List French Ministers for Defense

List of the ministers French of the War then of the defense

According to the government it can be to them assistant a Secretary of State charged with the war veterans.

Under the Old Mode

January 1st, 1589 - 1613: Martin Ruze, lord of Beaulieu
January 1st, 1589 - 1613: Louis de Revol
January 1st, 1589 - 1613: Nicolas de Neufville, lord of Villeroi
March 4th, 1606 - 1616: Nicolas Brûlart, marquis de Sillery
March 4th, 1606 - 1616: Claude Mangot, lord of Villeran and Villarceau
1616 - 1617: Cardinal Jean Armand Duplessis, duke of Richelieu
April 24th, 1617 - 1624: Nicolas Brûlart, marquis de Sillery
February 5th, 1624 - 1630: Charles Beauclerc
December 11th, 1630 - 1636: Abel Servien, marquis de Sablé
February 12th, 1636 - 1643: François Sublet, lord of the Walnut trees
April 13rd, 1643 - 1651: Michel Tellier, lord of Chaville and Louvois
January-December 1651: Henri Auguste de Loménie, lord of the City to the Clerks
December 1651 - 1662: Michel Tellier, lord of Chaville and Louvois
February 24th, 1662 - July 15th, 1691: François Michel Tellier, marquis de Louvois
July 16th, 1691 - January 5th, 1701: Louis François Tellier de Louvois, marquis de Barbezieux
January 5th, 1701 - June 9th, 1709: Michel de Chamillard
June 9th, 1709 - September 14th, 1715: Daniel Voysin of Noiraye
October 1st, 1715 - September 24th, 1718: Louis Hector, duke of Villars
September 24th, 1718 - July 1st, 1723: Claude the White
July 1st, 1723 - June 19th, 1726: François Victor the Wet cooper of Breteuil
June 19th, 1726 - 1728: Claude the White
July 1728 - February 1740: Nicolas Prosper Bauyn d' Angervilliers
February 1740 - January 7th, 1743: François Victor the Wet cooper of Breteuil
January 7th, 1743 - February 1st, 1757: Marc-Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy, count d' Argenson
February 1st, 1757 - March 3rd, 1758: Marc-Antoine-Rene de Voyer of Paulmy-of Argenson, marquis de Paulmy
March 3rd, 1758 - January 27th, 1761: Charles-Louis-Auguste Fouquet of Beautiful-Isle
February 3rd, 1761 - December 24th, 1770: Etienne Francois, duke of Choiseul
January 26th, 1771 - January 27th, 1774: Louis Francois, marquis de Monteynard
January 27th, 1774 - June 2nd, 1774: Emmanuel Armand de Vignerot of Plessis, duke of Pivot
June 5th, 1774 - October 10th, 1775: Louis Nicolas Victor of Felix d' Ollières, count of Muy
October 27th, 1775 - September 27th, 1777: Claude-Louis, count of Saint-Germain
September 27th, 1777 - December 19th, 1780: Alexandre Marie Léonor de Saint-Mauris of Montbarrey
December 23rd, 1780 - August 29th, 1787: Philippe Henri, marquis de Ségur
August 29th, 1787 - September 23rd, 1787: Louis Auguste the Wet cooper of Breteuil, baron de Breteuil
September 23rd, 1787 - November 30th, 1788: Athanase Louis Marie de Loménie de Brienne
November 30th, 1788 - July 13rd, 1789: Louis Pierre de Chastenet, count de Puységur
July 13rd, 1789 - July 16th, 1789: Victor François de Broglie

French revolution with the Consulate

August 4th, 1789 - November 16th, 1790: Jean-Frederic of the Tower of the Pine Gouvernet
November 16th, 1790 - December 7th, 1791: Louis the Stammerer Duportail
December 7th, 1791 - March 9th, 1792: Louis Marie Narbonne Lara, count de Narbonne-Lara
March 9th, 1792 - May 9th, 1792: Pierre Marie de Grave
May 9th, 1792 - June 13rd, 1792: Joseph Servan de Gerbey, known as Servan de Gerbey
June 13rd 1792 - June 18th 1792: Charles François Dumouriez
June 18th 1792 - July 23rd 1792: Pierre Auguste Lajard
July 23rd 1792 - August 10th 1792: Charles-Xavier Franqueville d' Abancourt
August 10th 1792 - October 3rd 1792: Joseph Servan de Gerbey, known as Servan de Gerbey
October 3rd 1792 - October 18th 1792: Pierre Henri Helene Marie Lebrun-Mowed
October 18th 1792 - February 4th 1793: Jean-Nicolas Pache
February 4th 1793 - April 1st 1793: Pierre Riel de Beurnonville
April 1st 1793 - April 4th 1793: Pierre Henri Helene Marie Lebrun-Mowed
April 4th 1793 - April 20th 1794: Jean-Baptiste Bouchotte
November 3rd 1795 - February 8th 1796: Jean-Baptiste Annibal Aubert of Bayet
February 8th 1796 - July 14th 1797: Claude-Louis Petiet
July 15th 1797 - July 22nd 1797: Lazare Shakes
July 23rd 1797 - January 22nd 1799: Barthelemy Louis Joseph Schérer
February 21st 1799 - July 2nd 1799: Louis Marie de Milet of Mureau
July 3rd 1799 - September 14th 1799: Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte
September 14th 1799 - November 10th 1799: Edmond Louis Alexis Dubois de Crancé

Consulate and First Empire

November 11th 1799 - April 2nd 1800: Louis-Alexandre Berthier, prince de Neuchâtel, prince de Wagram (1759-1815)
April 2nd 1800 - October 8th 1800: Lazare Carnot (1753-1823)
October 8th 1800 - August 9th 1807: Louis-Alexandre Berthier, prince de Neuchâtel, prince de Wagram (1759-1815)
August 9th 1807 - April 3rd 1814: General Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke, duke of Feltre

First Restoration

April 6th 1814 - March 11th 1815: General count Pierre Dupont of the Pond (1765 - 1840)
March 11th 1815 - March 20th 1815: Marshal Jean-of-God Soult, duke of Dalmatie (1769 - 1851)

Hundred Days (from March 20th, 1815 to June 22nd, 1815)

March 20th 1815 - July 6th 1815: Louis Nicolas Davout, prince d' Eckmuhl, duke of Auerstaedt (1770-1823)

Second Restoration (from July 8th, 1815 to August 2nd, 1830)

July 1815 - September 1815: marshal-count Laurent de Gouvion-Saint-Cyr (1764-1830)
September 1815 - September 1817: general Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke (1765-1818), duke of Feltre
September 1817 - October 1819: marshal-count Laurent de Gouvion-Saint-Cyr (1764-1830)
October 1819 - December 1821: Marie Victor Nicolas de Fay of the Tower Maubourg (1768-1850)
December 1821 - October 1823: marshal Claude Victor-Perrin says Victor (1764-1841), duke of Bellune
October 1823 - September 1824]: Angel Hyacinthe Maxence, baron de Damas (1785-1862)
September 1824 - January 1828: Aime Marie Gaspard of Clermont-Thunder
January 1828 - August 1829: Jean-Baptiste de Caux de Blacquetot, Viscount of Caux
August 1829 - July 1830: Louis de Ghaisne (1773 - 1846), count de Bourmont, Marshal of France

Monarchy of July (from August 9th, 1830 to February 24th, 1848)

August 1st 1830 - November 17th 1830: general Maurice-Etienne Gerard (1773-1852)
November 17th 1830 - July 18th 1834: marshal Jean-of-God Soult, duke of Dalmatie (1769-1851)
July 18th 1834 - October 29th 1834: marshal Maurice-Etienne Gerard (1773-1852)
November 10th 1834 - November 13rd 1834: general Simon Bernard (1779-1839)
November 18th 1834 - February 20th 1835: marshal Edouard Mortar, duke of Trévise (1768-1835)
March 12th 1835 - February 5th 1836: marshal, marquis Nicolas-Joseph House (1771-1840)
February 22nd 1836 - August 25th 1836: marshal, marquis Nicolas-Joseph House (1771-1840)
September 6th 1836 - March 8th 1839: general Simon Bernard (1779-1839)
March 31st 1839 - May 12th 1839: general Amédée Despans-Cubières (1786-1853)
May 12th 1839 - March 1st 1840: general Virgile Schneider (1779-1847)
March 1st 1840 - October 29th 1840: general Amédée Despans-Cubières (1786-1853)
October 29th 1840 - November 10th 1845: marshal Jean-of-God Soult, duke of Dalmatie (1769-1851)
November 10th 1845 - May 9th 1847: general Alexandre Moline de Saint-Yon (1786-1870)
May 9th 1847 - February 24th 1848: general Camille Alphonse Trézel (1780-1860)

Second Republic

February 24th, 1848 - May 6th, 1848: general Jacques Gervais Subervie
May 6th, 1848 - June 29th, 1848: general Louis Eugene Cavaignac
June 29th, 1848 - December 20th, 1848: general Lamoricière
December 20th, 1848 - October 30th, 1849: general Rulhières
October 31st, 1849 - October 22nd, 1850: general D' Hautpoul
October 22nd, 1850 - January 24th, 1851: general Jean Paul Adam Schramm
April 10th, 1851 - October 4th, 1851: general Jacques Louis Randon

Second Empire

December 2nd, 1851 - March 11th, 1854: General Armand Jacques Leroy of Saint-Arnaud
March 11th, 1854 - May 5th, 1859: Marshal count Jean Valiant Philibert Baptist (1790-1872)
May 5th, 1859 - January 20th, 1867: Marshal count Jacques Louis Randon (1795-1871)
January 20th, 1867 - August 21st, 1869: Adolphe Niel (1802-1869)
August 21st, 1869 - July 20th, 1870: General Edmond the Ox (1809-1888)
July 20th, 1870 - August 9th, 1870: General Viscount Dejean (1807-1872) (by interim)
August 9th, 1870 - September 4th, 1870: General Charles Cousin-Montauban, count de Palikao

Third Republic

Ministers for the War:

February 11th, 1871 - June 5th, 1871: General Auguste Flo (1804-1887)
June 5th, 1871 - May 24th, 1873: General Ernest Courtot de Cissey (1810-1882)
May 25th, 1873 - November 24th, 1873: General of Barail (1820-1902)
November 26th, 1873 - May 16th, 1874: General of Barail (1820-1902)
May 22nd, 1874 - August 15th, 1876: General Ernest Courtot de Cissey
August 15th, 1876 - December 2nd, 1876: General Jean-Auguste Berthaut
December 12th, 1876 - May 16th, 1877: General Jean-Auguste Berthaut
May 17th, 1877 - November 19th, 1877: General Jean-Auguste Berthaut
November 23rd, 1877 - November 24th, 1877: General Gaetan de Grimaudet de Rochebouet (1813-1889)
December 13rd, 1877 - January 30th, 1879: General Borel
February 4th, 1879 - December 26th, 1879: General Gresley
December 28th, 1879 - September 19th, 1880: General Jean Joseph Frederic Albert Farre
September 23rd, 1880 - November 10th, 1880: General Jean Joseph Frederic Albert Farre
November 14th, 1880 - January 27th, 1882: General Jean-Baptist-Marie Campenon
January 30th, 1882 - July 29th, 1882: General Jean-Baptiste Block ((1828 -)
August 7th, 1882 - January 28th, 1883: General Jean-Baptiste Block
January 31st, 1883 - February 18th, 1883: General Jean Thibaudin (1822-1905)
February 21st, 1883 - October 9th, 1883: General Jean Thibaudin
October 9th, 1883 - January 3rd, 1885: General Jean-Baptist-Marie Campenon (1819 -)
January 3rd, 1885 - March 30th, 1885: General Lewal
April 6th, 1885 - December 29th, 1885: General Jean-Baptist-Marie Campenon
January 7th, 1886 - December 3rd, 1886: General Georges Baker
December 11th, 1886 - May 18th, 1887: General Georges Baker
May 30th, 1887 - December 4th, 1887: General Theophilus Ferron (1830-1894)
December 12th, 1887 - March 30th, 1888: General Logerot
April 3rd, 1888 - February 14th, 1889: Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet
February 22nd, 1889 - March 4th, 1890: Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet
March 17th, 1890 - February 19th, 1892: Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet
February 27th, 1892 - November 28th, 1892: Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet
December 6th, 1892 - January 10th, 1893: Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet
January 11th, 1893 - March 30th, 1893: General Loizillon
April 4th, 1893 - November 25th, 1893: General Loizillon
December 3rd, 1893 - May 23rd, 1894: General Auguste Mercier
May 30th, 1894 - June 27th, 1894: General Auguste Mercier
July 1st, 1894 - January 15th, 1895: General Auguste Mercier
January 28th, 1895 - October 28th, 1895: General Emile Zurlinden
November 1st, 1895 - April 23rd, 1896: Godefroy Cavaignac
April 29th, 1896 - June 15th, 1898: General Jean-Baptiste Block
June 28th, 1898 - September 5th, 1898: Godefroy Cavaignac
September 5th, 1898 - September 17th, 1898: General Emile Zurlinden
September 17th, 1898 - October 26th, 1898: General Jules Canon
November 1st, 1898 - May 6th, 1899: Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet
May 6th, 1899 - June 12th, 1899: Camille Krantz
June 22nd, 1899 - May 29th, 1900: General marquis Gaston de Galliffet (1830-1909)
May 29th, 1900 - June 4th, 1902: General Louis Joseph Andre (1838-1913)
June 7th, 1902 - November 15th, 1904: General Louis-Joseph Andre (1838-1913)
November 15th, 1904 - January 18th, 1905: Henri Maurice Berteaux
January 24th, 1905 - November 12th, 1905: Henri Maurice Berteaux
November 12th, 1905 - March 9th, 1906: Eugene Etienne
March 14th, 1906 - October 19th, 1906: Eugene Etienne
October 25th, 1906 - July 20th, 1909: General Georges Picquart
July 24th, 1909 - November 2nd, 1910: General Brown Jean
November 3rd, 1910 - February 23rd, 1911: Brown Jean general
February 23rd, 1911 - February 27th, 1911: Aristide Briand (by interim)
March 2nd, 1911 - May 27th, 1911: Henri Maurice Berteaux
May 27th, 1911 - June 23rd, 1911: General François Goiran
June 27th, 1911 - January 11th, 1912: Adolphe Messimy (1869-1935)
January 14th, 1912 - January 12th, 1913: Alexandre Millerand
January 12th, 1913 - January 18th, 1913: Albert Lebrun
January 21st, 1913 - March 18th, 1913: Eugene Etienne
March 22nd, 1913 - December 2nd, 1913: Eugene Etienne
December 9th, 1913 - June 3rd, 1914: Joseph Noulens
June 9th, 1914 - June 13rd, 1914: Theophilus Delcassé
June 13rd, 1914 - August 26th, 1914: Adolphe Messimy
August 26th, 1914 - October 29th, 1915: Alexandre Millerand
October 29th, 1915 - March 16th, 1916: General Joseph Simon Gallieni (1849-1916)
March 16th, 1916 - December 12th, 1916: General Castlings
December 12th, 1916 - March 14th, 1917: General Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey (1854-1934)
March 15th, 1917 - March 18th, 1917: Rear-admiral Marie-Jean Lacaze (by interim)
March 20th, 1917 - September 7th, 1917: Paul Painlevé
September 12th, 1917 - November 13rd, 1917: Paul Painlevé
November 16th, 1917 - January 18th, 1920: Georges Clémenceau
January 20th, 1920 - December 16th, 1920: Andre Lefèvre (1869-1929)
December 16th, 1920 - January 16th, 1921: Flaminius Raiberti (1862-1929)
January 16th, 1921 - January 15th, 1922: Louis Barthou (1862-1934)
January 15th, 1922 - June 14th, 1924: Andre Maginot (1877-1932)
June 14th, 1924 - April 17th, 1925: Charles Nollet
April 17th, 1925 - October 29th, 1925: Paul Painlevé
October 29th, 1925 - November 28th, 1925: Edouard Daladier (1884-1970)
November 28th, 1925 -19 July 1926: Paul Painlevé
July 23rd, 1926 - July 26th, 1929: Paul Painlevé
July 29th, 1929 - October 22nd, 1929: Andre Maginot (1877-1932)
December 13rd, 1930 - January 27th, 1931: Louis Barthou
January 27th, 1931 - January 6th, 1932: Andre Maginot
January 14th, 1932 - February 20th, 1932: Andre Tardieu

Minister for National defense:

February 20th, 1932 - June 3rd, 1932: François Piétri (1882-1966)

Ministers for the War:

June 3rd, 1932 - December 14th, 1932: Joseph Paul-Boncour (1873-1972)
December 18th, 1932 - January 31st, 1933: Edouard Daladier
? January 31st, 1933 - January 30th, 1934: Edouard Daladier (to be checked)

Ministers for National defense and the War:

January 30th, 1934 - February 4th, 1934: Jean Fabry (1876-1968)
February 4th, 1934 - February 9th, 1934: Joseph Paul-Boncour

Ministers for the War:

February 9th, 1934 - November 8th, 1934: Philippe Pétain
November 8th, 1934 - June 7th, 1935: Louis Maurin (1869-1956)
June 7th, 1935 - January 24th, 1936: Jean Fabry
January 24th, 1936 - June 4th, 1936: Louis Maurin (2èm time)

Ministers for National defense and the War:

June 4th, 1936 - ......... 1937: Edouard Daladier
......... 1937 - ......... 1938: Edouard Daladier
April 10th, 1938 - May 18th, 1940: Edouard Daladier
May 18th, 1940 - June 16th, 1940: Paul Reynaud

Minister for National defense:

June 16th, 1940 - July 11th, 1940: Maxime Weygand

and Minister for the War:

June 16th, 1940 - July 11th, 1940: Louis Colson (last Minister for IIIe Republic)

Mode of Vichy

Minister for National defense 8/11/1941 - 4/18/1942: Admiral François Darlan

Fourth Republic

Minister for the War:

September 10th, 1944 - November 21st, 1945: Andre Diethelm

Minister for the Armies:

November 21st, 1945 - June 24th, 1946: Edmond Michelet (1899-1970)

Ministers for National defense:

June 24th, 1946 - December 16th, 1946: Felix Gouin (1884-1977)
December 16th, 1946 - January 22nd, 1947: Andre To exchange It
January 22nd, 1947 - May 4th, 1947: François Billoux (1903-1978)
May 4th, 1947 - October 22nd, 1947: Yvon Delbos (by interim) (1885-1956)

Minister for the Army:

June 24th, 1946 - December 16th, 1946: Edmond Michelet

Minister for the War:

January 22nd, 1947 - October 22nd, 1947: Paul Coste-Floret (1911-1979)

Minister for the Navy:

January 22nd, 1947 - October 22nd, 1947: Louis Jacquinot (1898-1993)

Minister for the Air force:

January 22nd, 1947 - October 22nd, 1947: Andre Maroselli (1893-1970)

Ministers for National defense:

October 22nd, 1947 - July 26th, 1948: Pierre-Henri Teitgen (1908-1997)
July 26th, 1948 - September 11th, 1948: Rene Mayer (1895-1972)
September 11th, 1948 - October 28th, 1949: Paul Ramadier (1888-1961)
October 28th, 1949 - July 12th, 1950: Rene Pleven (1901-1993)
July 12th, 1950 - August 11th, 1951: Jules Moch (1893-1985)
August 11th, 1951 - March 8th, 1952: Georges Bidault (1899-1983)
March 8th, 1952 - January 8th, 1953: Rene Pleven

Ministers for National defense and the Armed forces:

January 8th, 1953 - June 19th, 1954: Rene Pleven
June 19th, 1954 - August 14th, 1954: Pierre Koenig (1898-1970)
August 14th, 1954 - January 20th, 1955 Emmanuel Temple (1895-1988) - By interim until September 3rd, 1954

Minister for National defense:

January 20th, 1955 - February 23rd, 1955: Jacques Knight (1882-1962)

Minister for the Armed forces:

January 20th, 1955 - February 23rd, 1955: Maurice Bourges-Maunoury (1914-1993)

Ministers for National defense and the Armed forces:

February 23rd, 1955 - October 6th, 1955: Pierre Kœnig
October 6th, 1955 - February 1st, 1956: Pierre Billotte (1906-1992)

Minister for National defense:

February 1st, 1956 - June 13rd, 1957: Maurice Bourges-Maunoury

Ministers for National defense and the Armed forces:

June 13rd, 1957 - November 6th, 1957: Andre Morice (1900-1990)
November 6th, 1957 - May 14th, 1958: Jacques Chaban-Delmas (1915-2000)

Minister for the Armed forces:

May 14th, 1958 - June 1st, 1958: Pierre de Chevigné (1909-2004)

Minister for National defense:

June 1st, 1958 - January 8th, 1959: Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970)

Minister for the Armies:

June 1st, 1958 - (February 5th) 1960: Pierre Guillaumat (1909-1991)

Fifth Republic

Minister for the Armies:

June 1st, 1958 - February 5th, 1960: Pierre Guillaumat (1909 - 1991)
February 5th, 1960 - June 22nd, 1969: Pierre Messmer (1916 - 2007)

Minister for National defense:

June 22nd, 1969 - April 4th, 1973: Michel Debré (1912 - 1996)

Minister for the Armies:

April 4th, 1973 - May 28th, 1974: Robert Galley (1921)

Ministers for Defense:

May 28th, 1974 - February 1st, 1975: Jacques Bellows (1912 - 1990)
February 1st, 1975 - October 2nd, 1980: Yvon Bourges (1921)
October 2nd, 1980 - December 14th, 1980: Joel Theule (1930 - 1980)
December 25th, 1980 - May 22nd, 1981: Robert Galley (1921)
May 22nd, 1981 - September 20th, 1985: Charles Hernu (1923 - 1990)
September 20th, 1985 - March 20th, 1986: Paul Quilès (1942)
March 20th, 1986 - May 12th, 1988: Andre Giraud (1925 - 1997)
May 12th, 1988 - January 29th, 1991: Jean-Pierre Chevènement (1939)
January 29th, 1991 - March 9th, 1993: Pierre Joxe (1934)
March 9th, 1993 - March 29th, 1993: Pierre Bérégovoy (1925 - 1993)
March 29th, 1993 - May 18th, 1995: François Léotard (1942)
May 18th, 1995 - June 3rd, 1997: Charles Million (1945)
June 3rd, 1997 - May 7th, 2002: Alain Richard (1945)
May 7th, 2002 - May 15th, 2007: Michele Alliot-Marie (1946)
May 18th, 2007: Herve Morin (1961)

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