Northern Department


The Northern Department was a department of the government of the Kingdom of England from 1660 to 1707 and later the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 until 1782 when its functions were reorganised into the new Home Office and Foreign Office.

History

The department was responsible for dealing with government business in the northern part of Europe. This included foreign affairs concerning such northern powers as Russia, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire. It was administered by the Secretary of State for the Northern Department.
The Northern Department's opposite number within government was the Southern Department, responsible for affairs in southern Europe as well as domestic and colonial affairs.
In 1782, the Northern and Southern Departments were reorganized, with the Foreign Office taking over their foreign affairs responsibilities and the Home Office taking over their domestic affairs responsibilities.