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$Visit home page WRITING BY J.K. ROWLING EXPLORE THE STORY FANTASTIC BEASTS CURSED CHILD FEATURES NEWS BOOK CLUB SORTING SHOP Ministers for Magic By J.K. Rowling Share via Facebook Share via Twitter The Ministry of Magic was formally established in 1707 with the appointment of the very first man to hold the title ‘Minister for Magic’, Ulick Gamp.* The Minister for Magic is democratically elected, although there have been times of crisis in which the post has simply been offered to an individual without a public vote (Albus Dumbledore was made such an offer, and turned it down repeatedly). There is no fixed limit to a Minister’s term of office, but he or she is obliged to hold regular elections at a maximum interval of seven years. Ministers for Magic tend to last much longer than Muggle ministers. Generally speaking, and despite many a moan and grumble, their community is behind them in a way that is rarely seen in the Muggle world. This is perhaps due to a feeling, on the part of wizards, that unless they are seen to manage themselves competently, the Muggles might try to interfere. The Muggle Prime Minister has no part in appointing the Minister for Magic, whose election is a matter only for the magical community themselves. All matters relating to the magical community in Britain are managed solely by the Minister for Magic, and he has sole jurisdiction over his Ministry. Emergency visits to the Muggle Prime Minister by the Minister for Magic are announced by a portrait of Ulick Gamp (first Minister for Magic) that hangs in the Muggle Prime Minister’s study in number 10 Downing Street. No Muggle Prime Minister has ever set foot in the Ministry of Magic, for reasons most succinctly summed up by ex-Minister Dugald McPhail (term of office 1858-1865): ‘Their puir wee braines couldnae cope wi’ it.’ Minister: Ulick Gamp Term of Office: 1707 - 1718 Previously head of the Wizengamot, Gamp had the onerous job of policing a fractious and frightened community adjusting to the imposition of the International Statute of Secrecy. His greatest legacy was to found the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Damocles Rowle 1718 - 1726 Rowle was elected on a platform of being ‘tough on Muggles’. Censured by the International Confederation of Wizards, he was eventually forced to step down. Perseus Parkinson 1726 - 1733 Attempted to pass a bill making it illegal to marry a Muggle. Misread the public mood; the wizarding community, tired of anti-Muggle sentiment and wanting peace, voted him out at the first opportunity. Eldritch Diggory 1733 - 1747 Popular Minister who first established an Auror recruitment programme. Died in office (dragon pox). Albert Boot 1747 - 1752 Likeable, but inept. Resigned after a mismanaged goblin rebellion. Basil Flack 1752 - 1752 Shortest serving Minister. Lasted two months; resigned after the goblins joined forces with werewolves. Hesphaestus Gore 1752 - 1770 Gore was one of the earliest Aurors. Successfully put down a number of revolts by magical beings, although historians feel his refusal to contemplate rehabilitation programmes for werewolves ultimately led to more attacks. Renovated and reinforced the prison of Azkaban. Maximilian Crowdy 1770 - 1781 Father of nine Crowdy was a charismatic leader who routed out several extremist pure-blood groups planning Muggle attacks. His mysterious death in office has been the subject of numerous books and conspiracy theories. Porteus Knatchbull 1781 - 1789 Was called in confidentially in 1782 by the Muggle Prime Minister of the day, Lord North, to see whether he could help with King George III’s emerging mental instability. Word leaked out that Lord North believed in wizards, and he was forced to resign after a motion of no confidence. Unctuous Osbert 1789 - 1798 Widely seen as too much influenced by pure-bloods of wealth and status. Artemisia Lufkin 1798 - 1811 First female Minister for Magic. Established Department of International Magical Co-operation and lobbied hard and successfully to have a Quidditch World Cup tournament held in$ By GLOBAL NETWORK