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Secretary of State (Ancien Régime)

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78:, which lasted from 1715-1718. Instead of secretaries, their duties were handled by a Council of State, composed of various subcouncils of war, foreign affairs, the navy, etc. The slowness of this system proved ineffective, and the secretaries of state were brought back. 97:
The secretaries of state were members of the king's "Conseil privé", but rarely attended its sessions. The secretaries of war and of foreign affairs attended the "Conseil royal de commerce". All secretaries of state were members of the "Conseil des Dépêches".
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was the name of several official governmental positions – supervising war, foreign affairs, the navy, the king's household, the clergy, Paris, and Protestant affairs – during the
185:) and, from 1747 on, the other internal provinces of France (after several Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs had refused to take on administration of provinces). 115:
The secretaries of state were appointed by the king and their positions were revocable. Nevertheless, their offices required purchase (between 500,000 and 900,000
259: 167:
The positions of Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs and of War were constant, but the attributes and number of the other secretaries varied over time.
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today. The positions were created in 1547, but gained in importance only after 1588. The various secretaries of state were considered part of the
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Each secretary of state was the head of a specialized department of state with a functional area of expertise (War, Foreign Affairs, the Navy, the
131: 211: 94:). The secretaries gave council to the king, and countersigned (or co-signed) and expedited royal decisions (edicts and declarations). 160: 146: 141: 48:, but only gained in importance from 1588 on. The various secretaries of state were from that point on considered part of the 49: 33: 64: 119:), and this fee usually included a certificate, or "brevet de retenue", permitting reimbursement in the case of demission. 55:
At their creation, there were four secretaries of state, but at various times in their history there appeared five. Under
153:" was the king's royal entourage and personal military guard), who also oversaw the clergy, the affairs of Paris, and the 136: 181:
the Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi oversaw provinces that had provincial estates, or "pays d'états" (see
71: 197: 254: 29: 229: 74:
suppressed the secretaries of state, relying instead on a collegial system of government, called the
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There was no Secretary of the Interior, as the secretaries of state divided administration of the
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The secretary of state for foreign affairs was traditionally named by the honorific title "
112:" upon assuming his position. The other secretaries usually gained this title over time. 8: 234: 171: 91: 154: 56: 45: 215: 60: 188:
the Secretary of State of the Navy oversaw colonies, except between 1749 and 1754.
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There was no secretary of state of justice (this was fulfilled by the
63:) and again from 1763 to 1780, when fifth department was created for 90:, Protestant Affairs) and a geographical area of expertise (several 127:
There were generally four, sometimes five, secretaries of state:
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there were five secretaries in September 1718 (at the death of
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Secretaries of State first appeared in 1547 under the reign of
25: 163:(combined with the secretary of the Maison du Roi in 1749). 178:
the Secretary of State for War oversaw border provinces.
246: 196:) nor of Finances (overseen by the position of 260:Secretaries of State of Ancien Régime France 100:For more on these councils, see the article 161:Secretary of State for Protestant Affairs 28:, roughly equivalent to the positions of 147:Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi 247: 132:Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 70:At the death of Louis XIV, the Regent 210:This article is based on the article 50:Great Officers of the Crown of France 34:Great Officers of the Crown of France 13: 65:Henri Léonard Jean Baptiste Bertin 14: 271: 218:, retrieved on September 4, 2006. 212:Secrétaire d'État (Ancien Régime) 67:dealing with financial affairs. 81: 198:Controller-General of Finances 142:Secretary of State of the Navy 1: 203: 122: 72:Philippe II, Duke of Orléans 7: 223: 10: 276: 137:Secretary of State for War 39: 230:Ancien Régime in France 30:governmental ministers 255:Government of France 194:Chancellor of France 174:between themselves: 235:Early Modern France 18:Secretary of State 267: 216:French Knowledge 155:king's buildings 61:Guillaume Dubois 275: 274: 270: 269: 268: 266: 265: 264: 245: 244: 226: 206: 125: 110:ministre d'État 84: 42: 12: 11: 5: 273: 263: 262: 257: 243: 242: 240:Conseil du Roi 237: 232: 225: 222: 221: 220: 205: 202: 190: 189: 186: 179: 165: 164: 158: 144: 139: 134: 124: 121: 102:Conseil du Roi 83: 80: 41: 38: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 272: 261: 258: 256: 253: 252: 250: 241: 238: 236: 233: 231: 228: 227: 219: 217: 213: 208: 207: 201: 199: 195: 187: 184: 180: 177: 176: 175: 173: 168: 162: 159: 156: 152: 151:Maison du Roi 148: 145: 143: 140: 138: 135: 133: 130: 129: 128: 120: 118: 113: 111: 106: 105: 103: 95: 93: 89: 88:Maison du Roi 79: 77: 73: 68: 66: 62: 58: 53: 51: 47: 37: 35: 31: 27: 23: 22:Ancien Régime 19: 209: 191: 169: 166: 126: 114: 107: 99: 96: 85: 82:Organization 69: 54: 43: 17: 15: 249:Categories 204:References 76:Polysynody 214:from the 172:provinces 123:Positions 92:provinces 224:See also 57:Louis XV 46:Henry II 40:History 183:taille 149:(the " 117:livres 26:France 16:The 200:). 24:in 251:: 52:. 36:. 157:. 104:.

Index

Ancien Régime
France
governmental ministers
Great Officers of the Crown of France
Henry II
Great Officers of the Crown of France
Louis XV
Guillaume Dubois
Henri Léonard Jean Baptiste Bertin
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Polysynody
Maison du Roi
provinces
Conseil du Roi
ministre d'État
livres
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State of the Navy
Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi
Maison du Roi
king's buildings
Secretary of State for Protestant Affairs
provinces
taille
Chancellor of France
Controller-General of Finances
Secrétaire d'État (Ancien Régime)
French Knowledge
Ancien Régime in France

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