History glossary
prefects
centrally appointed officials who administered French departments on behalf of the state.
- Category
- Administrative office
- Region
- France
- Date range
- from 1800
What it means
Prefects were senior officials appointed by the central government to administer France's departments. Under Napoleon, they helped make local government more uniform by supervising taxation, policing, conscription, public order, and the transmission of state policy from Paris.
Related terms
Stories using this term
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