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Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral (equivalent to full general) and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet (or fleet admiral). It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM". Where relevant, admiral has a NATO code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank.

Etymology[link]

The word "admiral" in Middle English comes from Anglo-French amiral, "commander", from Medieval Latin admiralis, admirallus. These themselves come from Arabic "amir", or amir-al- أمير الـ, "commander of the" (as in amir-al-bahr أمير البحر "commander of the sea").^[1] Crusaders learned the term during their encounters with the Arabs, perhaps as early as the 11th century.

The Norman Roger II of Sicily (1095–1154), employed a Greek Christian known as George of Antioch, who previously had served as a naval commander for several North African Moslem rulers. Roger styled George as "Amir of Amirs" or "General of Generals", with the title becoming Latinized in the 13th century as "ammiratus ammiratorum".^[2]

The Sicilians and later Genoese took the first two parts of the term and used them as one word, amiral, from their Aragon opponents. The French and Spanish gave their sea commanders similar titles while in Portuguese the word changed to almirante. As the word was used by people speaking Latin or Latin-based languages it gained the "d" and endured a series of different endings and spellings leading to the English spelling "admyrall" in the 14th century and to "admiral" by the 16th century.

The word "admiral" has today come to be almost exclusively associated with the highest naval rank in most of the world's navies, equivalent to the army rank of (full) general. However, this wasn't always the case; for example, in some European countries prior to the end of World War II, admiral was the third highest naval rank after general admiral and grand admiral.

The rank of admiral has also been subdivided into various grades, several of which are historically extinct while others remain in use in most present day navies. The Royal Navy used colours (red, white, and blue, in descending order) to indicate the seniority of its admirals until 1864; for example, Horatio Nelson's highest rank was vice admiral of the white. The generic term for these naval equivalents of army generals is flag officer. Some navies have also used army-type titles for them, such as the Cromwellian "general at sea".

Admiral insignia by country[link]

The rank insignia for an admiral often involves four stars and/or 3 stripes/rings over a broad stripe/ring, but as one can see below, there are many cases where the insignia do not involve four stars.

• 

  Australian Admiral
  Royal Australian Navy
  Shoulder board

• 

  Australian Admiral
  Royal Australian Navy
  Sleeve insignia

• 

  Brazilian Admiral
  Marinha Brasileira

• 

  Canadian Admiral
  Royal Canadian Navy

• 

  Canadian Admiral
  Royal Canadian Navy

• 

  Chilean Admiral
  Chilean Navy

• 

  Ecuadorian Admiral
  Ecuadorian Navy

• 

  Egyptian Admiral
  Egyptian Navy

• 

  Estonian Admiral
  Eesti Merevägi

• 

  French Amiral
  Marine Nationale

• 

  Navarchos
  Hellenic Navy

• 

  Navarchos
  Hellenic Navy

• 

  German Admiral
  Deutsche Marine

• 

  Italian Admiral
  Italian Navy

• 

  Indian Admiral
  Indian Navy

• 

  Mexican Admiral
  Mexican Navy

• 

  Polish Admirał
  Marynarka Wojenna

• 

  Portuguese Admiral
  Marinha Portuguesa

• 

  Romanian Admiral (Epaulette)
  Forţele Navale Române

• 

  Russian Admiral
  Russian Navy

• Rus Navy FADM shoulder2.png

  Russian Admiral
  Russian Navy

• 

  Spanish Almirante
  Armada Española

• 

  Swedish Admiral
  Royal Swedish Navy

• 

  Thai Admiral (Pol Ruea Ek)
  Royal Thai Navy
  Shoulder board

• 

  Ukrainian Admiral
  Ukrainian Navy

• 

  UK Admiral
  Royal Navy
  Sleeve insignia

• 

  UK Admiral
  Royal Navy
  Shoulder board

• 

  U.S. Admiral
  U.S. Navy

National ranks[link]

• Admiral (Australia)
• Admiral (Canada)
• Admiral of Castile
• Admiral of France
• Admiral (Germany)
• Admiral (Netherlands)
• Admiral (Russia)
• Admiral (Sweden)
• Admiral (United Kingdom)
• Admiral (United States)

See also[link]

• Comparative military ranks
• Nebraska admiral

References[link]

Citations

Bibliography

• Abulafia, David (2011) The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean. (London: Allen Lane). ISBN 978-0-7139-9934-1

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This is an incomplete list of prominent characters from the Star Wars franchise, sorted by last name.

#[link]

2-1B 

Medical droid who treats Luke Skywalker's wounds and fits him with a prosthetic hand in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.^[1]

4-LOM – portrayed by Chris Parsons

A bounty hunter droid in The Empire Strikes Back. 4-LOM was an ambitious protocol droid who overwrote his own programming to embark on a life of crime.^[2]

8D8 

An 8D smelter droid working in Jabba the Hutt's palace in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.^[3]

8t88 

A droid working with Jerec in Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II.

99

A defective Clone trooper who helped the Domino Squad in the Clone Wars.

A[link]

Ask Aak - portrayed by Steven Boyle (Episode II) and Paul Spence (Episode III) 

Gran Senator who represented Malastare in the Galactic Senate during the final decade of the Galactic Republic. Also one of Palpatine's loyalists. Appeared in Episodes II and III of the Prequel Trilogy.

Abeloth

An entity strong in the Dark Side of the Force imprisoned within the Maw that is released by Darth Caedus and later defeated by Luke Skywalker and mysterious member of the Lost Tribe of the Sith (who is later revealed to be Darth Krayt.)

Admiral Gial Ackbar – portrayed by Timothy M. Rose and voiced by Erik Bauersfeld 

Commands the Rebel fleet in their attack against the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. Ackbar was a Mon Calamari leader and military commander. Aptly given a name that means "selfless servant," Ackbar devoted himself to the cause of galactic freedom and became the foremost military commander of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, having previously been an Imperial slave, and the later New Republic. He later dies during the New Jedi Order era, during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. He is most famous for his line "It's a trap!" .^[4]

Stass Allie – portrayed by Lily Nyamwasa and Nina Fallon 

Tholothian Jedi Master and Jedi Council member in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Mas Amedda – portrayed by Jerome Blake and David Bowers 

Vice chair of the Galactic Senate.^[5] Blake played the character in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Bowers played him in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and both actors appeared in the role for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.^[5]

Padmé Amidala – portrayed by Natalie Portman 

Child queen of, and later Senator from, Naboo, who marries Anakin Skywalker and dies giving birth to Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. The birth of Luke and Leia was further complicated by Anakin Skywalker's use of Force Choke in anger on Amidala, believing she had betrayed him when Obi-Wan Kenobi confronts Anakin.^[6]

Darth Andeddu 

The self-styled "Immortal God-King of Prakith" who reigned as Dark Lord of the Sith during the Hundred-Year Darkness. He left behind a holocron that supposedly held to secret to immortality.

Nom Anor 

A Yuuzhan Vong character prominent throughout The New Jedi Order series of novels, published from 1999 to 2003. He was responsible for about half of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion in the Star Wars galaxy. In the latter half of the The New Jedi Order, he became a protagonist in his own right as he led a heretical movement among his people to take down their ruler, Supreme Overlord Shimrra. By the series's end, having seen to the deaths of Shimrra and his puppet master Onimi, Nom Anor chose death over living in the postwar galaxy and, apparently, committed suicide.

Bail Antilles

An Alderaanian senator. Sundered Heart owner.^[7]

Raymus Antilles – portrayed by Rohan Nichol and Peter Geddis 

Captain of the Tantive IV in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope, and as captain of the Sundered Heart in the game Star Wars: Empire at War. He was choked by Darth Vader in Episode IV. No relation to Wedge Antilles.

Wedge Antilles – portrayed by Denis Lawson and Colin Higgins

A Rebel and New Republic starfighter pilot.^[8]

Queen Apailana – portrayed by Keisha Castle-Hughes 

Queen of Naboo during the last year of the Clone Wars. She is seen during Padmé's funeral at the end of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. She is later assassinated by Stormtroopers of the Imperial 501st Legion for harboring fugitive Jedi (This is depicted in Star Wars: Battlefront II.)

Commander Appo – portrayed by Temuera Morrison 

Clone Commander of the 501st Legion.

Passel Argente - portrayed by Steven Boyle (Episode II) and Marty Wetherill (Episode III) 

Magistrate of the Corporate Alliance, member of the Separatist Council. Killed by Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith.

Attichitcuk - portrayed by Paul Gale 

The father of Chewbacca. He was one of Kashyyyk's prominent chieftains during the final years of the Galactic Republic.

Tavion Axmis

Antagonist in Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy.

B[link]

B4-D4 

The administrative droid that works for Czerka on Telos in the Outer Rim. It is possible to control B4-D4 in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords while helping the Ithorians with their restoration project.

Ponda Baba – portrayed by Tommy Ilsley 

Aqualish mercenary who attacks Luke Skywalker in A New Hope.^[9] When the original Kenner action figure for Baba was released, the then-unnamed alien was called simply "Walrus Man".^[9] His proper name (as well as the name of his species) was given in 1989 for his appearance in a Star Wars role-playing game.^[9]

Darth Bandon 

Apprentice of Darth Malak. Killed by Revan during the events of Knights of the Old Republic.

Cad Bane – voiced by Corey Burton 

A ruthless bounty hunter and main antagonist in season 2 of The Clone Wars who appears in Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes.^[10]

Darth Bane 

Dark Lord of the Sith in the Darth Bane book series. He came up with the Sith "Rule of Two" that states there shall only ever be two Sith warriors at a time, a Master and an Apprentice.

Moradmin Bast - portrayed by Leslie Schofield 

Imperial general who served aboard the first Death Star; during the space battle above Yavin 4, he informed Grand Moff Tarkin that there was a danger posed by the Rebels' attack and suggested that they standby for evacuation, only to be rebuked by an overconfident Tarkin in A New Hope.

Beed – voiced by Scott Capurro

The second head of the male Troig in The Phantom Menace who commentates for the Boonta Eve Classic.

Garm Bel Iblis

A Republic senator and initial member of the Rebel Alliance.^[11]

Sio Bibble – portrayed by Oliver Ford Davies 

Governor of Naboo in the prequel trilogy.^[12]

Depa Billaba – portrayed by Dipika O'Neill Joti 

Jedi Master on the Jedi High Council. Was sent to Haruun Kal by the council. She fell to the dark side and fell into a coma.^[13]

Jar Jar Binks – portrayed by Ahmed Best 

Helpless but good-natured Gungan throughout the prequel trilogy. Also known to be clumsy, Jar Jar Binks is always causing trouble and he talks a lot. When Qui-Gon Jinn saved Jar Jar Binks, Jar Jar Binks journeyed with them to the Republic.^[14]

Deliah Blue

A companion of Cade Skywalker and Jariah Syn during the Sith-Imperial War in the Legacy comic series.

Blue Max

Droid that is part of Han Solo's crew in The Han Solo Adventures by Brian Daley.^[15]

Commander Bly 

A clone commander who led the 327th Star Corps under Jedi General Aayla Secura in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. When Order 66 was issued, Bly executed Secura.

Bossk – portrayed by Alan Harris 

A Trandoshan bounty hunter in The Empire Strikes Back.^[16] He also appeared in the book Tales from the Bounty Hunters, the books of the Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy, in the story "The Prize Pelt", and in Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption.

Bollux 

Droid that is part of Han Solo's crew in The Han Solo Adventures by Brian Daley.^[17]

Borvo the Hutt – voiced by Clint Bajakian 

A Hutt smuggler on Tatooine featured in Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Empatojayos Brand 

Ancient Jedi who sacrifices himself willingly to send his eternal soul to the Dark Side, to ensure Palpatine would go as well and can never return in the Star Wars comic book metaseries Dark Empire.

Malcor Brashin - voiced by David Warner 

Grand General in the Imperial Army. Heavily involved in the Battles of Tatooine and Yavin 4. Prominently featured in Star Wars: Force Commander.

Noa Briqualon – portrayed by Wilford Brimley 

Marooned on Endor in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor.^[18]

Maris Brood – Portrayed by Adrienne Wilkinson 

Jedi in The Force Unleashed who later turns to the dark side. Starkiller spares her life on Felucia.^[19]

Sora Bulq 

Jedi Master and friend of Mace Windu who was turned to the Dark Side by Count Dooku. He is later killed by Quinlan Vos on Saleucami.