In the Holy Roman Empire, there was a college of councils in many territories, which were directly subordinate to the sovereign and under whose chairmanship the affairs of the country were discussed, in particular about the enactment of laws and regulations.
[1] In times when the reigning duke was a minor, a so-called privy council received supervision of the central authorities, as was the case with the death of Johann Friedrich in 1628.
After the turmoil of the Thirty Years' War, the Chancellery Order of 1660 stipulated that the Privy Council was only responsible to the Duke.
The Privy Council consisted of the Landhofmeister (state steward), the chancellor and three other heads of the central authorities.
[2] With the establishment of the Kingdom of Württemberg, Frederick I dissolved these councils and replaced them with the Ministry of State, consisting of the departments of Foreign Affairs, War, the Interior, Finance, Justice, and Public Worship and Education.