The Southern Department was a department of the government of the Kingdom of England and later the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1660 until 1782 when its functions were reorganised into the new Home Office and

Foreign Office Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * Unit ...

History

The department was initially established in 1660. It had a variety of responsibilities, including Irish policy, the Channel Islands, and foreign affairs concerning southern European powers such as France, Spain, Portugal,

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, Italian states, Greece and the Ottoman Empire. Colonial policy was also the responsibility of the Southern Department until 1768, at which time it was assigned to the newly created

Secretary of State for the Colonies The secretary of state for the colonies or colonial secretary was the Cabinet of the United Kingdom, British Cabinet government minister, minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various British Empire, colonial dependencies. Histor ...

. Domestic affairs in England and Wales were shared indifferently between the Southern and Northern Departments. Scotland, which joined with England into the Kingdom of Great Britain after 1707, was at times represented by a separate

Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the Unit ...

, though at others (1725–1741 and 1746–1782) it too was represented by the Northern and Southern Departments.Thompson (1932), pp. 37ff It was administered by the

Secretary of State for the Southern Department The Secretary of State for the Southern Department was a position in the cabinet of the government of the Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782, when the Southern Department became the Home Office. History Before 1782, the responsibilities of ...

. The Southern Department's opposite number within government was the

Northern Department The Northern Department was a department of the government of the Kingdom of England from 1660 to 1707 and later the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 until 1782 when its functions were reorganised into the new Home Office and Foreign Office ...

, responsible for government dealings in northern Europe. In 1782, the Northern and Southern Departments were reorganised, with the

taking over their foreign affairs responsibilities and Home Office taking over their domestic, military affairs, and colonial responsibilities. (Military and colonial affairs were later transferred to a new offices).

References

Bibliography

* Defunct departments of the Government of the United Kingdom . Foreign relations of England Foreign relations of Great Britain Governance of England Southern Department 01 Southern Department 01 Southern Department 01 Southern Department 01 Southern Department 01 Government agencies established in 1660 1660 establishments in England 1782 disestablishments in Great Britain 1660 establishments in the British Empire 1782 disestablishments in the British Empire {{UK-gov-stub

History

See also

References

Bibliography