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 Département of Foreign Affairs and the Department of War, while Martin Ruzé de Beaulieu took over the Maison du Roi.
In 1661, the département was expanded to include Religious Affairs. In 1669, Jean-Baptiste Colbert bought the post from Henri de Guénégaud du Plessis-Belleville, and thus combined under his control the Maison du Roi with the Department of the Navy and the position of Contrôleur général des finances (chief financial officer of the realm). The Secretary of the Department of the Maison du Roi and Contrôleur général des finances would be linked only until 1699, but the Maison du roi and Religious Affairs would remain linked with Department of the Navy until 1749 (except for a brief separation from 1715–1718).
After the downfall of Maurepas in 1749, the Department was broken apart: the Department of the Navy was made into its own Department and given to Rouillé while the Department of the Maison du Roi and of Religious Affairs was given over to comte de Saint-Florentin.
The offices of the department were few: only four buildings in 1771, five in 1789. The department's archives are stored in two places: the Grands Augustins and the Louvre.
Read more about this topic: Secretary Of State Of The Maison Du Roi
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