Secret Council (Jülich-Berg)

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The Secret Council in the Duchies of Jülich and Berg was an influential body with government and judicial functions in the two duchies, which were connected in personal union and were based in Düsseldorf . It is comparable to the privy councils in other territories of the Holy Roman Empire .

In 1609, Duke Wolfgang Wilhelm created the Jülich-Bergischer Hofrat. This college, made up of nobles who had the trust of the duke, formed - together with the duke - the government and the supreme court of the double duchy. The re-establishment was related to the duke's conflicts with the estates . These had had a considerable influence on the country chancellery, which had existed since the 16th century, the predecessor body.

In 1668 the councilor was split up. In principle, the Hofrat became a court, while the newly formed Secret Council took on government duties. However, the separation of the judiciary from the administration had not yet been implemented consistently. Both bodies continued to deal with administrative and judicial matters. With an ordinance of March 10, 1693, the competencies were separated more clearly. The Councilor was now the court of second instance, and the Secret Council was entrusted with administrative tasks. In addition, the Secret Council was also an auditor against decisions of the Court Council (as far as the appeal was not directed to the Reich Chamber Court or the Reich Court Council ).

With the formation of the Jülich-Bergischer Higher Appeal Court in 1769, the Secret Council lost its last task in the judiciary, as it now became the last revision instance.

The Secret Council consisted of noble councils and learned councils. In addition to the secret council, there were other government bodies such as the secret tax council or the court chamber.

From 1799, the administrative reforms of Maximilian von Montgelas took place in the electorate . Since Düsseldorf was under French occupation from 1795 to 1804, the Secret Council under the Barmen trademark had evaded. Whether the state of war and the low factual influence, the community council of Montgelas was initially not touched. After returning to Düsseldorf, the Montgelas reforms also took hold in the Duchy of Berg (the Duchy of Jülich had been ceded to France in 1801). The Secret Council was dissolved and a provincial board of directors was replaced. This consisted of a president, to whom two collegially organized deputations were subordinate. The first deputation, consisting of a president and six councilors, succeeded the Privy Council. The second deputation succeeded the tax council and the court chamber.

Duke Maximilian Joseph von Pfalz-Zweibrücken , who later became King of Bavaria, the Duchy of Berg left his brother on November 30, 1803 Duke Wilhelm in Bavaria as alimony , but retained sovereignty. Maximilian deposed the state directorate and again introduced an electoral secret council. A ducal government exercised Wilhelm's rights. This government organization also had a short life. On March 15, 1806, King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria ceded his Duchy of Berg to Napoleon . The history of the Privy Council ended with the newly created Grand Duchy of Berg . With a decree of April 24, 1806, Grand Duke Joachim Murat dissolved the Privy Council. It met for the last time on April 12th.

Members

literature

  • Meent W. Francksen: State Council and Legislation in the Grand Duchy of Berg. Lang, Frankfurt am Main 1982, ISBN 3-8204-7124-3 , pp. 23-25, 28.