Senate of Finland

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Senate Square in central Helsinki

The Senate of Finland (Finnish: Suomen senaatti, Swedish: Senaten för Finland) combined the functions of cabinet and supreme court in the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1816 to 1917 and in the independent Finland from 1917 to 1918.[1][2]

The body that would become the Senate was established on August 18, 1809, when Tsar Alexander I of Russia summoned the Diet of Porvoo and directed the Diet to draw up regulations for a Government Council.[3][4] In 1816, Alexander renamed this body the Senate to demonstrate that it was equal to rather than inferior to its Russian equivalent.[5]

Plaque used by the Senate of Finland in Vaasa during the Finnish Civil War, located in the Ostrobothnian Museum.

The Senate was headed by the Governor-General of Finland. The members of the Senate had to be Finnish citizens.[3] The Senate was divided into the economic division and the judicial division. In 1822 both divisions were given a Finnish vice-chairman. From 1858 and onwards the members of the senate were formally known as senators. After the February Revolution in Russia the Vice Chairman of the Economic Division became the Chairman of the Senate. Due to the Civil War in 1918 the Senate was relocated to the town of Vaasa from January 29 to May 3.

In 1918 the economic division became the

ministers
. Finland became a republic in 1919.

Vice Chairman of the Economic Division (1822–1917)

Count Carl Erik Mannerheim (1759–1837), technically the first "Prime Minister of Finland", has later also become known as great grandfather of Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (President of Finland 1944–1946).[6]

Chairmen of the Senate (1917–1918)

See also

References

  1. ^ Eerola, Esko. "Keisarillisen Suomen Senaatti". Eskoff. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Valtioneuvoston historiaa". Valtioneuvosto. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. ^
  4. ^ Titus Hjelm & George Maude: Historical Dictionary of Finland, p. 296.
  5. ^ Mannerheimin syntymästä 149 vuotta (in Finnish)