Southern Department
The Southern Department was one of two ministries responsible for foreign and home affairs, alongside the Northern Department.
Contents
Composition
The department was led by the secretary of state for the Southern Department.
History
The Southern Department was established when Charles II was restored to the throne. It was responsible for affairs with France, Spain, Portugal, the Ottomans, and the New World colonies. It had a counterpart in the Northern Department, which was tasked with Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, and the Holy Roman Empire.
Until the Hanoverian succession, the Southern Department was considered the more important of the pair. The senior minister would hold this position, and when it became vacant, the Northern secretary would be 'promoted' here. This began to change during Townshend's term as the Northern secretary owing to the new focus on Hanover.
In 1782, George III and Watson-Wentworth reformed the two departments; they were replaced with the Home Office and Foreign Office.