Commanders who never lost a battle

This is a list of commanders who are considered to have never lost a battle. This list includes important historical generals and admirals, rather than simply any commander who has never lost a battle for the sake of brevity.

Africa

• Ahmose I - founder of the Eighteenth Dynasty and the New Kingdom of Egypt after defeating the Hyksos and leading a successful siege into their capital Avaris. Ahmose also campaigned in Nubia and Levant.
• Thutmose I - pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Thutmose I was the first pharaoh to cross the Euphrates. Thutmose I also campaigned in Nubia.
• Thutmose III - pharaoh of Egypt from the Eighteenth Dynasty. Thutmose III conquered 350 towns without losing any battle.
• Tutankhamun - pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Two victorious battles were fought during his reign: the Asiatic Battle, and the Nubian Battle. Partially recovered Talatat blocks from his tomb record 4 different graphic episodes from his battles. A chest recovered from his tomb depicts him valiantly defeating the Nubians perched on a military chariot wielding a bow-and-arrow weapon. Various militant objects were found in his tomb such as military body armor, 8 shields, swords, scimitars, slings, throw-sticks and 2 military trumpets.
• Seti I - second pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He led successful campaigns in Nubia, Libya and Levant. He also captured Kadesh and re-established the Egyptian rule over it which was lost since the rule of Akhenaten.
• Ramesses II - one of the greatest pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. He was involved in naval battles against pirates and battles on the land against the Canaanites and the Hittite Empire. Ramesses signed the oldest peace treaty in history with the Hittites after a long war.
• Tariq ibn Ziyad (679 – 707) - Berber Muslim commander who led the Islamic Umayyad conquest of Visigothic Hispania in 711–718 A.D. Led the decisive Battle of Guadalete. The name Gibraltar is derived from him.
• Baibars (1223-1277) – nicknamed Abu al-Futuh (أبو الفتوح; English: Father of Conquest, referring to his victories) — was the fourth Sultan of Egypt in the Mamluk Bahri dynasty, succeeding Qutuz. He was one of the commanders of the Egyptian forces that inflicted a defeat on the Seventh Crusade of King Louis IX of France. He also led the vanguard of the Egyptian army at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, which marked the first substantial defeat of the Mongol army and is considered a turning point in history.
• Shaka Zulu (1787-1828) - One of the most influential leaders of the Zulu Kingdom. Shaka was known for conquering the Ndwandwe and the Mthethwa Paramountcy without losing any battles. His role in the Mfecane led to the depopulation and migration of various tribes as well as the establishment of Zulu hegemony in the region. He also repelled the British army when they tried to invade South Africa from the east.

Asia

Ancient

• Bai Qi - military general of the Qin state in the Warring States period of Chinese history.
• Han Xin - military general who served Liu Bang during Chu–Han Contention. He contributed to the founding of Han dynasty.
• Chen Qingzhi - military general who conquered Northern China, albeit briefly, with only 7,000 troops.
• Sargon of Akkad - founder of the Akkadian Empire. Sargon was involved in 34 battles, winning them all.

Medieval

• Narses (478–573) - ethnic Armenian, he was, with Belisarius, one of the great generals in the service of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I during the Roman reconquest that took place during Justinian's reign, where he succeeded in recapturing Rome from the Ostrogoths. The last general to receive a Roman triumph in Rome.
• Khalid ibn al-Walid (585–642) - Arab military commander and Companion of Muhammad. He is noted for his military tactics and prowess. He was chosen by Muhammad, and later Abu Bakr and Umar to lead many military campaigns, especially in the Muslim conquest of Persia and Levant. Khalid fought 28 undefeated battles.
• David IV of Georgia (1073 – 24 January 1125) - also known as David the Builder (Georgian: დავით აღმაშენებელი, Davit Aghmashenebeli), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a king of Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125. Popularly considered to be the greatest and most successful Georgian ruler in history and an original architect of the Georgian Golden Age, he succeeded in driving the Seljuk Turks out of the country, winning the major Battle of Didgori in 1121. His reforms of the army and administration enabled him to reunite the country and bring most of the lands of the Caucasus under Georgia’s control.
• Yue Fei (March 24, 1103 – January 27, 1142) - Han Chinese military general who lived during the Southern Song dynasty. He led many successful campaigns against the Jurchens, before being put to death by Emperor Gaozong. He was seen today as a patriotic role model in China.
• Muqali (1170-1223) - Mongolian general, commander under Genghis Khan and primarily responsible for the Mongol conquest of Northern China ([Jin dynasty (1115–1234)|[Jin Dynasty]]). Mongol progress in the subjugation of China slowed drastically after his death.
• Subutai (1175–1248) - Uriankhai general, also the primary military strategist of Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan. Famed for his military achievements in Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Europe. His strategies were carefully studied by the Soviets.
• Timur (April 9, 1336 – February 14, 1405) - infamous Turco-Mongol conqueror. As the founder of the Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia, he became the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. Notorious for causing the deaths of 17 million people during his time. His descendant, Babur, would establish the Mughal Empire in India.
• Admiral Yi (April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598) - Korean naval commander during the Joseon period. Defeated the much-larger invading Japanese naval forces under Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Imjin War, especially at Battle of Myeongnyang. Mortally wounded in his last battle at Noryang.
• Baji Rao (August 18, 1700 – April 28, 1740) - General and Peshwa (prime minister) of the Maratha Empire in India, renowned for his rapid tactical movements in battle. Baji Rao was possibly the finest cavalry general ever produced by India. Baji Rao never lost a single war in his lifetime and expanded Maratha Empire in Northern India. He led many battles against the Mughals during his service. He is known to be one of the greatest exponents of Maratha style guirella warfare.
• Nguyễn Huệ (1753 – September 16, 1792) - second emperor of the Tây Sơn dynasty of Vietnam, reigning from 1788 until 1792. He was one of the most successful military commanders in Vietnam's history, famously known for his achievements of almost unifying Vietnam after defeating Nguyễn Lords, Trịnh Lords, Rattanakosin Kingdom and Qing. Ten years after his death, his dynasty was defeated by his rival Nguyễn Ánh and was replaced by Nguyễn dynasty.

Europe

Ancient

• Alexander the Great - Macedonian Emperor of the 4th century BC who led a Greek army from Greece against the Persian Empire and into India. He is often regarded as one of the finest battlefield tacticians in history.
• Epaminondas - Theban general and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a pre-eminent position in Greek politics.
• Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus - Roman general and later consul whose main achievements were during the Second Punic War. The victory and subsequent defeat of Hannibal at the final Battle of Zama was one of the feats that earned him the agnomen Africanus. He is often regarded as one of the greatest military commanders and strategists of all time.
• Lucius Cornelius Sulla, First dictator for life of Rome. Accomplished great success while serving under Marius during his early military career. Began his career as a commander in the Social War. He fought his political opponents in a civil war, defeated Pontic forces in the first Mithridatic war.
• Nero Claudius Drusus - stepson of emperor Augustus. He served as governor of the Gallic Provinces and led the first major Roman expeditions across the Rhine River into Germania, creating alliances and conquering territories. Additionally, he was the first Roman to navigate the North Sea and reach the Elbe River.
• Burebista - Dacian Great King and general of who transformed the Dacian Kingdom into an Empire. He defeated the Celts (Boii,Taurisci,Scordisci); Germanic tribes (Bastarnae,Marcomanni);Odrysian Kingdom;Ancient greeks from the Black Sea and Sarmatians. His empire stretched from Bohemia and parts from Poland and Germany to Thrace (Turkey;Greece;Bulgaria).
• Constantine I - Also known as Constantine “The Great”, he was the son of Constantius Chlorus. He is the first Emperor to embrace Christianity. Defeated rivals Maxentius, Licinius, Valerius Valens & Martinian in 7 battles.

Medieval

• Pepin the Short - Charlemagne's father and the first de jure Carolingian king, having deposed the previous Merovingian kings and paved the way for his more famous son's rise to power. Consolidated his father's military reforms, combining it with his military skill to remain undefeated in his lifetime.
• Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, "El Cid" - Castilian nobleman and military leader in medieval Spain. The Moors called him El Cid, which meant the Lord, and the Christians, El Campeador, which stood for Outstanding Warrior.
• Jan Žižka - Czech general and Hussite leader, a follower of Jan Hus, was born in the small village of Trocnov (now part of Borovany) in the Kingdom of Bohemia, into an aristocratic family.
• Scanderbeg - Lord of Albania, Leader of the League of Lezhe and military commander. Was sent as a hostage to the Ottoman Empire in 1423–43. Rebelled against the Ottoman Empire and allied with the Republic of Venice in 1443–47, and lastly the Kingdom of Naples until his death. He arguably lost the Siege of Svetigrad (1448) to Murad II of the Ottoman Empire.
• Edward IV - King of England from 1461 until 1470, and again from 1471 until his death in 1483. He was the first Yorkist King of England.
• Pál Kinizsi - Hungarian general in the service of king Matthias Corvinus.

Early modern

• Gaston de Foix, duc de Nemours - French general and nephew of King Louis XII of France.
• Ivan Sirko - Zaporozhian Cossack military leader, Koshovyi Otaman of the Zaporozhian Host, 1610–1680
• François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg - French Marshal and one of the most distinguished military commanders of the early modern period.
• John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough - was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs.
• Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquess of Santa Cruz, was a Spanish admiral. According to Spanish sources, he was never defeated, a remarkable achievement in a fifty-year long career.
• Blas de Lezo, during his career, he participated in 22 battles and expeditions. Along with Álvaro de Bazán, the only undefeated sailor in the history of Spain.
• Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, Bohemian nobleman and Austrian field marshal. It is stated that he never lost a battle which he personally led.
• Alexander Suvorov - Russian military leader and considered a national hero. He was the Count of Rymnik, Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince of Italy, and the last Generalissimo of the Russian Empire.
• Fyodor Ushakov - most illustrious Russian naval commander and admiral of the 18th century.
• Charles XI - Swedish king who is considered to be one of the greatest Swedish rulers of all time and also responsible for creating the Carolean army. Although he tried to avoid war when possible.

North America

• George Henry Thomas - United States Army officer and a Union general of Virginian origin during the American Civil War, one of the principal commanders in the Western Theater.

References

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