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Marlborough (JOHN CHURCH- ILL DUKE)

JOHN CHURCH- ILL, DUKE OF, an English soldier and statesman; born in Ashe, Devonshire, England, June 24, 1650. He was the son JOHN CHURCHILL, DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH of Sir Winston Churchill, a devoted adherent of Charles I. After receiving a defective education he was placed, at the age of 12, as page in the household of the Duke of York. Continuing in the MARLOWE service of the Duke of York, Churchill married, about 1680, the beautiful and accomplished Sarah Jennings, favorite of the Princess (afterward Queen) Anne.

At the revolution Churchill entered the service of the Prince of Orange. He was created Earl of Marlborough and privy councillor. In 1689 he received the command of the English forces in the Netherlands, and after a brief service in Ireland was recalled to Flanders in 1691. Suspected of a traitorous correspondence with James II., he was deprived of his command and imprisoned in the Tower; and though shortly released was not re- On the breaking out of the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1700, he received the chief command of the forces in the United Provinces, and was named ambassador to France. As commander-inchief of the allied forces he took several places in the Netherlands in 1702; for which exploits he was made duke. With the Imperialists, under Prince Eugène gained the victory of Blenheim in 1704, for which a sum was voted to build him the palace of Blenheim on the demesne of Woodstock, which had been bestowed on him by Queen Anne. Marlborough afterward defeated Marshal Villeroi at Ramillies in 1706, and closed the brilliant series of his victories by those of Oudenarde in 1708, and Malplaquet in 1709. He became unpopular for political and personal reasons, and in 1712 he went abroad with his duchess, who had also been displaced at court. Returning in 1714, George I. restored him to his office, but he was soon after compelled by an attack of apoplexy to withdraw from public life, and he died at Windsor Lodge, June 16, 1722. stored to the favor of the king till 1697.