......
McDowell, Irvin
Irvin McDowell was a U.S. Federal army officer who, after serving through the Mexican War, was promoted to brigadier......
McKenna, Reginald
Reginald McKenna was a British statesman who, as first lord of the Admiralty, initiated in 1909 a battleship construction......
McPherson, James B.
James B. McPherson was a Union general of the American Civil War about whose death General Ulysses S. Grant is......
Meade, George G
George G. Meade was an American army officer who played a critical role in the American Civil War by defeating......
Meagher, Thomas Francis
Thomas Francis Meagher was an Irish revolutionary leader and orator who served as a Union officer during the American......
Medici, Giovanni de’
Giovanni de’ Medici was the most noted soldier of all the Medici. Giovanni belonged to the younger, or cadet, branch......
Medina-Sidonia, Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, duke de
Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, duke de Medina-Sidonia was the duke de Medina-Sidonia and the commander in chief of the......
Meersch, Jean-André van der
Jean-André van der Meersch was a military leader of the Belgian revolt against Austrian rule in 1789. Meersch joined......
Megabyzus
Megabyzus was one of the greatest generals of the ancient Achaemenid Empire of Persia. He was the son of Zopyrus......
Mehmed II
Mehmed II was an Ottoman sultan from 1444 to 1446 and from 1451 to 1481. A great military leader, he captured Constantinople......
Meigs, Montgomery C
Montgomery C. Meigs was a U.S. engineer and architect, who, as quartermaster general of the Union Army during the......
Meng Tian
Meng Tian was a famous general of the Qin dynasty who built the Great Wall of China. As a general under Shihuangdi,......
Mengele, Josef
Josef Mengele was a Nazi doctor at Auschwitz extermination camp (1943–45) who selected prisoners for execution......
Mengistu Haile Mariam
Mengistu Haile Mariam is an Ethiopian army officer and was the head of state (1974; 1977–91). He helped overthrow......
Menshikov, Aleksandr Danilovich
Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov was a prominent Russian political figure during and after the reign of Peter I the......
Menshikov, Aleksandr Sergeyevich, Knyaz
Aleksandr Sergeyevich, Prince Menshikov was the commander of the Russian forces in the first half of the Crimean......
Menéndez de Avilés, Pedro
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés was a Spaniard who founded St. Augustine, Florida, and was a classic example of the conquistador—intrepid,......
Mercy, Claudius Florimund, Graf von
Claudius Florimund, count von Mercy was an Austrian field marshal and military governor of the Banat of Temesvár,......
Mercy, Franz, Freiherr von
Franz, baron von Mercy was an Austrian and Bavarian field marshal during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48), whose......
Merneptah
Merneptah was a king of Egypt (c. 1213–03 bce) of the 19th dynasty (c. 1292–c. 1191) who successfully defended......
Merrill, Frank Dow
Frank Dow Merrill was a U.S. Army officer during World War II who led specially trained jungle fighters called......
Metacom
Metacom was a sachem (intertribal leader) of a confederation of indigenous peoples that included the Wampanoag......
Metaxas, Ioannis
Ioannis Metaxas was a general and statesman who was dictator of Greece from 1936 to 1941. After active service......
Metellus Creticus, Quintus Caecilius
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus was a Roman general. Consul in 69 bc, Metellus was appointed to the command......
Metellus Macedonicus, Quintus Caecilius
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus was a Roman general and statesman who was the first Roman not of noble birth......
Metellus Numidicus, Quintus Caecilius
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus was a Roman general during the Jugurthine War (111–105) and leader of the......
Metellus Pius Scipio, Quintus Caecilius
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio was a Roman politician, a leading supporter of his son-in-law Pompey the......
Metellus Pius, Quintus Caecilius
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius was a Roman general and statesman who supported Lucius Cornelius Sulla. He earned......
Metellus, Lucius Caecilius
Lucius Caecilius Metellus was a Roman general during the First Punic War (264–241 bc). As consul in 251, Metellus......
Methuen, Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron
Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen was a British military commander who was defeated by the Boers (December......
Miaoulis, Andreas Vokos
Andreas Vokos Miaoulis was a patriot who successfully commanded the Greek revolutionary naval forces during the......
Middleton, John Middleton, 1st earl of
John Middleton, 1st earl of Middleton was a Scottish Royalist during the reigns of Charles I and Charles II. In......
Mihailović, Dragoljub
Dragoljub Mihailović was an army officer and head of the royalist Yugoslav underground army, known as the Chetniks,......
Milford Haven, Louis Alexander Mountbatten, 1st marquess of
Louis Alexander Mountbatten, 1st marquess of Milford Haven was a British admiral of the fleet and first sea lord,......
Miller, Doris
Doris Miller was a U.S. naval serviceman noted for his bravery during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (1941).......
Miltiades the Younger
Miltiades the Younger was an Athenian general who led Athenian forces to victory over the Persians at the Battle......
Milyutin, Dmitry Alekseyevich, Count
Dmitry Alekseyevich, Count Milyutin was a Russian military officer and statesman who, as minister of war (1861–81),......
Milyutin, Nikolay Alekseyevich
Nikolay Alekseyevich Milyutin was a Russian statesman who played a prominent role in the emancipation of the serfs......
Minamoto Tameyoshi
Minamoto Tameyoshi was a warrior whose defeat by his own son resulted in the temporary eclipse in Japanese affairs......
Minamoto Yorinobu
Minamoto Yorinobu was a warrior whose service to the powerful Fujiwara family, which dominated Japan between 857......
Minamoto Yoritomo
Minamoto Yoritomo was the founder of the bakufu, or shogunate, a system whereby feudal lords ruled Japan for 700......
Minamoto Yoriyoshi
Minamoto Yoriyoshi was a warrior who established the Minamoto clan in the strategic Honshu region of northern Japan.......
Minamoto Yoshiie
Minamoto Yoshiie was a warrior who shaped the Minamoto clan into an awesome fighting force that was feared and......
Minamoto Yoshitomo
Minamoto Yoshitomo was a Japanese warrior whose support of Taira Kiyomori, the leader of the Taira clan, in the......
Minamoto Yoshitsune
Minamoto Yoshitsune was a warrior who engineered many of the military victories that helped his half brother Yoritomo......
Minié, Claude-Étienne
Claude-Étienne Minié was a French army officer who solved the problem of designing a bullet for the muzzle-loading......
Mirabeau, André-Boniface-Louis Riqueti, vicomte de
André-Boniface-Louis Riqueti, viscount de Mirabeau was the brother of the famous orator, the comte de Mirabeau,......
Mirambo
Mirambo was a Nyamwezi warlord of central Africa whose ability to unite the many hitherto separate Nyamwezi clans......