Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi

The Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi () was the secretary of state in France during the "Ancien Régime" and Bourbon Restoration in charge of the Département de la Maison du Roi. The exact composition of the ministry and the secretary's duties changed several times over the Early Modern period, but in general, the Département de la Maison du Roi oversaw four main areas: the "Maison du Roi", the "Bâtiments du Roi", the General Affairs of the Clergy, (from 1749 on) Affairs of the RPR ("Religion Prétendue Réformée", i.e. the Huguenots), and the administration of Paris and the provinces. The post later reappeared as the Minister for the Maison du Roi.

History

Starting in the 16th century and then from the 17th century on, the "Maison du Roi" was overseen by a ministry, the "Département de la Maison du Roi", directed by a secretary of state, the "Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi". Along with the "Department of War" ("département de la Guerre"), the "Département de la Maison du Roi" was the oldest of the specialized State Ministries, created in 1570 by Charles IX who reunited -- under the control of Simon Fizes de Sauve -- the "ordinaire des guerres" and the Military Maison du Roi. Both departments were dissociated in 1594: Nicolas de Neufville, seigneur de Villeroy took over the Departement of Foreign Affairs and the Department of War, while......
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