In gauge control during the rolling of a metal material, it is ensured that periodic disturbances which are caused by roll eccentricity and the like are appropriately reduced, and furthermore, that also in the rolling of an extreme leading end of a rolled material, highly accurate gauge control can be realized. A control apparatus of a rolling mill includes load top/bottom distribution means which distributes loads as a top side load and a bottom side load, load top/bottom variation identification means which identifies load variation components occurring in connection with a rotational position of rolls from the top side load and the bottom side load, and top/bottom identified load variation storage means which stores, for each rotational position of rolls, a top side variation component and a bottom side variation component of the load in a kiss-roll condition which are identified by the load top/bottom variation identification means. Manipulated variable computation means computes a roll gap instruction value on the basis of the top side variation component and the bottom side variation component of the rolling load which are identified by the load top/bottom variation identification means, as well as the top side variation component and the bottom side variation component of the load in a kiss-roll condition which are stored in the top/bottom identified load variation storage means.