List of naval ministers of France

Minister of the Navy and Colonies

Ministre de la Marine et des Colonies

Ensign of France (1848–present)

Ministry of the Navy (Ministère de la Marine)
Formation| 14 September 1547 (1547-09-14)
First holder| Côme Clausse
Final holder| Louis Jacquinot
Abolished| 22 October 1947 (1947-10-22)
Succession| Minister of Defence
Minister of the Overseas

One of France's Secretaries of State under the Ancien Régime was entrusted with control of the French Navy (Secretary of State of the Navy (France).) In 1791, this title was changed to Minister of the Navy. Before January 1893, this position also had responsibility for France's colonies, and was usually known as Minister of the Navy and Colonies, a role thereafter taken by the Minister of the Overseas. In 1947 the naval ministry was absorbed into the Ministry of Defence, with the exception of merchant marine affairs which had been split in 1929 to the separate Ministry of Merchant Marine.

## History

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The two primary formations of the French Navy, the Ponant Fleet and Levant Fleet, were placed under the control of Jean-Baptiste Colbert in 1662, whilst he was "intendant des finances" and "minister of state" – but not "secretary of state" : he only became secretary of state in 1669 after having bought his way into the post. From then on, right up to the French Revolution, a secretary of state had responsibility for the French navy.

The secretary of state was responsible for the administration of both the navy (the "marine royale") and civilian (merchant marine) fleets, and for all France's ports, arsenals, consulates, and colonies, as well as the guardianship for all her commercial companies.

To his two original offices (the bureau du Ponant and bureau du Levant) other services were added over time:

* archives department, 1669;
* office of the Ponant consulates, 1709;
* office of the colonies, 1710;
* bureau des classes, 1711;
* department of maps and plans, 1720;
* Office of the Levant Consulates, 1738, which was in 1743 merged with the Office of the Ponant Consulates under the name of Office of Commerce and Consulates

These different offices and departments were regrouped into four super-departments by marshal de Castries in 1786.

## List of officeholders

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### Secretaries of State for the Navy, 1547–1790

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Secretary | Began | Ended

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|

Côme Clausse, seigneur de Marchaumont  | 14 September 1547  | 1558
Florimond II Robertet, seigneur de Fresnes | 1558  | October 1567
Claude de l’Aubespine, seigneur d’Hauterive  | 1 April 1547  | 1567
Jacques Bourdin, seigneur de Villeines  | 1558  | 1567
Martin Ruze, seigneur de Beaulieu  | 15 September 1588  | 6 November 1613
Antoine de Loménie, seigneur de la Ville aux Clercs  | 7 November 1613  | 10 August 1615 (he left the post on this date, but retained the precedence and the functions)
Henri Auguste de Loménie, seigneur de la Ville aux Clercs  | 13 July 1615  | February 1643
Henry de Guénegaud, marquis de Plancy  | 23 March 1643  | 1662
Hugues de Lionne, marquis de Fresne  | 4 February 1662  | 1669
Jean-Baptiste Colbert | 7 March 1669  | 6 September 1683
Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay | September 1683  | 3 November 1690
Louis Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain | 7 November 1690  | 6 September 1699
Jérôme Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain | 6 September 1699  | 1 October 1715
Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse and Victor Marie d'Estrées (Presidents of the Council of Marine)  | 1 October 1715  | 24 September 1718
Joseph Jean Baptiste Fleuriau d'Armenonville | 24 September 1718  | 28 February 1722
Charles Jean-Baptiste Fleuriau, comte de Morville | 28 February 1722  | 16 August 1723
Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas | 16 August 1723  | 23 April 1749
Antoine Louis Rouillé | 30 April 1749  | 24 July 1754
Jean Baptiste de Machault D'Arnouville | 24 July 1754  | 1 February 1757
François Marie Peyrenc de Moras | 1 February 1757  | 31 May 1758
Claude Louis d'Espinchal, marquis de Massiac | 31 May 1758  | 31 October 1758
Nicolas René Berryer | 31 October 1758  | 13 October 1761
Étienne François, duc de Choiseul | 13 October 1761  | 10 April 1766
César Gabriel de Choiseul-Chevigny, duc de Praslin | 10 April 1766  | 24 December 1770
Joseph Marie Terray | 24 December 1770  | 9 April 1771
Pierre Étienne Bourgeois de Boynes | 9 April 1771  | 20 July 1774
Anne Robert Jacques Turgot | 20 July 1774  | 24 August 1774
Antoine de Sartine | 24 August 1774  | 13 October 1780
Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix, marquis de Castries | 13 October 1780  | 24 August 1787
Armand Marc, comte de Montmorin Saint-Hérem | 25 August 1787  | 24 December 1787
César Henri, comte de La Luzerne | 24 December 1787  | 13 July 1789
Arnaud de Laporte | 13 July 1789  | 16 July 1789
César Henri, comte de La Luzerne | 16 July 1789  | 26 October 1790

### Ministers of the Navy and the Colonies, 1790–1893

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Minister | Began | Ended

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|

Charles Pierre Claret de Fleuriau | 26 October 1790  | 17 May 1791
Antoine Jean Marie Thévenard | 17 May 1791  | 18 September 1791
Claude Antoine Valdec de Lessart | 18 September 1791  | 7 October 1791
Antoine François, comte Bertrand de Molleville | 7 October 1791  | 16 March 1792
Jean de Lacoste | 16 March 1792  | 21 July 1792
François Joseph de Gratet, vicomte Dubouchage | 21 July 1792  | 10 August 1792
Gaspard Monge | 10 August 1792  | 10 April 1793
Jean Dalbarade (commissioner from 20 April 1794)  | 10 April 1793  | 2 July 1795
Jean-Claude Redon de Beaupréau (commissioner)  | 2 July 1795  | 4 November 1795
Laurent Jean François Truguet | 4 November 1795  | 15 July 1797
Georges René Le Peley de Pléville | 15 July 1797  | 27 April 1798
Eustache Bruix | 27 April 1798  | 4 March 1799
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord | 7 March 1799  | 2 July 1799
Marc Antoine Bourdon de Vatry | 2 July 1799  | 22 November 1799
Pierre-Alexandre-Laurent Forfait | 22 November 1799  | 3 October 1801
Denis Decrès | 3 October 1801  | 1 April 1814
Pierre Victor, baron Malouet | 3 April 1814  | 7 September 1814
Jacques, comte Beugnot | 7 September 1814  | 20 March 1815
Denis, duc Decrès | 20 March 1815  | 7 July 1815
François Arnail, comte de Jaucourt | 9 July 1815  | 26 September 1815
François Joseph de Gratet, vicomte Dubouchage | 26 September 1815  | 23 June 1817
Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr | 23 June 1817  | 12 September 1817
Mathieu Louis, comte Molé | 12 September 1817  | 29 December 1818
Pierre Barthélemy, baron Portal | 29 December 1818  | 14 December 1821
Aimé, duc de Clermont-Tonnerre | 14 December 1821  | 4 August 1824
Christophe, comte de Chabrol de Crouzol | 4 August 1824  | 3 March 1828
Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville | 3 March 1828  | 8 August 1829
Henri Gauthier, comte de Rigny | 8 August 1829  | 23 August 1829
Charles Lemercier de Longpré, baron d'Haussez | 23 August 1829  | 31 July 1830
Henri Gauthier, comte de Rigny | 31 July 1830  | 11 August 1830
Horace François Bastien, baron Sébastiani | 11 August 1830  | 17 November 1830
Antoine, comte d'Argout | 17 November 1830  | 13 March 1831
Henri Gauthier, comte de Rigny | 13 March 1831  | 4 April 1834
Albin Reine, baron Roussin | 4 April 1834  | 19 May 1834
Louis Léon, comte Jacob | 19 May 1834  | 10 November 1834
Charles, baron Dupin | 10 November 1834  | 18 November 1834
Victor Guy, baron Duperré | 18 November 1834  | 6 September 1836
Claude Charles Marie du Campe de Rosamel | 6 September 1836  | 31 March 1839
Jean Marguerite Tupinier | 31 March 1839  | 12 May 1839
Victor Guy, baron Duperré | 12 May 1839  | 1 March 1840
Albin Reine, baron Roussin | 1 March 1840  | 29 October 1840
Victor Guy, baron Duperré | 29 October 1840  | 7 February 1843
Albin Reine, baron Roussin | 7 February 1843  | 24 July 1843
Ange René Armand, baron de Mackau | 24 July 1843  | 9 May 1847
Louis Napoléon Lannes, duc de Montebello | 9 May 1847  | 24 February 1848
François Arago | 24 February 1848  | 11 May 1848
Joseph Grégoire Cazy | 11 May 1848  | 28 June 1848
Jules Bastide | 28 June 1848  | 17 July 1848
Raymond-Jean-Baptiste de Verninac Saint-Maur | 17 July 1848  | 20 December 1848
Alexandre César Victor Charles Destutt de Tracy | 20 December 1848  | 31 October 1849
Joseph Romain-Desfossés | 31 October 1849  | 9 January 1851
Théodore Ducos | 9 January 1851  | 24 January 1851
Auguste Nicolas Vaillant | 24 January 1851  | 10 April 1851
Justin de Chasseloup-Laubat | 10 April 1851  | 26 October 1851
Hippolyte Fortoul | 26 October 1851  | 3 December 1851
Théodore Ducos | 3 December 1851  | 17 April 1855
Ferdinand Hamelin | 19 April 1855  | 24 November 1860
Justin de Chasseloup-Laubat | 24 November 1860  | 20 January 1867
Charles Rigault de Genouilly | 20 January 1867  | 4 September 1870
Léon Martin Fourichon | 4 September 1870  | 19 February 1871
Louis Marie Alexis Pothuau | 19 February 1871  | 25 May 1873
Charles Dompierre d'Hormoy | 25 May 1873  | 22 May 1874
Louis Raymond de Montaignac de Chauvance | 22 May 1874  | 9 March 1876
Léon Martin Fourichon | 9 March 1876  | 17 May 1877
Albert Gicquel des Touches | 17 May 1877  | 23 November 1877
Albert Roussin | 23 November 1877  | 13 December 1877
Louis Marie Alexis Pothuau | 13 December 1877  | 4 February 1879
Jean Bernard Jauréguiberry | 4 February 1879  | 29 January 1880
Georges Charles Cloué | 29 January 1880  | 14 November 1881
Auguste Gougeard (Marine only)  | 14 November 1881  | 30 January 1882
Jean Bernard Jauréguiberry | 30 January 1882  | 29 January 1883
François de Mahy | 31 January 1883  | 31 February 1883
Charles Brun | 31 February 1883  | 9 August 1883
Alexandre Louis François Peyron | 9 August 1883  | 6 April 1885
Charles Eugène Galiber | 6 April 1885  | 7 January 1886
Théophile Aube | 7 January 1886  | 30 May 1887
Édouard Barbey | 30 May 1887  | 12 December 1887
François de Mahy | 12 December 1887  | 5 January 1888
Jules-François-Émile Krantz | 5 January 1888  | 22 February 1889
Benjamin Jaurès | 22 February 1889  | 13 March 1889
Jules François Émile Krantz (Marine only)  | 19 March 1889  | 10 November 1889
Édouard Barbey (Marine only)  | 10 November 1889  | 27 February 1892
Godefroy Cavaignac (Marine only to 8 March 1892)  | 27 February 1892  | 8 March 1892
Auguste Burdeau | 8 March 1892  | 11 January 1893

### Naval Ministers, 1893–1947

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Minister | Began | Ended

|
|

Adrien, Barthélemy, Louis, Henri Rieunier | 12 January 1893  | 3 December 1893
Auguste Alfred Lefèvre | 3 December 1893  | 30 May 1894
Félix Faure | 30 May 1894  | 17 January 1895
Armand Louis Charles Gustave Besnard | 17 January 1895  | 1 November 1895
Édouard Locroy | 1 November 1895  | 29 April 1896
Armand Louis Charles Gustave Besnard | 29 April 1896  | 28 June 1898
Édouard Locroy | 28 June 1898  | 22 June 1899
Jean-Marie de Lanessan | 22 June 1899  | 7 June 1902
Charles Camille Pelletan | 7 June 1902  | 24 January 1905
Gaston Thomson | 24 January 1905  | 22 October 1908
Alfred Picard  | 22 October 1908  | 24 July 1909
Augustin Boué de Lapeyrère | 24 July 1909  | 2 March 1911
Théophile Delcassé | 2 March 1911  | 21 January 1913
Pierre Baudin | 21 January 1913  | 9 December 1913
Ernest Monis | 9 December 1913  | 20 March 1914
Armand Gauthier de l'Aude | 20 March 1914  | 9 June 1914
Émile Chautemps | 9 June 1914  | 13 June 1914
Armand Gauthier de l'Aude | 13 June 1914  | 3 August 1914
Victor Augagneur | 3 August 1914  | 29 October 1915
Lucien Lacaze | 29 October 1915  | 2 August 1917
Charles Chaumet | 2 August 1917  | 16 November 1917
Georges Leygues | 16 November 1917  | 20 January 1920
Adolphe Landry | 20 January 1920  | 16 January 1921
Gabriel Guist'hau | 16 January 1921  | 15 January 1922
Flaminius Raiberti | 15 January 1922  | 29 March 1924
Maurice Bokanowski | 29 March 1924  | 9 June 1924
Désiré Ferry | 9 June 1924  | 14 June 1924
Jacques-Louis Dumesnil | 14 June 1924  | 17 April 1925
Émile Borel | 17 April 1925  | 28 November 1925
Georges Leygues | 28 November 1925  | 19 July 1926
René Renoult | 19 July 1926  | 23 July 1926
Georges Leygues | 23 July 1926  | 21 February 1930
Albert Sarraut | 21 February 1930  | 2 March 1930
Jacques-Louis Dumesnil | 2 March 1930  | 13 December 1930
Albert Sarraut | 13 December 1930  | 27 January 1931
Charles Dumont | 27 January 1931  | 20 February 1932
Georges Leygues | 3 June 1932  | 2 September 1933
Albert Sarraut | 6 September 1933  | 30 January 1934
Louis de Chappedelaine | 30 January 1934  | 9 February 1934
François Piétri | 9 February 1934  | 1 June 1936
Alphonse Gasnier-Duparc | 1 June 1936  | 22 June 1937
César Campinchi | 22 June 1937  | 18 January 1938
William Bertrand | 18 January 1938  | 13 March 1938
César Campinchi | 13 March 1938  | 16 June 1940
François Darlan | 16 June 1940  | 18 April 1942
Émile Muselier (commissioner for the navy, Free France)  | 24 September 1941  | 4 March 1942
Philippe Auboyneau (commissioner for the navy, Free France)  | 4 March 1942  | 7 June 1943
Gabriel Auphan | 18 April 1942  | 18 November 1942
Jean-Marie Charles Abrial | 18 November 1942  | 26 March 1943
Henri Bléhaut | 26 March 1943  | 19 August 1944
Louis Jacquinot (commissioner for the navy, Free France)  | 9 November 1943  | 10 September 1944
Louis Jacquinot (Provisional Government, 1st Ministry of Charles de Gaulle)  | 10 September 1944  | 21 November 1945
Louis Jacquinot | 22 January 1947  | 22 October 1947

## See also

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* Minister of the Armies (France)
* Minister of Air (France)
* Minister of the Colonies (France)
* Minister of the Overseas (France)
* Minister of Merchant Marine (France)

## References

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* v
* t
* e

Leaders of the French government ministries

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Junior|

* City Affairs
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Former|

* Deputy Prime Minister
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