Southern Department (Great Britain) facts for kids
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| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1660 |
| Dissolved | 1782 |
| Superseding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Minister responsible | |
The Southern Department was an important part of the government in the Kingdom of England. Later, it became part of the government of the Kingdom of Great Britain. It existed from 1660 until 1782. In 1782, its jobs were split into two new government offices: the Home Office and the Foreign Office.
Contents
What Was the Southern Department?
The Southern Department was set up in 1660. It had many different responsibilities. It was like a government office that handled a mix of jobs.
Key Responsibilities
The department was in charge of several important areas:
- It dealt with policies for Ireland.
- It also managed affairs for the Channel Islands.
- A big part of its job was handling foreign affairs. This meant dealing with countries in southern Europe. These included France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and states in Italy. It also covered Greece and the Ottoman Empire.
Colonial Affairs
Until 1768, the Southern Department also managed colonial policy. This meant it looked after the British colonies around the world. In 1768, a new office was created just for colonies. This was called the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Domestic Affairs
The Southern Department also shared duties for domestic affairs. These were matters inside England and Wales. It shared these jobs with another department called the Northern Department.
After 1707, Scotland joined with England to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. Sometimes, Scotland had its own special minister, the Secretary of State for Scotland. But at other times, the Northern and Southern Departments also handled Scottish affairs. This happened from 1725 to 1741 and again from 1746 to 1782.
Who Ran the Department?
The Southern Department was led by a person called the Secretary of State for the Southern Department. This person was a very important government official.
The Southern Department had a partner in government, the Northern Department. The Northern Department was responsible for dealing with countries in northern Europe.
Changes in 1782
In 1782, the government decided to reorganize things. The Northern and Southern Departments were changed.
- The Foreign Office took over all their foreign affairs responsibilities. This meant dealing with other countries.
- The Home Office took over their domestic duties. It also took on military and colonial responsibilities. Later, the military and colonial jobs were moved to other new offices.
