In the

Kingdom of England The Kingdom of England was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from the late 9th century, when it was unified from various Heptarchy, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland to f ...

, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

, the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary. From the time of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

, there were usually two secretaries of state. After the restoration of the monarchy of 1660, the two posts were specifically designated as the

Secretary of State for the Northern Department The secretary of state for the Northern Department was a position in the Cabinet (government), Cabinet of the government of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain up to 1782. Following this, the Northern Department became the Foreign Office, a ...

and the

Secretary of State for the Southern Department The secretary of state for the Southern Department was a position in the Cabinet (government), cabinet of the government of the Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782, when the Southern Department (Great Britain), Southern Department became the H ...

. Both dealt with home affairs and they divided foreign affairs between them.

History

The medieval kings of England had a clerical servant, at first known as their ''Clerk'', later as their ''Secretary''. The primary duty of this office was carrying on the monarch's official correspondence, but in varying degrees the holder also advised

the Crown The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...

, and by the early fourteenth century, the position was in effect the third most powerful office of state in England, ranking after the

Lord Chancellor The Lord Chancellor, formally titled Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom. The lord chancellor is the minister of justice for England and Wales and the highest-ra ...

. Most administrative business went through the royal household, particularly the

Wardrobe A wardrobe, also called armoire or almirah, is a standing closet used for storing clothes. The earliest wardrobe was a chest, and it was not until some degree of luxury was attained in regal palaces and the castles of powerful nobles that sep ...

. The Privy Seal's warrants increased rapidly in quantity and frequency during the late

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

. The Signet warrant, kept by the Keeper of the Privy Seal, could be used to stamp documents on authority of chancery and on behalf of the Chancellor. During wartime, the king took his privy seal with him wherever he went. Its controller was the Secretary, who served on military and diplomatic missions; and the Wardrobe clerks assumed an even greater importance. Until the reign of King

(1509–1547), there was usually only one such secretary at a time, but by the end of Henry's reign there was also a second secretary. At about the end of the reign of Henry's daughter

(1558–1603), the secretaries began to be called "Secretary of State". After the Restoration of 1660, the two posts came to be known as the

and the

. Both of the secretaries dealt with internal matters, but they also divided foreign affairs between them. One dealt with northern Europe (the mostly Protestant states) and the other with southern Europe. Following the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution, also known as the Revolution of 1688, was the deposition of James II and VII, James II and VII in November 1688. He was replaced by his daughter Mary II, Mary II and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange ...

of 1688, the Cabinet took over the practical direction of affairs previously undertaken by the Privy Council, and the two secretaries of state gained ever more responsible powers.

List of officeholders

''For the Secretaries of State following the Union with Scotland of 1707, see

, and

Secretary of State (United Kingdom) His Majesty's principal secretaries of state, or secretaries of state, are senior ministers of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. Secretaries of state head most major government departments and make up the majority of the Cabine ...

;King's Clerk * John Maunsell (1253–1263?) * Francis Accursii (1277?–1282?) * John de Benstede (1299) * William Melton (1308) * William Trussell (1332) * William of Wykeham (1360) ;King's Secretary * Robert Braybrooke (1377–1381) * John Bacon (1381–1385) *

Richard Mitford Richard Mitford (died 1407) was an English cleric and Public administration, administrator. He was bishop of Chichester from 17 November 1389, consecrated on 10 April 1390, and then bishop of Salisbury. He was translated to the see of Salisbury o ...

(1385–1387) * John Profit (1402–1412) * John Stone (1415 – c. 1420) * John Castell (1420) * William Alnwick (c. 1420 – c. 1422) * William Hayton (?–1432) ** James Lunayn (1434–1443) (King's Secretary to the Kingdom of France) ** Jean de Rinel (1434–1442) (King's Secretary in his Realm of France) * Thomas Beckington (1439–1443) ** Gervais de Vulre (1442–1451) ** Michael de Parys * Thomas Mannyng (1460–1464) ** Gylet de Ferrers * William Hatteclyffe (c. 1464 – 1480) * Oliver King (1480–1483) * John Kendal (1483–1485) * Richard Foxe (1485–1487) * Oliver King (1487–1492) (probably) * Thomas Routhall (1500–1516) * Richard Pace (1516–1526) * William Knight (1526 – August 1529) * Stephen Gardiner (5 August 1529 – April 1534) *

Thomas Cromwell Thomas Cromwell (; – 28 July 1540) was an English statesman and lawyer who served as List of English chief ministers, chief minister to King Henry VIII from 1534 to 1540, when he was beheaded on orders of the king, who later blamed false cha ...

(April 1534 – April 1540) *

Sir Robert Cecil Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, (1 June 156324 May 1612) was an English statesman noted for his direction of the government during the Union of the Crowns, as Tudor England gave way to Stuart period, Stuart rule (1603). Lord Salisbury ser ...

(July 1596 – 24 May 1612)

Stuart

:* John Herbert (10 May 1600 – 9 July 1617) * Robert Carr, Lord Rochester (May 1612 – March 1614) * Sir Ralph Winwood (29 March 1614 – 27 October 1617) ** Sir Thomas Lake (3 January 1616 – 16 February 1619) * Sir

Robert Naunton Sir Robert Naunton (1563 – 27 March 1635) was an England, English writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons at various times between 1606 and 1626. Family Robert Naunton was the son of Henry Naunton of ...

(8 January 1618 – 14 January 1623) ** Sir

George Calvert George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore (; 1580 – 15 April 1632) was an English politician. He achieved domestic political success as a member of parliament and later Secretary of State (England), Secretary of State under James VI and I, King Ja ...

(16 February 1619 – January 1625) * Sir Edward Conway (14 January 1623 – 14 December 1628) * Sir Albertus Morton (9 February 1625 – 6 September 1625) ** Sir John Coke (9 September 1625 – 3 February 1640) * Dudley Carleton, 1st Viscount Dorchester (14 December 1628 – 15 February 1632) * Sir Francis Windebank (15 June 1632 – December 1640) ** Sir Henry Vane (3 February 1640 – December 1641) * Sir Edward Nicholas (27 November 1641 – 1646 when he left England; he was reappointed by King Charles II September 1654 – 2 October 1662) ** Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland (8 January 1642 – 20 September 1643) ** George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol (28 September 1643 – 1645)

Commonwealth and Protectorate

* Thomas Scot (July 1649 – April 1652) *

John Thurloe John Thurloe (June 1616 – 21 February 1668) was an English politician who served as secretary to the council of state in The Protectorate, Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell and held the position of Postmaster General betw ...

(April 1652 – May 1660) For the subsequent period see: *

History

List of officeholders

Stuart

Commonwealth and Protectorate

References

Citations

Sources

Further reading