The State Chancellor of Prussia was the highest minister of the
Kingdom of Prussia and existed from 1807 to 1850. The State Chancellor was the forerunner to the
Prime Minister of Prussia
The office of Minister-President (german: Ministerpräsident), or Prime Minister, of Prussia existed from 1848, when it was formed by King Frederick William IV during the 1848–49 Revolution, until the abolition of Prussia in 1947 by the Alli ...
.
History
The State Chancellor was primarily a subordinate executive body and overseer of the
State Administration. He usually also chaired the
Prussian State Council, especially when the King himself did not do so. The Chancellor's official residence was in the
Berlin Palace.
The introduction of the office was related to
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
's occupation of Prussia as a curtailment of the power of the absolutist throne.
While in office, the state reformer Prince
Karl August von Hardenberg
Karl August Fürst von Hardenberg (31 May 1750, in Essenrode-Lehre – 26 November 1822, in Genoa) was a Prussian statesman and Prime Minister of Prussia. While during his late career he acquiesced to reactionary policies, earlier in his career ...
was able to have a significant influence on the
Prussian reforms.
After Hardenberg's death, the office of State Chancellor remained vacant until King
Frederick William III when it was headed the Prussian State Ministry itself, with the cabinet minister giving the presentation enjoying formal priority.
Carl Friedrich Heinrich, Graf von Wylich und Lottum
Carl Friedrich Heinrich Graf von Wylich und Lottum (5 November 1767 – 14 February 1841), also called Graf Lottum ''(Count Lottum)'', was a Prussian infantry general and minister of the State. He was the son of general Friedrich Wilhelm Graf von ...
became the cabinet minister in 1822.
Replacement
In 1822, the Prussian State Council had its own president instead of the Chancellor as chairman. However, he could only advise the King and had no direct executive powers, as he was not an official member of the
State Ministry. The office officially existed until 1850, when the new Prussian constitution introduced the office of a
Prussian Prime Minister even though the role had been rendered obsolete in March 1848.
See also
*
Prussian State Ministry
The Prussian State Ministry (german: Preußisches Staatsministerium) from 1808 to 1850 was the executive body of ministers, subordinate to the King of Prussia and, from 1850 to 1918, the overall ministry of the Kingdom of Prussia, State of Prussi ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:State Chancellor of Prussia
19th century in Prussia
Government of Prussia
1808 establishments in Germany