# Secretary of State for War (France)

The Secretary of State for War (French: Secrétaire d'État à la guerre), later Secretary of State, Minister for War (French: Secrétaire d'État, Ministre de la guerre), was one of the four or five specialized secretaries of state in France during the Ancien Régime. The position was responsible for the Army, for the Marshalcy and for overseeing French border provinces. In 1791, during the French Revolution, the Secretary of State for War became titled Minister of War.

## List of secretaries

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term | Term | Term | King | Ref. |
| No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | King | Ref. |
| Appointment of the first four Secretaries of State by Henry II on 1 April 1547. ||||||||
| 1 | | Guillaume Bochetel Seigneur de Sassy, de Brouillamenon, de Laforest-Thaumyer | 1 April 1547 | ? ? 1558† | 10 years, 275 days | Henry II | |
| 2 | | Claude II de l'Aubespine Seigneur de Hauterive, Baron de Châteauneuf | 1 April 1547 | 11 November 1567† | 20 years, 224 days | Henry II Francis II Charles IX | |
| 3 | | Côme Clausse Seigneur de Marchaumont, de Fleury, de Courances | 1 April 1547 | ? ? 1558† | 10 years, 275 days | Henry II | |
| 4 | | Jean du Thier Seigneur de Beauvoir | 1 April 1547 | 11 November 1559† | 11 years, 275 days | Henry II Francis II | |
| 5 | | Jacques Bourdin Seigneur de Villeines | ? ? 1558 | 6 July 1567† | 9 years, 186 days | Henry II Francis II Charles IX | |
| 6 | | Florimond II Robertet Seigneur de Fresne | ? ? 1558 | ? October 1567† | 9 years, 273 days | Henry II Francis II Charles IX | |
| 7 | | Florimond III Robertet Baron d'Alluye | ? ? 1559 | ? June 1569† | 8 years, 151 days | Francis II Charles IX | |
| 8 | | Claude III de l'Aubespine Seigneur de Hauterive, Baron de Châteauneuf | ? ? 1567 | 11 September 1570† | 3 years, 253 days | Charles IX | |
| 9 | | Simon Fizes Baron de Sauves | 22 October 1567 | 27 November 1579† | 12 years, 36 days | Charles IX Henry III | |
| 10 | | Nicolas de Neufville Marquis de Villeroy | 25 October 1567 | 8 September 1588 | 20 years, 319 days | Charles IX Henry III | |
| 11 | | Pierre de Brûlart Seigneur de Genlis, Seigneur de Crosne | 8 June 1569 | 8 September 1588 | 19 years, 92 days | Charles IX Henry III | |
| 12 | | Claude Pinart Baron de Cremailles, Baron de Malines, Baron de Valois | 13 September 1570 | 8 September 1588 | 17 years, 361 days | Charles IX Henry III | |
| Effective creation of the office in 1588. Previous holders were Secretaries of State, but the offices indistincts. ||||||||
| 13 | | Louis de Revol | 15 September 1588 | 24 September 1594† | 6 years, 9 days | Henry III Henry IV | |
| (10) | | Nicolas de Neufville Marquis de Villeroy | 30 September 1594 | 4 March 1606 | 11 years, 155 days | Henry IV | |
| 14 | | Pierre de Brûlart Marquis de Sillery, Vicomte de Puisieux, Baron du Grand-Pressigny | 4 March 1606 | 9 August 1616 | 10 years, 158 days | Henry IV Louis XIII | |
| Interim by Claude Mangot, Seigneur de Villeran, d'Orgères, de Villarceaux, from 9 August to 25 November 1616. | Interim by Claude Mangot, Seigneur de Villeran, d'Orgères, de Villarceaux, from 9 August to 25 November 1616. | Interim by Claude Mangot, Seigneur de Villeran, d'Orgères, de Villarceaux, from 9 August to 25 November 1616. | Interim by Claude Mangot, Seigneur de Villeran, d'Orgères, de Villarceaux, from 9 August to 25 November 1616. | Interim by Claude Mangot, Seigneur de Villeran, d'Orgères, de Villarceaux, from 9 August to 25 November 1616. | Interim by Claude Mangot, Seigneur de Villeran, d'Orgères, de Villarceaux, from 9 August to 25 November 1616. | Interim by Claude Mangot, Seigneur de Villeran, d'Orgères, de Villarceaux, from 9 August to 25 November 1616. | |
| (14) | | Pierre de Brûlart Marquis de Sillery, Vicomte de Puisieux, Baron du Grand-Pressigny | 24 April 1617 | 5 February 1624 | 6 years, 287 days | Louis XIII | |
| 15 | | Charles Le Beauclerc Seigneur d'Achères, Seigneur de Rougemont | 5 February 1624 | 12 October 1630† | 6 years, 249 days | Louis XIII | |
| 16 | | Abel Servien Marquis de Sablé, Marquis de Boisdauphin, Comte de La Roche des Aubiers | 11 December 1630 | 12 February 1636 | 5 years, 63 days | Louis XIII | |
| 17 | | François Sublet Baron de Dangu, Seigneur de Noyers | 12 February 1636 | 10 April 1643 | 7 years, 57 days | Louis XIII | |
| 18 | | Michel Le Tellier Marquis de Barbezieux, Seigneur de Chaville, d'Étang, de Viroflay | 13 April 1643 | ? ? 1666 | 22 years, 263 days | Louis XIII Louis XIV | |
| 19 | | François Michel Le Tellier Marquis de Louvois | ? ? 1666 | 16 July 1691† | 25 years, 196 days | Louis XIV | [8] [9] |
| 20 | | Louis François Marie Le Tellier Marquis de Barbezieux | 16 July 1691 | 5 January 1701† | 9 years, 173 days | Louis XIV | [8] [10] |
| 21 | | Michel de Chamillart Seigneur de Montfermeil | 8 January 1701 | 9 June 1709 | 8 years, 155 days | Louis XIV | [11] [12] [13] |
| 22 | | Daniel François Voysin Seigneur de Mesnil-Voysin, de Bouray, du Plessis, de La Noiraye, de Janville, de Lardy | 9 June 1709 | 14 September 1715 | 6 years, 97 days | Louis XIV Louis XV Régence | [11] [14] [15] |
| Interim by Claude Louis Hector, Prince de Martigues, Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun, on 26 November 1715. | Interim by Claude Louis Hector, Prince de Martigues, Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun, on 26 November 1715. | Interim by Claude Louis Hector, Prince de Martigues, Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun, on 26 November 1715. | Interim by Claude Louis Hector, Prince de Martigues, Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun, on 26 November 1715. | Interim by Claude Louis Hector, Prince de Martigues, Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun, on 26 November 1715. | Interim by Claude Louis Hector, Prince de Martigues, Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun, on 26 November 1715. | Interim by Claude Louis Hector, Prince de Martigues, Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun, on 26 November 1715. | |
| 23 | | Claude le Blanc | 24 September 1718 | 1 July 1723 | 4 years, 280 days | Louis XV Régence | [16] [17] [18] |
| 24 | | François Victor Le Tonnelier Marquis de Fontenay-Trésigny, Marquis de Breteuil | 4 July 1723 | 16 June 1726 | 2 years, 347 days | Louis XV | [16] [17] [19] |
| (23) | | Claude le Blanc | 16 June 1726 | 19 May 1728† | 1 year, 338 days | Louis XV | [16] [17] [18] |
| 25 | | Nicolas Prosper Bauyn Seigneur d’Angervilliers | 23 May 1728 | 15 February 1740† | 11 years, 268 days | Louis XV | [16] [17] [20] |
| 26 | | François Victor Le Tonnelier Marquis de Fontenay-Trésigny, Marquis de Breteuil | 20 February 1740 | 7 January 1743† | 2 years, 321 days | Louis XV | [16] [21] |
| 27 | | Marc Pierre de Voyer Marquis de Paulmy, Comte d'Argenson | 8 January 1743 | 2 February 1757 | 14 years, 25 days | Louis XV | [16] [21] [22] |
| 28 | | Marc Antoine René de Voyer Marquis de Paulmy, Marquis d'Argenson | 3 February 1757 | 4 March 1758 | 1 year, 29 days | Louis XV | [23] [21] |
| 29 | | Charles Louis Auguste Fouquet Duc de Belle-Isle | 4 March 1758 | 26 January 1761† | 2 years, 328 days | Louis XV | [23] [24] [21] |
| 30 | | Étienne François Marquis de Stainville, Duc de Choiseul | 27 January 1761 | 24 December 1770 | 9 years, 331 days | Louis XV | [25] [21] |
| Interim by Louis Phélypeaux, Comte de Saint-Florentin, Duc de La Vrillière, Secretary of State for the King's Household, from 24 December 1770 to 4 January 1771. ||||||||
| 31 | | Louis François Marquis de Monteynard | 4 January 1771 | 28 January 1774 | 3 years, 24 days | Louis XV | [25] [26] [27] |
| 32 | | Emmanuel Armand de Vignerot du Plessis-Richelieu Duc d'Aiguillon, Duc d'Agénois | 28 January 1774 | 2 June 1774 | 125 days | Louis XV Louis XVI | [25] [27] [28] |
| 33 | | Louis Nicolas Victor de Félix d'Ollières Comte du Muy, Comte de Grignan | 9 June 1774 | 10 October 1775† | 1 year, 123 days | Louis XVI | [29] [27] |
| 34 | | Claude Louis Robert Comte de Saint-Germain | 25 October 1775 | 23 September 1777 | 1 year, 333 days | Louis XVI | [30] [31] [27] |
| 35 | | Alexandre Marie Léonor de Saint-Mauris Comte de Montbarrey | 27 September 1777 | 15 December 1780 | 3 years, 79 days | Louis XVI | [32] [27] |
| Interim by Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, from 15 December to 23 December 1780. ||||||||
| 36 | | Philippe Henri Marquis de Ségur | 23 December 1780 | 27 August 1787 | 6 years, 247 days | Louis XVI | [33] [34] |
| Interim by Louis Auguste Le Tonnelier, Baron de Breteuil, Baron de Preuilly, Secretary of State for the King's Household, from 27 August to 23 September 1787. ||||||||
| 37 | | Athanase Louis Marie de Loménie Comte de Brienne | 23 September 1787 | 21 August 1788 | 272 days | Louis XVI | [33] [35] [34] |
| 38 | | Louis Pierre de Chastenet Comte de Puységur | 30 November 1788 | 12 July 1789 | 224 days | Louis XVI | |
| 39 | | Victor François Duc de Broglie | 12 July 1789 | 16 July 1789 | 4 days | Louis XVI | |
| Office vacant from 16 July to 4 August 1789. ||||||||
| 40 | | Jean-Frédéric de la Tour du Pin de Gouvernet Comte de Paulin | 4 August 1789 | 16 November 1790 | 1 year, 104 days | Louis XVI | |
| 41 | | Louis Lebègue Duportail | 16 November 1790 | 25 May 1791 | 190 days | Louis XVI | |