President of the Confederate States of America

President of the Confederate States
Seal of the Confederate States
Only officeholder Jefferson Davis February 18, 1861 – May 5, 1865 Provisional: February 18, 1861 – February 22, 1862
Style	His Excellency
Type	Head of state Head of government
Residence	Executive Mansion, Montgomery, Alabama (1861) Executive Mansion, Richmond, Virginia (1861–1865)
Seat	Alabama State Capitol, Montgomery, Alabama (1861) President's Office, Custom House, Richmond, Virginia (1861–1865) Sutherlin House, Danville, Virginia (1865)
Appointer	Congress (provisional) Electoral College (permanent)
Term length	One year (provisional) Six years (permanent)
Constituting instrument	Constitution of the Confederate States
Formation	February 18, 1861 (provisional) February 22, 1862 (permanent)
First holder	Jefferson Davis
Final holder	Jefferson Davis
Abolished	May 5, 1865
Salary	CS$25,000 per year

The president of the Confederate States was the head of state and head of government of the Confederate States. The president was the chief executive of the federal government and commander-in-chief of the Confederate Army and Navy.^[1]

Article II of the Constitution of the Confederate States vested executive power of the Confederacy in the president. The power included execution of law, along with responsibility for appointing executive, diplomatic, regulatory and judicial officers, and concluding treaties with foreign powers with the advice and consent of the senate. He was further empowered to grant reprieves and pardons, and convene and adjourn either or both houses of Congress under extraordinary circumstances.^[1]

The president was indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a six-year term, and was one of only two nationally elected Confederate officers, the other being the vice president. On February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis became president of the provisional government, as well as the only person to assume the position. On February 22, 1862, he became president of the permanent government and served in that capacity until the Confederacy's military collapse. The Confederate States cabinet declared the Confederacy dissolved May 5, 1865, after which Davis stopped attempting to exercise his office's powers and duties. May 5 is therefore generally considered to be the day the Confederate States of America (and its presidency) were formally abolished. Davis himself was captured by elements of the United States Cavalry five days later.^[2]