# Simplon (department)

Simplon (French:) was a department of the First French Empire. It was named after the Simplon Pass (Italian: Passo del Sempione). It was formed in 1810, when the Republic of Valais was annexed by France. Its territory corresponded with that of the present-day Swiss canton of Valais.
The chef-lieu of the department was Sion. The department was subdivided into the following three arrondissements and cantons:
* Sion: Hérémence, Loèche, Sierre and Sion.
* Brigue: Brigue, Conches, Mœrel, Rarogne and Viège.
* Saint-Maurice: Entremont, Martigny, Monthey and Saint-Maurice.
After the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815, the department was admitted to the Swiss Confederation and became the canton of Valais.

## Creation

The department was created by Article 2 of the decree of 12 November 1810, reuniting the Valais to the French Empire. This decree is written as follows:
    NAPOLEON, EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH, KING OF ITALY, PROTECTOR OF THE CONFEDERATION OF THE RHINE, MEDIATOR OF THE SWISS CONFEDERATION:
    Considering that the Simplon Road, which unites the Empire to our Kingdom of Italy, is useful to more than sixty million men; that it cost our treasures in France and Italy more than eighteen million, an expense which would become useless if commerce could find there no convenience and perfect security;
    That the Valais did not fulfill any of the engagements it had contracted when we had the work begun to open this great communication;
    Wanting moreover to put an end to the anarchy which afflicts this country, and to cut short the abusive pretensions of sovereignty of a part of the population on the other,
    We have decreed and ordered, decree and order the following:
    FIRST ARTICLE. - The Valais is reunited to the Empire.
    ART. 2. - This territory will form a department under the name of Department of Simplon.
    ART. 3. - This department will be part of the seventh military division.
    ART. 4. - It will be taken possession, without delay, on our behalf, and a general commissioner will be in charge of administering it throughout the rest of this year.
    ART. 5. - All our ministers will be charged with the execution of this decree.
    Signed: Napoleon
    By the Emperor: The Minister Secretary of State,
    Signed: Hugues-Bernard Maret, Duke of Bassano
This decree was confirmed by the organic senatus-consulte of 13 December 1810. This senatus-consulte is written as follows:
    FIRST ARTICLE. - The Valais is reunited to the territory of the French Empire.
    ART. 2. - It will form a department under the name of Department of Simplon.
    ART. 3. - The department of Simplon will have a deputy in the Legislative Body. - This deputy will be appointed in 1811: he will be renewed in the year of the fourth series, to which the Department of Simplon will belong.
    ART. 4. - The Department of Simplon will be the jurisdiction of the imperial court of Lyon.

## Administration
### Prefects

The prefect (préfet) was the highest state representative in the department. The holder of the office was also subprefect of Sion.
| Term start | Term end | Office holder |
| 11 January 1811 | 13 November 1811 | Claude Joseph Parfait Derville-Maléchard |
| 13 November 1811 | 29 December 1813 | Claude-Philibert Barthelot de Rambuteau |

### Secretary-general

The secretary-general was the deputy to the prefect.
| Term start | Term end | Office holder |
| 11 January 1811 | 29 December 1813 | Joseph Rouiller |

### Subprefect of Brigue

| Term start | Term end | Office holder |
| 8 February 1811 | 29 December 1813 | Léopold de Sepibus |

### Subprefect of Saint-Maurice

| Term start | Term end | Office holder |
| 8 February 1811 | 29 December 1813 | Michel Dufour |

### Other officials

The Simplon was represented in the Empire's Corps Legislatif by Charles Emmanuel de Rivaz, a cousin of Isaac de Rivaz. The commander of the troops stationed in the department was Étienne Félix d'Henin de Cuvillers.