Léman (department)

Department of Léman
Département du Léman (French)
1798–1814
Location of Léman in France (1812)
Location of Léman in France (1812)
StatusDepartment of the French First Republic and the French First Empire
Chef-lieuGeneva
46°12′N 6°09′E / 46.2°N 6.15°E / 46.2; 6.15
Official languagesFrench
History 
• Annexation of the Republic of Geneva
23 April 1798
• Established
25 August 1798
• Restoration of the Republic of Geneva
31 December 1813
• Disestablished
1814
Area
1804[1]2,800 km2 (1,100 sq mi)
Population
• 1804[2]
215,884
• 1812[1]
210,478
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Republic of Geneva
Restoration and Regeneration in Switzerland
Today part of

Léman (French: [lemɑ̃]) was a department of the French First Republic and French First Empire. Its name came from the French name of Lake Geneva, Lac Léman. It was formed in 1798, when the Republic of Geneva was annexed by the French Republic. Léman also included districts that were previously part of the departments of Mont-Blanc (northern Savoy) and Ain (the Pays de Gex). Its territory corresponded with the present Swiss canton of Geneva and parts of the present French departments of Ain and Haute-Savoie.

Map of the department of Léman

The Chef-lieu of the department was Geneva. The department was subdivided into the following three arrondissements and cantons:[1]

Coat of arms of the city of Geneva under the French Empire

After the final defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the former Republic of Geneva became a Swiss canton, and Savoy was returned to the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Pays de Gex returned to the department of Ain except for six communes (Pregny, Collex-Bossy, Grand-Saconnex, Vernier, Meyrin and Versoix), which were ceded to the Canton of Geneva.[3]

Administration

Prefects

The Prefect was the highest state representative in the department.

Term start Term end Office holder
2 March 1800[4] 10 December 1802 Ange Marie d'Eymar
10 December 1802[5] 30 November 1810 Claude Ignace Brugière de Barante
30 November 1810[6] 5 January 1814 Guillaume Antoine Benoît Capelle
5 January 1814[7] Not installed Louis Toussaint de La Moussaye

Secretary-General

The Secretary-General was the deputy to the Prefect.

Term start Term end Office holder
2 March 1800 ?? ?? 1802 Cornuaud
?? ?? 1803 ?? ?? 1811 Étienne Charles Garnier
?? ?? 1811 31 December 1813 J.J. Councler

Subprefects of Bonneville

Term start Term end Office holder
1 August 1800[8] 12 June 1811 Joseph Marie Gavard
12 June 1811[8] 31 December 1813 Gavard Fils
26 December 1811[8] 31 December 1813 Jean Baptiste Rogniat

Subprefects of Genève

The office of Subprefect of Genève was held by the Prefect until 1811.

Term start Term end Office holder
14 January 1811[8] 7 May 1812 Bouthillier de Beaumont
7 May 1812[8] 31 December 1813 Jean Baptiste Bourgeois de Jessaint

Subprefects of Thonon

Term start Term end Office holder
5 April 1800[8] 1 October 1804 François Plagnat
1 October 1804[8] 31 December 1813 Joseph Jérôme Milliet

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Almanach Impérial. Imprimerie de Sa Majesté. 1812. p. 418.
  2. ^ Prudhomme, Louis Marie (1804). Dictionnaire universel, géographique, statistique, historique et politique de la France. Baudouin. p. 147.
  3. ^ {[HDS|30186|Treaties of Paris|author=Paul Guichonnet|date=29 August 2005}}
  4. ^ Archives Nationales. "EYMAR, Ange Marie d'". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  5. ^ Archives Nationales. "BRUGIÈRE DE BARANTE, Claude Ignace". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  6. ^ Archives Nationales. "CAPELLE, Guillaume Antoine Benoît". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  7. ^ Archives Nationales. "DE LA MOUSSAYE, Louis Toussaint". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Tulard, Jean & Marie-José (2014). Napoléon et 40 millions de sujets: La centralisation et le premier empire. p. 212. ISBN 9791021001480.