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 (around Gex). Its territory corresponded with the present Swiss canton of Geneva and parts of the present French departments of Ain and Haute-Savoie.
Department of Léman Département du Léman (French) | |||||||||
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1798–1813 | |||||||||
![]() Léman and other departments | |||||||||
Status | Department of the French First Republic and the French First Empire | ||||||||
Chef-lieu | Geneva 46°12′N 6°09′E / 46.2°N 6.15°E | ||||||||
Official languages | French | ||||||||
Historical era | French Revolutionary Wars | ||||||||
• Annexation of the Republic of Geneva | 13 December 1798 | ||||||||
• Genevian restoration | 31 December 1813 | ||||||||
Area | |||||||||
1804[1] | 2,800 km2 (1,100 sq mi) | ||||||||
Population | |||||||||
• 1804[2] | 215,884 | ||||||||
• 1812[1] | 210,478 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Today part of |
The Chef-lieu of the department was Genève. The department was subdivided into the following three arrondissements and cantons:[1]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Blason_ville_fr_Gen%C3%A8ve-Empire.svg/100px-Blason_ville_fr_Gen%C3%A8ve-Empire.svg.png)
- Genève: Carouge, Chêne-Thônex, Collonge, Frangy, Genève (3 cantons), Gex, Reignier and Saint-Julien.
- Bonneville: Bonneville, Chamonix, Cluses, Megève, La Roche, Sallanches, Samoëns, Taninges and Viuz-en-Sallaz.
- Thonon: Douvaine, Évian, Saint-Jean-d'Aulps and Thonon.
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 area around Gex returned to the department of Ain.
Administration
editPrefects
editThe Prefect was the highest state representative in the department.
Term start | Term end | Office holder |
---|---|---|
2 March 1800[3] | 10 December 1802 | Ange Marie d'Eymar |
10 December 1802[4] | 30 November 1810 | Claude Ignace Brugière de Barante |
30 November 1810[5] | 5 January 1814 | Guillaume Antoine Benoît Capelle |
5 January 1814[6] | Not installed | Louis Toussaint de La Moussaye |
Secretary-General
editThe 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
editTerm start | Term end | Office holder |
---|---|---|
1 August 1800[7] | 12 June 1811 | Joseph Marie Gavard |
12 June 1811[7] | 31 December 1813 | Gavard Fils |
26 December 1811[7] | 31 December 1813 | Jean Baptiste Rogniat |
Subprefects of Genève
editThe office of Subprefect of Genève was held by the Prefect until 1811.
Term start | Term end | Office holder |
---|---|---|
14 January 1811[7] | 7 May 1812 | Bouthillier de Beaumont |
7 May 1812[7] | 31 December 1813 | Jean Baptiste Bourgeois de Jessaint |
Subprefects of Thonon
editTerm start | Term end | Office holder |
---|---|---|
5 April 1800[7] | 1 October 1804 | François Plagnat |
1 October 1804[7] | 31 December 1813 | Joseph Jérôme Milliet |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Almanach Impérial. Imprimerie de Sa Majesté. 1812. p. 418.
- ^ Prudhomme, Louis Marie (1804). Dictionnaire universel, géographique, statistique, historique et politique de la France. Baudouin. p. 147.
- ^ Archives Nationales. "EYMAR, Ange Marie d'". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ Archives Nationales. "BRUGIÈRE DE BARANTE, Claude Ignace". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ Archives Nationales. "CAPELLE, Guillaume Antoine Benoît". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ Archives Nationales. "DE LA MOUSSAYE, Louis Toussaint". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ 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.