Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough
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Sarah Churchill Duchess of Marlborough (5 June 1660 (old style)
– 18 October 1744) rose to be one of the most influential women in British history as a result of her close friendship with Queen Anne of Great Britain
.
Sarah's friendship and influence with Princess Anne was widely known, and leading public figures often turned their attentions to her in the hope that she would influence Anne to comply with requests. As a result, by the time Anne became queen, Sarah’s knowledge of government, and intimacy with the Queen, allowed her to become a powerful friend and a dangerous enemy, the last in the long line of Stuart
favourite
s.
In an age when marriage was principally for money, not love, Sarah enjoyed an unusually close relationship with her husband, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
, whom she married in 1677. Sarah acted as Anne's agent after the latter's father, James II
, was deposed during the Glorious Revolution
; and she promoted her interests during the rule of James's successors, William III
and Mary II
. When Anne came to the throne after William's death in 1702, the Duke of Marlborough, together with Sidney Godolphin
, the first Earl of Godolphin
, rose to head the government, partly as a result of his wife's friendship with the queen. While the Duke was out of the country commanding troops in the War of the Spanish Succession
, Sarah kept him informed of court intrigue, while he sent her requests and political advice which she would then convey to the Queen. Sarah tirelessly campaigned on behalf of the Whigs
, while also devoting much of her time to building projects such as Blenheim Palace
. She died in 1744 at the age of eighty-four.
A strong-willed woman who liked to get her own way, Sarah tried the Queen's patience whenever she disagreed with her on political, court or church appointments. After her final break with Anne in 1711, she was dismissed from the court with her husband, but she returned to favour under the Hanoverians
after Anne's death. She had famous subsequent disagreements with many important people, including her daughter the second Duchess of Marlborough; the architect of Blenheim Palace, John Vanbrugh
; prime minister Robert Walpole
; King George II
; and his wife, Queen Caroline
. The money she inherited from the Marlborough trust
left her one of the richest women in Europe.
, St Albans
,
Hertfordshire
. She was the daughter of Richard Jennings (or Jenyns), a Member of Parliament
, and Frances Thornhurst. Her uncle (Martin Lister
) was a prominent naturalist. Richard Jennings came into contact with James, Duke of York
(the future James II
, brother of King Charles II
) in 1663, during negotiations for the recovery of an estate in Kent (Agney Court
) that had been the property of his mother-in-law, Susan Lister (nee Temple). James's first impressions were favourable, and in 1664 Sarah’s sister, Frances, was appointed maid of honour to the Duchess of York
, Anne Hyde
.
Although Frances was forced to give up the post because of her marriage to a Catholic, James did not forget the family, and in 1673 Sarah entered court as maid of honour to James’s second wife, Mary of Modena
.
Sarah became close to the young Princess Anne
in about 1675, and the friendship grew stronger as the two grew older. In late 1675, when she was still only fifteen, she and John Churchill
, began courting after having danced together at parties and balls. Churchill, who had previously been a lover of Charles II’s mistress, Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland
, had little to offer financially, as his estates were deeply in debt. Sarah had a rival for Churchill in Catherine Sedley, a wealthy mistress of James II and the choice of Churchill's father, Sir Winston Churchill
, who was anxious to restore the family's fortune. John may have hoped to take Sarah as a mistress in place of the Duchess of Cleveland, who had recently departed for France
, but surviving letters from Sarah to John show her unwillingness to assume that role.
In 1677, Sarah's brother Ralph died, and she and her sister, Frances, became co-heirs of the Jennings estates in Hertfordshire and Kent. John chose Sarah over Catherine Sedley, and they were secretly married in the winter of 1677.
They were both Protestants in a court that was predominantly Catholic, a belief which would later influence their political allegiances. Although no date was recorded, the marriage was announced only to the Duchess of York, and a small circle of friends, so that Sarah could keep her court position as Maid of Honour.
When she became pregnant, her marriage was announced publicly (on 1 October 1678), and Sarah retired from the court to give birth to her first child, Harriet, who died in infancy
. When the Duke of York went into self-imposed exile to Scotland
as a result of the furore surrounding the Popish Plot
, John and Sarah accompanied him, and Charles II rewarded John's loyalty by creating him Baron Churchill of Eyemouth
in Scotland, Sarah thus becoming Lady Churchill. The Duke of York returned to England
after the religious tension had eased, and Sarah was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber
to Anne after the latter's marriage in 1683.
was relatively successful; it was not expected that a Catholic king could assert control in a fiercely Protestant, anti-Catholic country. However, when James attempted to reform the national religion, popular discontent against him and his government became widespread. In 1688, a group of politicians known as the Immortal Seven invited Prince William of Orange
, husband of James's Protestant daughter Mary
, to invade England and remove James from power, though the plan became public knowledge very quickly. James still retained some influence, and he ordered that both Lady Churchill and Princess Anne be placed under house arrest
at Anne's residence (the Cockpit
) in the Palace of Whitehall
; both their husbands, though previously loyal to James, had switched their allegiances to William of Orange. Sarah, however, describes in her memoirs how the two easily escaped and fled to Nottingham
:
After this further disappointment, James fled the country. Although Sarah implied that she had encouraged the escape for the safety of Princess Anne, it is more likely that she was protecting herself and her husband. If James had defeated Prince William of Orange's
army, he could have imprisoned and even executed Lord and Lady Churchill for treason
. It is not likely that he would have subjected his daughter to such a fate.
Life for Sarah during the reign of William and Mary was difficult. Although the new King and Queen had awarded Sarah’s husband the title Earl of Marlborough, Sarah and John enjoyed considerably less favour than they had during the reign of James II. The new Earl of Marlborough had supported the now exiled James; and by this time Sarah’s influence on Anne, and her cultivation of high members of the government to promote Anne’s interests, was widely known. Mary II responded to this by demanding that Anne dismiss Sarah. However, Anne refused. This created a rift between Mary and Anne that never healed.
Other problems also emerged. In 1689, Anne's supporters (including the Marlboroughs and the Duke of Somerset
) demanded that she be granted a parliamentary annuity
of £50 000, a sum that would end her dependence on William and Mary. Sarah was seen as the driving force behind this bill, creating further ill-feeling towards her at court. William responded to the demand by offering the same sum from the Privy Purse
, to keep Anne dependent on his generosity. However, Anne, through Sarah, refused, pointing out that a parliamentary grant would be more secure than charity from the Privy Purse. Eventually Anne received the grant from parliament, and felt she owed this to Sarah's efforts.
Sarah's success as a leader of the opposition only intensified the Queen's animosity towards the Marlboroughs. Although she could not dismiss Sarah from Anne's service, Mary responded by evicting Sarah from her court lodgings at the Palace of Whitehall
. Anne responded by leaving the court as well, and Sarah and she went to stay with their friends Charles Seymour
, the sixth Duke of Somerset
, and Elizabeth, the Duchess of Somerset
at Syon House
. Anne continued to defy the Queen’s demand for Sarah’s dismissal, even though an incriminating document signed by the Earl of Marlborough supporting the recently exiled James II and his supporters
had been discovered. This document is likely to have been forged by Robert Young, a known forger and disciple of Titus Oates
; Oates was famous for stirring a strongly anti-Catholic atmosphere in England between 1679 and the early 1680s. The Earl was imprisoned in the Tower of London
. The loneliness Sarah suffered during these events drew her and Anne closer together.
Following the death of Mary II from smallpox
in 1694, William III restored Anne’s honours, in an effort to increase his popularity with the English, and provided her with apartments at St. James's Palace
. He also restored the Earl of Marlborough to all his offices and honours, and exonerated him from any past accusations. However, fearing Sarah’s powerful influence, William kept Anne out of government affairs, and he did not make her regent
in his absences though she was now his heir apparent
.
In 1702, King William III
died, and Anne became Queen. Anne immediately offered John Churchill a dukedom, which Sarah initially refused. Sarah was concerned that a dukedom would strain the family's finances; a ducal family at the time was expected to show off its rank through lavish entertainments. Anne countered by offering the Marlboroughs a pension
of £5000 a year, for life, from Parliament, as well as an extra £2000 a year from the Privy Purse
, and they accepted the Dukedom. Sarah was promptly created Mistress of the Robes
(the highest office in the royal court that could be held by a woman), Groom of the Stole
, Keeper of the Privy Purse
, and Ranger of Windsor Great Park
. The Duke accepted the Order of the Garter
, as well as the office of Captain-General of the army.
During much of Anne’s reign, the Duke of Marlborough was abroad fighting the War of the Spanish Succession
, while Sarah remained in England. Despite being the most powerful woman in England besides the Queen, she appeared at court only rarely, preferring to oversee the construction of her new estate, Woodstock
Manor
(the site of the later Blenheim Palace
), a gift from Queen Anne after the duke's victory at the Battle of Blenheim
. Nevertheless, Anne sent her news of political developments in letters and consulted Sarah's advice in most matters.
Sarah was famous for telling the Queen exactly what she thought, and did not offer her flattery. Anne and Sarah had invented petnames for themselves during their youths which they continued to use after Anne became queen: Mrs Freeman (Sarah) and Mrs Morley (Anne). Effectively a business manager, Sarah had control over the Queen's position, from her finances to people admitted to the royal presence.
, the third Earl of Sunderland
, be admitted into the Privy Council
. Sarah allied herself more strongly with the Whigs, who supported the Duke of Marlborough in the war; and the Whigs hoped to utilise Sarah's position as royal favourite. Anne refused to appoint Sunderland: she disliked the radical Whigs, whom she saw as a threat to her royal prerogative
. Sarah used her close friendship with the Earl of Godolphin, whom Anne trusted, to eventually secure such appointments, but continued to lobby Anne herself. She sent Whig reading materials to Anne in an attempt to win her over to her own preferred political party. In 1704, Anne confided to Lord Godolphin
that she did not think that she and Sarah could ever be true friends again.
Sarah's frankness and indifference for rank, so admired by Anne earlier in their friendship, was now seen to be intrusive. Unlike most women of the time–many of whom did not have influence with their own husbands–Sarah had a powerful intimacy with the two most powerful men in the country, Marlborough
and Godolphin
. Godolphin, though a great friend of Sarah's, had even considered refusing high office after Anne's accession, preferring to live quietly and away from the political side of Sarah, who was bossy, interfering, and presumed to tell him what to do when Marlborough was away. Sarah, although a woman in a man's world of national and international politics, was always ready to give her advice; express her opinions; antagonize with outspoken censure; and insist on having her say on every possible occasion. However, she had a charm and vivaciousness which was admired by many; and she could easily delight those she met with her wit.
Anne's apparent withdrawal of genuine affection occurred for a number of reasons. She was frustrated by Sarah's long absences from Court, and despite numerous letters from Anne to Sarah on this subject, Sarah rarely attended, and wrote her excuses in letters to Anne. There was also a political difference between them: Anne was a Tory
(the party known as the "Church party", religion being one of Anne's chief concerns), and Sarah was a Whig
(the party known to support Marlborough's wars). The Queen did not want this difference to come between them; but Sarah, always thinking of her husband, wanted Anne to give more support to the Whigs, which she was not prepared to do.
Sarah was called to Cambridge
in 1703, where her only surviving son, John, Marquess of Blandford, was taken ill with Smallpox
. The Duke of Marlborough was recalled from the war and was at his bedside when he died on 20 February 1703. Sarah was heartbroken over the loss of her son and became reclusive for a period, expressing her grief by closing herself off from Anne and either not answering her letters or doing so in a cold and formal manner. However, Sarah did not allow Anne to shut her out when Anne suffered bereavement. After the death of Anne's husband, Prince George of Denmark in 1708, Sarah arrived uninvited at Kensington Palace
to find Anne with the prince's body. She pressed the heartbroken Queen to move from Kensington to St James's Palace in London
, which Anne bluntly refused, and instead commanded Sarah to call Abigail Masham to attend her. Aware that Abigail was gaining more influence with Anne, Sarah disobeyed her, and instead scolded her for grieving over Prince George's death. Although Anne eventually submitted and allowed herself to be taken to St James's Palace, Sarah's insensitivity greatly offended her and added to the already significant strain on the relationship.
, and after a tenure of satisfactory service, Abigail was made a Lady of the Bedchamber
to Queen Anne in 1704. Sarah later claimed in her memoirs that she had raised Abigail "in all regards as a sister".
Abigail was also the second cousin of the Tory
leader, Robert Harley
, later first Earl of Oxford and Mortimer
. Flattering, subtle and retiring, Abigail was the complete opposite of Sarah, who was dominating, blunt and scathing. During Sarah’s frequent absences from court, Abigail and Anne grew close; Abigail was not only happy to give the Queen the kindness and compassion that Anne had longed for from Sarah, but she also never pressured the Queen about politics; Anne responded with pathos to her flattery and charm. She was present at Abigail’s secret wedding to Samuel Masham
, groom of the bedchamber to Prince George, in 1707, without Sarah’s knowledge.
Sarah was completely oblivious to any friendship between Anne and Abigail, and was therefore surprised when she discovered that Abigail frequently saw the Queen in private. Sarah found out about Abigail's marriage several months after it had occurred, and immediately went to see Anne – with the intention of informing her of the event. It was at this interview that Anne let slip that she had begged Abigail to tell Sarah of the marriage; Sarah became suspicious about what had really happened. After questioning servants and Royal Household
for a week about Abigail's marriage, Sarah discovered that Anne had been present and had given Abigail a dowry
of £2000 from the Privy Purse
. This proved Anne's duplicity to Sarah: as Keeper of the Privy Purse
, Sarah had been unaware of any such payment.
, with his ally Prince Eugene of Savoy
, won a great victory at the Battle of Oudenarde
. On the way to the thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral
, Sarah engaged in a furious argument with Anne about the jewels Anne wore to the service, and showed her a letter from the Duke of Marlborough which expressed hope that the Queen would make good political use of the victory. The implication that she should publicly express her support for the Whigs offended her; and at the service, Sarah told the Queen to "be quiet" after Anne continued the argument, thus offending the Queen still further. Anne wrote to Marlborough encouraging him not to let her rift with Sarah become public knowledge; but he could not prevent his wife's indiscretion. Sarah continued vehemently supporting the Whigs in writing and speaking to Anne, with the support of Godolphin and the other Whig ministers. The news of the public's support for the Whigs reached Marlborough in letters from Sarah and Godolphin, which influenced his political advice to the Queen. Anne, already in ill health, felt used and harassed and was desperate for escape. She found refuge in the gentle and quiet comfort of Abigail Masham.
Anne had explained before that she did not wish the public to know that her relationship with Sarah was failing, because any sign that Sarah was out of favour would have a damaging impact on the duke of Marlborough's authority as Captain-General. Sarah was kept in all of her offices–purely for the sake of her husband's position as Captain-General of the army–and the tension between the two women lingered on until early in 1711. This year was to see the end of their relationship for good.
Sarah had always been jealous of Anne's affection for Abigail Masham. Together with the Duke of Marlborough and most of the Whig party, she had tried to force Anne to dismiss her. All these attempts failed, even when Anne was threatened with an official parliamentary demand from the Whigs, who were suspicious of Abigail's Tory influence with Anne, for Abigail's dismissal. The whole scenario echoed Anne's refusal to give up Sarah during the reign of William and Mary; but the threat of Parliamentary interference exceeded anything tried against Anne in the 1690s. Anne was ultimately triumphant; she conducted interviews with high ranking politicians of both political parties and begged them "with tears in her eyes" to oppose the motion.
The passion she showed for Abigail, and the stubborn refusal to dismiss her, angered Sarah to the point that she implied that a lesbian
affair was taking place between the two women. During the mourning period for Anne's husband, Sarah was the only one who refused to wear suitable mourning clothes. This gave the impression that she did not consider Anne's grief over his death to be genuine. Eventually, as a result of mass support for peace in the War of the Spanish Succession
, Anne decided she no longer needed the Duke of Marlborough and took the opportunity to dismiss him on trumped-up charges of embezzlement
.
In January 1711, Sarah was stripped of the offices of Mistress of the Robes
and Groom of the Stole
and replaced by Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset
. Abigail was made Keeper of the Privy Purse
. This broke a promise Anne had made to distribute these court offices to Sarah's children.
The Marlboroughs also lost state funding for Blenheim Palace
, and the building came to a halt for the first time since it was begun in 1705. Now in disgrace, they left England and travelled Europe. As a result of his success in the War of the Spanish Succession, the Duke of Marlborough was a favourite among the German courts and with the Holy Roman Empire, and the family was received in those places with full honours.
Sarah, however, did not like being away from England, and often complained that they were received with full honours in Europe, but were in disgrace at home. Sarah found life travelling the royal courts difficult, remarking that they were full of dull company. She took the waters at Aix-la-Chapelle in Germany
on account of her ill health, corresponded with those in England who could supply her with political gossip, and indulged in her fascination with Catholicism
.
Sarah and the Queen never made up their differences, although one eyewitness claimed to have heard Anne asking whether the Marlboroughs had reached the shore, leading to rumours that she had called them home herself. Queen Anne
died on 1 August 1714 at Kensington Palace
; the Protestant Whig Privy Councillors had insisted on their right to be present, preventing Henry St. John, the first Viscount Bolingbroke
from declaring for the Pretender, James Francis Edward Stuart
. The Marlboroughs returned home on the afternoon of Anne's death. The Act of Settlement
of 1701 ensured a Protestant succession by passing over more than fifty stronger Roman Catholic
claimants and proclaiming Georg Ludwig, Elector of Hanover (the great grandson of James I
through his mother Sophia of Hanover
), King George I of Great Britain
.
The new reign was supported by the Whigs
, who were mostly staunch Protestants. The Tories
were suspected of supporting the Catholic Pretender James Francis Edward Stuart
. George I rewarded the Whigs by forming a Whig government; at his welcome in Queen's House
at Greenwich
, he conversed with the Whigs but not with the Tories. Sarah approved of his choice of Whig ministers.
King George also had a personal friendship with the Marlboroughs; the Duke of Marlborough
had fought with him in the War of the Spanish Succession
, and John and Sarah made frequent visits to the Hanoverian court during their effective exile from England. George's first words to Marlborough as King of Great Britain were, “My lord Duke, I hope your troubles are now over;” Marlborough was restored to his old office of Captain-General of the Army.
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Sarah was relieved to move back to England. The Duke of Marlborough became one of the king's close advisers, and Sarah moved back into Marlborough House
, where she flaunted her eldest granddaughter, Lady Henrietta Godolphin, in the hope of finding a suitable marriage partner
. Henrietta eventually married Thomas Pelham-Holles
, first Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
, in April 1717, and the rest of Sarah's grandchildren went on to make successful marriages.
However, Sarah's concern for her grandchildren briefly came to a halt when her husband had two strokes in 1716, the second of which left him speechless. Sarah spent much of her time with him, accompanying him to Tunbridge Wells
and Bath, and he recovered shortly afterwards. Even after his recovery, Sarah opened his correspondence and filtered the letters Marlborough received, lest their contents precipitate another stroke.
Sarah's relationship with her children was strained. Although she had a good relationship with her daughter, Anne Spencer
, she became estranged from her daughters Henrietta, Elizabeth and Mary. After Elizabeth's death from smallpox in 1714, Sarah wrote to Robert Jennings (a friend and distant relation): “All the arguments I can possibly think of can't hinder me from lamenting as long as I live of what I had so much reason to love.” Similarly heartbroken when her favourite daughter Anne Spencer
died in 1716, Sarah kept her favourite cup, a lock of her hair, and adopted the Sunderlands' youngest child, Lady Diana
, who would later become her favourite granddaughter. Sarah's youngest daughter Mary, Duchess of Montagu, outlived her mother; the two never reconciled.
John Churchill
died at Windsor in 1722, and Sarah arranged a large funeral for him. Their daughter, Henrietta, became duchess in her own right. Sarah became one of the trustees of the Marlborough estate, and she used her business sense to distribute the family fortune, including the income for her daughter Henrietta.
Sarah’s personal income was now considerable, and she used the money to invest in land; she believed this would protect her from currency devaluation. The dowager duchess
purchased Wimbledon
in 1723, and rebuilt the manor house
. Her wealth was so considerable that Sarah hoped to marry her granddaughter, Lady Diana Spencer
, to Frederick, Prince of Wales
, for which she would pay a massive dowry
of £100,000. However, Robert Walpole
, the First Lord of the Treasury
(effectively the same as today's Prime Minister
) vetoed the plan. Walpole, although a Whig, had alienated Sarah by supporting peace in Europe; she was also suspicious of his financial probity; and Walpole, in turn, mistrusted Sarah. Despite this, good relations with the royal family continued, and Sarah was occasionally invited to court by Queen Caroline
, who attempted to cultivate her friendship.
The Duchess of Marlborough was a capable business manager, unusual in a period when women were excluded from most things outside the management of their household. Her friend Arthur Maynwaring wrote that she was more capable of business than any man. Although she never came to like Blenheim Palace
– describing it as “that great heap of stones” – she became more enthusiastic about its construction and wrote to the Duke of Somerset
about the new waterworks: “I believe it will be beautiful. The Canal and Bason (which is already don[e]) look very fine. There is to be a lake & a cascade ... which I think will bee[sic] a great addition to the place”.
The Duchess of Marlborough fought against anything she thought was undue extravagance. She wrote to the Duke of Somerset, "I have reduced the stables to one third of what was intended by Sir John [Vanbrugh] yet I have room for fine horses." She allowed only two features of extravagance: the Marlboroughs' tomb in the Blenheim chapel, designed by William Kent
; and the Doric Column of Victory in the park designed by Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke
, and finished by Roger Morris. The latter rose to a height of 130 feet (39.6 m), complete with fine embellishments. The Duchess carefully monitored the construction of all Blenheim's features, and she fell out with anyone who did not do exactly what she wanted.
These detailed inspections extended to her smaller land purchases. After buying the Wimbledon estate (which she described as “upon clay, an ill sod, very damp and...an unhealthy place”), and Holdenby House
near Althorp
, she kept detailed accounts of her finances and expenditure, as well as a sharp look-out for any dishonesty in her agents.
Her friendship with Queen Caroline ended when Sarah refused the Queen access through her Wimbledon
estate, which resulted in the loss of her £500 income as Ranger of Windsor Great Park
. Sarah was also rude to King George II
–making it clear that he was "too much of a German"–which further alienated her from the court. Her persona non grata status at the Walpole-controlled court prevented her from suppressing the rise of the Tories
; Walpole's taxes and peace with Spain were deeply unpopular with ruling class English society, and the Tories were gaining much more support as a result.
Sarah never lost her good looks and, despite failing popularity, received many offers of marriage after the death of her husband, including one from her old enemy, Charles Seymour
, the sixth Duke of Somerset
. Ultimately, she decided against remarriage, preferring to keep her independence.
Sarah continued to appeal against court decisions which ruled that funding for Blenheim should come from the Marlboroughs' personal estate, and not the government. This made her unpopular; she could easily afford the payments herself. She was surprised by the grief she felt following the death of her eldest daughter in 1733, but continued to quarrel with her youngest daughter Mary, Duchess of Montagu. Sarah lived to see her enemy Robert Walpole
fall in 1742, and in the same year attempted to improve her reputation by approving a biographical publication titled An Account of the Dowager Duchess of Marlborough from her first coming to Court to the year 1710. She died of old age, at the age of eighty-four, on 18 October 1744, at Marlborough House
; she was buried at Blenheim
. Her husband’s body was exhumed from Westminster Abbey
and buried beside her.
Although the Duchess of Marlborough’s downfall is chiefly attributed to her selfish and self-serving relationship with Queen Anne
, she was a vibrant and intelligent woman, who loyally promoted Anne's interests when she was princess. Anne was a dull conversationalist and Sarah did not find her company stimulating. Sarah believed that she had a right to enforce her political advice, whether Anne personally liked it or not, and became angry if she stubbornly refused to take it.
Abigail Masham also played a key role in Sarah’s downfall. Modest and retiring, she actively promoted the Tory
policies of her cousin Robert Harley. Despite owing her position at court to the Duchess of Marlborough, Abigail soon became Sarah’s enemy, and supplanted her in Anne’s affections.
During her lifetime, Sarah drafted twenty-six wills
, the last of which was only written a few months before her death; and had purchased twenty-seven estates. With a wealth of over £4 million in land; £17,000 in rent rolls; and a further £12,500 in annuities, she made financial bequests to rising Whig
ministers such as William Pitt
, later the first Earl of Chatham
, and Philip Stanhope
, the fourth Earl of Chesterfield
. Although she left little to the poor and even less to charity, she left her servants annuities far above the average for the time: her favourite, Grace Ridley, received £16,000, equivalent to approximately £1.32 million in today's money.
Much of the money left after Sarah's numerous bequests was inherited by her grandson, John Spencer
, with the condition that he could not accept a political office under the government. He also inherited the remainder of Sarah's numerous estates, including Wimbledon
. Marlborough House
remained empty for fourteen years, with the exception of James Stephens, one of her executors, before it became the property of the Dukes of Marlborough upon Stephens's death. In 1817, it became a royal residence, and passed through members of the British royal family
until it became the Commonwealth Secretariat
in 1959. Wimbledon Park House succumbed to fire in 1785; and Holywell House
, Sarah's birthplace in St Albans
, was demolished in 1827. Today, much of St Albans is named after the Marlboroughs as a result of Sarah's influence.
Sarah died, in the words of Tobias Smollett
, “immensely rich and very little regretted, either by her own family or the world in general”, but her efforts to continue the Marlborough legacy cannot be ignored. Because of her influence, Sarah managed to marry off members of her family to England’s greatest aristocratic dynasties. Among the more famous descendants of the Marlboroughs are Winston Churchill
and Diana, Princess of Wales
.
:
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
– 18 October 1744) rose to be one of the most influential women in British history as a result of her close friendship with Queen Anne of Great Britain
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
.
Sarah's friendship and influence with Princess Anne was widely known, and leading public figures often turned their attentions to her in the hope that she would influence Anne to comply with requests. As a result, by the time Anne became queen, Sarah’s knowledge of government, and intimacy with the Queen, allowed her to become a powerful friend and a dangerous enemy, the last in the long line of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
s.
In an age when marriage was principally for money, not love, Sarah enjoyed an unusually close relationship with her husband, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
, whom she married in 1677. Sarah acted as Anne's agent after the latter's father, James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, was deposed during the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
; and she promoted her interests during the rule of James's successors, William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Mary II
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
. When Anne came to the throne after William's death in 1702, the Duke of Marlborough, together with Sidney Godolphin
Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin
Sir Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, KG, PC was a leading English politician of the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
, the first Earl of Godolphin
Earl of Godolphin
Earl of Godolphin was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1706 for Sidney Godolphin, 1st Baron Godolphin, the Lord High Treasurer. At the same time, he was created Viscount Rialton. In 1684 he had already been created Baron Godolphin, of Rialton, also in the Peerage of England...
, rose to head the government, partly as a result of his wife's friendship with the queen. While the Duke was out of the country commanding troops in the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, Sarah kept him informed of court intrigue, while he sent her requests and political advice which she would then convey to the Queen. Sarah tirelessly campaigned on behalf of the Whigs
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
, while also devoting much of her time to building projects such as Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
. She died in 1744 at the age of eighty-four.
A strong-willed woman who liked to get her own way, Sarah tried the Queen's patience whenever she disagreed with her on political, court or church appointments. After her final break with Anne in 1711, she was dismissed from the court with her husband, but she returned to favour under the Hanoverians
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
after Anne's death. She had famous subsequent disagreements with many important people, including her daughter the second Duchess of Marlborough; the architect of Blenheim Palace, John Vanbrugh
John Vanbrugh
Sir John Vanbrugh – 26 March 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse and The Provoked Wife , which have become enduring stage favourites...
; prime minister Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
; King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
; and his wife, Queen Caroline
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
. The money she inherited from the Marlborough trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
left her one of the richest women in Europe.
Early life
Sarah Jennings was born on 5 June 1660, probably at Holywell HouseHolywell House, Hertfordshire
Holywell House was a house in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England.The manor house was originally called Hallywell...
, St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
,
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. She was the daughter of Richard Jennings (or Jenyns), a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, and Frances Thornhurst. Her uncle (Martin Lister
Martin Lister
Martin Lister FRS was an English naturalist and physician.-Life:Lister was born at Radcliffe, near Buckingham, the son of Sir Martin Lister MP for Brackley in the Long Parliament and his wife Susan Temple daughter of Sir Alexander Temple. Lister was connected to a number of well known individuals...
) was a prominent naturalist. Richard Jennings came into contact with James, Duke of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
(the future James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, brother of King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
) in 1663, during negotiations for the recovery of an estate in Kent (Agney Court
The manor of Agney, Kent
The manor of Agney was an estate in Old Romney, Kent owned by the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral. The estate may have originated in the eighth century and for hundreds of years was leased to members of the same family, including Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough...
) that had been the property of his mother-in-law, Susan Lister (nee Temple). James's first impressions were favourable, and in 1664 Sarah’s sister, Frances, was appointed maid of honour to the Duchess of York
Duchess of York
Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. The title is gained with marriage alone and is forfeited upon divorce. Four of the twelve Dukes of York did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, therefore there have only ever been eleven...
, Anne Hyde
Anne Hyde
Anne Hyde was the first wife of James, Duke of York , and the mother of two monarchs, Mary II of England and Scotland and Anne of Great Britain....
.
Although Frances was forced to give up the post because of her marriage to a Catholic, James did not forget the family, and in 1673 Sarah entered court as maid of honour to James’s second wife, Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena was Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of King James II and VII. A devout Catholic, Mary became, in 1673, the second wife of James, Duke of York, who later succeeded his older brother Charles II as King James II...
.
Sarah became close to the young Princess Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
in about 1675, and the friendship grew stronger as the two grew older. In late 1675, when she was still only fifteen, she and John Churchill
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
, began courting after having danced together at parties and balls. Churchill, who had previously been a lover of Charles II’s mistress, Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland
Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland
Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland was an English courtesan and perhaps the most notorious of the many mistresses of King Charles II of England, by whom she had five children, all of which were acknowledged and subsequently ennobled...
, had little to offer financially, as his estates were deeply in debt. Sarah had a rival for Churchill in Catherine Sedley, a wealthy mistress of James II and the choice of Churchill's father, Sir Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill (1620-1688)
Sir Winston Churchill FRS , known as the Cavalier Colonel, was an English soldier, historian, and politician. He was the father of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, as well as a mixed-line ancestor of his 20th-century namesake, Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill.Churchill was the son of...
, who was anxious to restore the family's fortune. John may have hoped to take Sarah as a mistress in place of the Duchess of Cleveland, who had recently departed for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, but surviving letters from Sarah to John show her unwillingness to assume that role.
Marriage
They were both Protestants in a court that was predominantly Catholic, a belief which would later influence their political allegiances. Although no date was recorded, the marriage was announced only to the Duchess of York, and a small circle of friends, so that Sarah could keep her court position as Maid of Honour.
When she became pregnant, her marriage was announced publicly (on 1 October 1678), and Sarah retired from the court to give birth to her first child, Harriet, who died in infancy
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births. Traditionally, the most common cause worldwide was dehydration from diarrhea. However, the spreading information about Oral Re-hydration Solution to mothers around the world has decreased the rate of children dying...
. When the Duke of York went into self-imposed exile to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
as a result of the furore surrounding the Popish Plot
Popish Plot
The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy concocted by Titus Oates that gripped England, Wales and Scotland in Anti-Catholic hysteria between 1678 and 1681. Oates alleged that there existed an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II, accusations that led to the execution of at...
, John and Sarah accompanied him, and Charles II rewarded John's loyalty by creating him Baron Churchill of Eyemouth
Eyemouth
Eyemouth , historically spelt Aymouth, is a small town and civil parish in Berwickshire, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is east of the main north-south A1 road and just north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. It has a population of circa 3,420 people .The town's name comes from its location at...
in Scotland, Sarah thus becoming Lady Churchill. The Duke of York returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
after the religious tension had eased, and Sarah was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber
Lady of the Bedchamber
This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Lady of the Bedchamber in the British Royal Household...
to Anne after the latter's marriage in 1683.
Reign of James II (1685–1688)
The early reign of James IIJames II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
was relatively successful; it was not expected that a Catholic king could assert control in a fiercely Protestant, anti-Catholic country. However, when James attempted to reform the national religion, popular discontent against him and his government became widespread. In 1688, a group of politicians known as the Immortal Seven invited Prince William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, husband of James's Protestant daughter Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
, to invade England and remove James from power, though the plan became public knowledge very quickly. James still retained some influence, and he ordered that both Lady Churchill and Princess Anne be placed under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
at Anne's residence (the Cockpit
Cockpit-in-Court
The Cockpit-in-Court was an early theatre in London, located at the rear of the Palace of Whitehall, next to St...
) in the Palace of Whitehall
Palace of Whitehall
The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698 when all except Inigo Jones's 1622 Banqueting House was destroyed by fire...
; both their husbands, though previously loyal to James, had switched their allegiances to William of Orange. Sarah, however, describes in her memoirs how the two easily escaped and fled to Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
:
After this further disappointment, James fled the country. Although Sarah implied that she had encouraged the escape for the safety of Princess Anne, it is more likely that she was protecting herself and her husband. If James had defeated Prince William of Orange's
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
army, he could have imprisoned and even executed Lord and Lady Churchill for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
. It is not likely that he would have subjected his daughter to such a fate.
Unwanted servant: William III and Mary II
Other problems also emerged. In 1689, Anne's supporters (including the Marlboroughs and the Duke of Somerset
Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset
Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset , sometimes referred to as the "Proud Duke". The son of Charles Seymour, 2nd Baron Seymour of Trowbridge, and Elizabeth Alington , he succeeded his brother Francis Seymour, 5th Duke of Somerset, to the dukedom when the latter was shot in 1678...
) demanded that she be granted a parliamentary annuity
Life annuity
A life annuity is a financial contract in the form of an insurance product according to which a seller — typically a financial institution such as a life insurance company — makes a series of future payments to a buyer in exchange for the immediate payment of a lump sum or a series...
of £50 000, a sum that would end her dependence on William and Mary. Sarah was seen as the driving force behind this bill, creating further ill-feeling towards her at court. William responded to the demand by offering the same sum from the Privy Purse
Privy Purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's remaining private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £13.3 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2009. The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres held in trust for the Sovereign since 1399. It also has...
, to keep Anne dependent on his generosity. However, Anne, through Sarah, refused, pointing out that a parliamentary grant would be more secure than charity from the Privy Purse. Eventually Anne received the grant from parliament, and felt she owed this to Sarah's efforts.
Sarah's success as a leader of the opposition only intensified the Queen's animosity towards the Marlboroughs. Although she could not dismiss Sarah from Anne's service, Mary responded by evicting Sarah from her court lodgings at the Palace of Whitehall
Palace of Whitehall
The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698 when all except Inigo Jones's 1622 Banqueting House was destroyed by fire...
. Anne responded by leaving the court as well, and Sarah and she went to stay with their friends Charles Seymour
Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset
Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset , sometimes referred to as the "Proud Duke". The son of Charles Seymour, 2nd Baron Seymour of Trowbridge, and Elizabeth Alington , he succeeded his brother Francis Seymour, 5th Duke of Somerset, to the dukedom when the latter was shot in 1678...
, the sixth Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. Derived from Somerset, it is particularly associated with two families; the Beauforts who held the title from the creation of 1448 and the Seymours, from the creation of 1547 and in whose name the title is...
, and Elizabeth, the Duchess of Somerset
Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset
Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Somerset , major heiress, was born Lady Elizabeth Percy, the only surviving child of the 11th Earl of Northumberland and deemed Baroness Percy in her own right. She carried the earldom of Northumberland to her son Algernon...
at Syon House
Syon House
Syon House, with its 200-acre park, is situated in west London, England. It belongs to the Duke of Northumberland and is now his family's London residence...
. Anne continued to defy the Queen’s demand for Sarah’s dismissal, even though an incriminating document signed by the Earl of Marlborough supporting the recently exiled James II and his supporters
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
had been discovered. This document is likely to have been forged by Robert Young, a known forger and disciple of Titus Oates
Titus Oates
Titus Oates was an English perjurer who fabricated the "Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to kill King Charles II.-Early life:...
; Oates was famous for stirring a strongly anti-Catholic atmosphere in England between 1679 and the early 1680s. The Earl was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. The loneliness Sarah suffered during these events drew her and Anne closer together.
Following the death of Mary II from smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in 1694, William III restored Anne’s honours, in an effort to increase his popularity with the English, and provided her with apartments at St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces. It is situated in Pall Mall, just north of St. James's Park. Although no sovereign has resided there for almost two centuries, it has remained the official residence of the Sovereign and the most senior royal palace in the UK...
. He also restored the Earl of Marlborough to all his offices and honours, and exonerated him from any past accusations. However, fearing Sarah’s powerful influence, William kept Anne out of government affairs, and he did not make her regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
in his absences though she was now his heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
.
Power behind the throne: Queen Anne
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
died, and Anne became Queen. Anne immediately offered John Churchill a dukedom, which Sarah initially refused. Sarah was concerned that a dukedom would strain the family's finances; a ducal family at the time was expected to show off its rank through lavish entertainments. Anne countered by offering the Marlboroughs a pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
of £5000 a year, for life, from Parliament, as well as an extra £2000 a year from the Privy Purse
Privy Purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's remaining private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £13.3 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2009. The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres held in trust for the Sovereign since 1399. It also has...
, and they accepted the Dukedom. Sarah was promptly created Mistress of the Robes
Mistress of the Robes
The Mistress of the Robes is the senior lady of the British Royal Household. Formerly responsible for the Queen's clothes and jewellery, the post now has the responsibility for arranging the rota of attendance of the Ladies in Waiting on the Queen, along with various duties at State ceremonies...
(the highest office in the royal court that could be held by a woman), Groom of the Stole
Groom of the Stole
Groom of the Stole in the British Royal Household is a position dating from the Stuart era but which evolved from the earlier Groom of the Stool, an office in existence until the accession of Elizabeth I. The original nomenclature derived from the chair used in the performance of the function...
, Keeper of the Privy Purse
Keeper of the Privy Purse
The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom....
, and Ranger of Windsor Great Park
Ranger of Windsor Great Park
The office of Ranger of Windsor Great Park was established to oversee the protection and maintenance of the Great Park at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. The ranger has always been somebody close to the monarch....
. The Duke accepted the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, as well as the office of Captain-General of the army.
During much of Anne’s reign, the Duke of Marlborough was abroad fighting the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, while Sarah remained in England. Despite being the most powerful woman in England besides the Queen, she appeared at court only rarely, preferring to oversee the construction of her new estate, Woodstock
Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Woodstock is a small town northwest of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. It is the location of Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874 and is buried in the nearby village of Bladon....
Manor
Woodstock Palace
Woodstock Palace was a royal residence in the English town of Woodstock, Oxfordshire.Henry I of England built a hunting lodge here and in 1129 he built seven miles of walls to create the first enclosed park, where lions and leopards were kept. The lodge became a palace under Henry's grandson, Henry...
(the site of the later Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
), a gift from Queen Anne after the duke's victory at the Battle of Blenheim
Battle of Blenheim
The Battle of Blenheim , fought on 13 August 1704, was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. Louis XIV of France sought to knock Emperor Leopold out of the war by seizing Vienna, the Habsburg capital, and gain a favourable peace settlement...
. Nevertheless, Anne sent her news of political developments in letters and consulted Sarah's advice in most matters.
Sarah was famous for telling the Queen exactly what she thought, and did not offer her flattery. Anne and Sarah had invented petnames for themselves during their youths which they continued to use after Anne became queen: Mrs Freeman (Sarah) and Mrs Morley (Anne). Effectively a business manager, Sarah had control over the Queen's position, from her finances to people admitted to the royal presence.
Wavering influence
Anne, however, expected kindness and compassion from her closest friend. Sarah was not forthcoming in this regard and frequently overpowered and dominated Anne. One major political disagreement occurred when Sarah insisted that her son-in-law, Charles SpencerCharles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland
Sir Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland KG PC , known as Lord Spencer from 1688 to 1702, was an English statesman...
, the third Earl of Sunderland
Earl of Sunderland
Earl of Sunderland is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1627 in favour of Emanuel Scrope, 12th Baron Scrope of Bolton. The earldom became extinct on his death in 1630 while the barony became either extinct or dormant...
, be admitted into the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. Sarah allied herself more strongly with the Whigs, who supported the Duke of Marlborough in the war; and the Whigs hoped to utilise Sarah's position as royal favourite. Anne refused to appoint Sunderland: she disliked the radical Whigs, whom she saw as a threat to her royal prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
. Sarah used her close friendship with the Earl of Godolphin, whom Anne trusted, to eventually secure such appointments, but continued to lobby Anne herself. She sent Whig reading materials to Anne in an attempt to win her over to her own preferred political party. In 1704, Anne confided to Lord Godolphin
Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin
Sir Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, KG, PC was a leading English politician of the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
that she did not think that she and Sarah could ever be true friends again.
Clash of personalities
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
and Godolphin
Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin
Sir Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, KG, PC was a leading English politician of the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
. Godolphin, though a great friend of Sarah's, had even considered refusing high office after Anne's accession, preferring to live quietly and away from the political side of Sarah, who was bossy, interfering, and presumed to tell him what to do when Marlborough was away. Sarah, although a woman in a man's world of national and international politics, was always ready to give her advice; express her opinions; antagonize with outspoken censure; and insist on having her say on every possible occasion. However, she had a charm and vivaciousness which was admired by many; and she could easily delight those she met with her wit.
Anne's apparent withdrawal of genuine affection occurred for a number of reasons. She was frustrated by Sarah's long absences from Court, and despite numerous letters from Anne to Sarah on this subject, Sarah rarely attended, and wrote her excuses in letters to Anne. There was also a political difference between them: Anne was a Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
(the party known as the "Church party", religion being one of Anne's chief concerns), and Sarah was a Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
(the party known to support Marlborough's wars). The Queen did not want this difference to come between them; but Sarah, always thinking of her husband, wanted Anne to give more support to the Whigs, which she was not prepared to do.
Sarah was called to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
in 1703, where her only surviving son, John, Marquess of Blandford, was taken ill with Smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. The Duke of Marlborough was recalled from the war and was at his bedside when he died on 20 February 1703. Sarah was heartbroken over the loss of her son and became reclusive for a period, expressing her grief by closing herself off from Anne and either not answering her letters or doing so in a cold and formal manner. However, Sarah did not allow Anne to shut her out when Anne suffered bereavement. After the death of Anne's husband, Prince George of Denmark in 1708, Sarah arrived uninvited at Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and...
to find Anne with the prince's body. She pressed the heartbroken Queen to move from Kensington to St James's Palace in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, which Anne bluntly refused, and instead commanded Sarah to call Abigail Masham to attend her. Aware that Abigail was gaining more influence with Anne, Sarah disobeyed her, and instead scolded her for grieving over Prince George's death. Although Anne eventually submitted and allowed herself to be taken to St James's Palace, Sarah's insensitivity greatly offended her and added to the already significant strain on the relationship.
Abigail Masham: political rival
Sarah had previously introduced her impoverished cousin, then known as Abigail Hill, to court, with the intention of finding a role for her. Abigail, the eldest daughter of Sarah's aunt, was working as a servant to Sir John Rivers of Kent. Sarah gave her employment within her own household at St AlbansSt Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, and after a tenure of satisfactory service, Abigail was made a Lady of the Bedchamber
Lady of the Bedchamber
This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Lady of the Bedchamber in the British Royal Household...
to Queen Anne in 1704. Sarah later claimed in her memoirs that she had raised Abigail "in all regards as a sister".
Abigail was also the second cousin of the Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
leader, Robert Harley
Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Mortimer
Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer KG was a British politician and statesman of the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. He began his career as a Whig, before defecting to a new Tory Ministry. Between 1711 and 1714 he served as First Lord of the Treasury, effectively Queen...
, later first Earl of Oxford and Mortimer
Earl of Oxford
Earl of Oxford is a dormant title in the Peerage of England, held for several centuries by the de Vere family from 1141 until the death of the 20th earl in 1703. The Veres were also hereditary holders of the office of master or Lord Great Chamberlain from 1133 until the death of the 18th Earl in 1625...
. Flattering, subtle and retiring, Abigail was the complete opposite of Sarah, who was dominating, blunt and scathing. During Sarah’s frequent absences from court, Abigail and Anne grew close; Abigail was not only happy to give the Queen the kindness and compassion that Anne had longed for from Sarah, but she also never pressured the Queen about politics; Anne responded with pathos to her flattery and charm. She was present at Abigail’s secret wedding to Samuel Masham
Samuel Masham, 1st Baron Masham
Samuel Masham, 1st Baron Masham , was a courtier in the court of Queen Anne, and the husband of her favourite, Abigail Masham , Baroness Masham....
, groom of the bedchamber to Prince George, in 1707, without Sarah’s knowledge.
Sarah was completely oblivious to any friendship between Anne and Abigail, and was therefore surprised when she discovered that Abigail frequently saw the Queen in private. Sarah found out about Abigail's marriage several months after it had occurred, and immediately went to see Anne – with the intention of informing her of the event. It was at this interview that Anne let slip that she had begged Abigail to tell Sarah of the marriage; Sarah became suspicious about what had really happened. After questioning servants and Royal Household
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
for a week about Abigail's marriage, Sarah discovered that Anne had been present and had given Abigail a dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
of £2000 from the Privy Purse
Privy Purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's remaining private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £13.3 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2009. The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres held in trust for the Sovereign since 1399. It also has...
. This proved Anne's duplicity to Sarah: as Keeper of the Privy Purse
Keeper of the Privy Purse
The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom....
, Sarah had been unaware of any such payment.
Strained relationship
In July 1708, the Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
, with his ally Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
, won a great victory at the Battle of Oudenarde
Battle of Oudenarde
The Battle of Oudenaarde was a key battle in the War of the Spanish Succession fought on 11 July 1708 between the forces of Great Britain, the Dutch Republic and the Holy Roman Empire on the one side and the French on the other...
. On the way to the thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, Sarah engaged in a furious argument with Anne about the jewels Anne wore to the service, and showed her a letter from the Duke of Marlborough which expressed hope that the Queen would make good political use of the victory. The implication that she should publicly express her support for the Whigs offended her; and at the service, Sarah told the Queen to "be quiet" after Anne continued the argument, thus offending the Queen still further. Anne wrote to Marlborough encouraging him not to let her rift with Sarah become public knowledge; but he could not prevent his wife's indiscretion. Sarah continued vehemently supporting the Whigs in writing and speaking to Anne, with the support of Godolphin and the other Whig ministers. The news of the public's support for the Whigs reached Marlborough in letters from Sarah and Godolphin, which influenced his political advice to the Queen. Anne, already in ill health, felt used and harassed and was desperate for escape. She found refuge in the gentle and quiet comfort of Abigail Masham.
Anne had explained before that she did not wish the public to know that her relationship with Sarah was failing, because any sign that Sarah was out of favour would have a damaging impact on the duke of Marlborough's authority as Captain-General. Sarah was kept in all of her offices–purely for the sake of her husband's position as Captain-General of the army–and the tension between the two women lingered on until early in 1711. This year was to see the end of their relationship for good.
Sarah had always been jealous of Anne's affection for Abigail Masham. Together with the Duke of Marlborough and most of the Whig party, she had tried to force Anne to dismiss her. All these attempts failed, even when Anne was threatened with an official parliamentary demand from the Whigs, who were suspicious of Abigail's Tory influence with Anne, for Abigail's dismissal. The whole scenario echoed Anne's refusal to give up Sarah during the reign of William and Mary; but the threat of Parliamentary interference exceeded anything tried against Anne in the 1690s. Anne was ultimately triumphant; she conducted interviews with high ranking politicians of both political parties and begged them "with tears in her eyes" to oppose the motion.
The passion she showed for Abigail, and the stubborn refusal to dismiss her, angered Sarah to the point that she implied that a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
affair was taking place between the two women. During the mourning period for Anne's husband, Sarah was the only one who refused to wear suitable mourning clothes. This gave the impression that she did not consider Anne's grief over his death to be genuine. Eventually, as a result of mass support for peace in the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, Anne decided she no longer needed the Duke of Marlborough and took the opportunity to dismiss him on trumped-up charges of embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
.
Final dismissal
Sarah's last attempt to re-establish her friendship with Anne came in 1710, when they had their final meeting. An account written by Sarah shortly afterwards shows that she pleaded to be given an explanation of why their friendship was at an end, but Anne was unmoved. After hearing this, the Duke of Marlborough, realising that Anne intended to dismiss them, begged her to keep them in their offices for nine months, until the campaign was over, so that they could retire honourably. However, Anne told Marlborough that “for her [Anne's] honour” Sarah was to resign immediately and return her gold key – the symbol of her authority within the Royal household – within two days. Years of trying the Queen's patience had finally resulted in her dismissal. When told the news, Sarah, in a fit of pride, told Marlborough to return the key to the Queen immediately.In January 1711, Sarah was stripped of the offices of Mistress of the Robes
Mistress of the Robes
The Mistress of the Robes is the senior lady of the British Royal Household. Formerly responsible for the Queen's clothes and jewellery, the post now has the responsibility for arranging the rota of attendance of the Ladies in Waiting on the Queen, along with various duties at State ceremonies...
and Groom of the Stole
Groom of the Stole
Groom of the Stole in the British Royal Household is a position dating from the Stuart era but which evolved from the earlier Groom of the Stool, an office in existence until the accession of Elizabeth I. The original nomenclature derived from the chair used in the performance of the function...
and replaced by Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset
Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset
Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Somerset , major heiress, was born Lady Elizabeth Percy, the only surviving child of the 11th Earl of Northumberland and deemed Baroness Percy in her own right. She carried the earldom of Northumberland to her son Algernon...
. Abigail was made Keeper of the Privy Purse
Keeper of the Privy Purse
The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom....
. This broke a promise Anne had made to distribute these court offices to Sarah's children.
The Marlboroughs also lost state funding for Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
, and the building came to a halt for the first time since it was begun in 1705. Now in disgrace, they left England and travelled Europe. As a result of his success in the War of the Spanish Succession, the Duke of Marlborough was a favourite among the German courts and with the Holy Roman Empire, and the family was received in those places with full honours.
Sarah, however, did not like being away from England, and often complained that they were received with full honours in Europe, but were in disgrace at home. Sarah found life travelling the royal courts difficult, remarking that they were full of dull company. She took the waters at Aix-la-Chapelle in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on account of her ill health, corresponded with those in England who could supply her with political gossip, and indulged in her fascination with Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
.
Revival of favour
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
died on 1 August 1714 at Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and...
; the Protestant Whig Privy Councillors had insisted on their right to be present, preventing Henry St. John, the first Viscount Bolingbroke
Viscount Bolingbroke
Viscount Bolingbroke / Viscount St John is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain and is currently held by Nicholas Alexander Mowbray St John, the 9th Viscount Bolingbroke and 10th Viscount St John who lives in Sydney Australia....
from declaring for the Pretender, James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
. The Marlboroughs returned home on the afternoon of Anne's death. The Act of Settlement
Act of Settlement 1701
The Act of Settlement is an act of the Parliament of England that was passed in 1701 to settle the succession to the English throne on the Electress Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant heirs. The act was later extended to Scotland, as a result of the Treaty of Union , enacted in the Acts of Union...
of 1701 ensured a Protestant succession by passing over more than fifty stronger Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
claimants and proclaiming Georg Ludwig, Elector of Hanover (the great grandson of James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
through his mother Sophia of Hanover
Sophia of Hanover
Sophia of the Palatinate was an heiress to the crowns of England and Ireland and later the crown of Great Britain. She was declared heiress presumptive by the Act of Settlement 1701...
), King George I of Great Britain
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
.
The new reign was supported by the Whigs
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
, who were mostly staunch Protestants. The Tories
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
were suspected of supporting the Catholic Pretender James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
. George I rewarded the Whigs by forming a Whig government; at his welcome in Queen's House
Queen's House
The Queen's House, Greenwich, is a former royal residence built between 1614-1617 in Greenwich, then a few miles downriver from London, and now a district of the city. Its architect was Inigo Jones, for whom it was a crucial early commission, for Anne of Denmark, the queen of King James I of England...
at Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, he conversed with the Whigs but not with the Tories. Sarah approved of his choice of Whig ministers.
King George also had a personal friendship with the Marlboroughs; the Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
had fought with him in the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, and John and Sarah made frequent visits to the Hanoverian court during their effective exile from England. George's first words to Marlborough as King of Great Britain were, “My lord Duke, I hope your troubles are now over;” Marlborough was restored to his old office of Captain-General of the Army.
Marlborough House
Marlborough House is a mansion in Westminster, London, in Pall Mall just east of St James's Palace. It was built for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, the favourite and confidante of Queen Anne. The Duchess wanted her new house to be "strong, plain and convenient and good"...
, where she flaunted her eldest granddaughter, Lady Henrietta Godolphin, in the hope of finding a suitable marriage partner
Arranged marriage
An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed, meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages had deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world...
. Henrietta eventually married Thomas Pelham-Holles
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman, whose official life extended throughout the Whig supremacy of the 18th century. He is commonly known as the Duke of Newcastle.A protégé of Sir Robert Walpole, he served...
, first Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Duke of Newcastle
Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne is a title which has been created three times in British history while the title of Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne has been created once. The title was created for the first time in the Peerage of England in 1664 when William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
, in April 1717, and the rest of Sarah's grandchildren went on to make successful marriages.
However, Sarah's concern for her grandchildren briefly came to a halt when her husband had two strokes in 1716, the second of which left him speechless. Sarah spent much of her time with him, accompanying him to Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
and Bath, and he recovered shortly afterwards. Even after his recovery, Sarah opened his correspondence and filtered the letters Marlborough received, lest their contents precipitate another stroke.
Sarah's relationship with her children was strained. Although she had a good relationship with her daughter, Anne Spencer
Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (1683-1716)
Lady Anne Churchill was the second daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough...
, she became estranged from her daughters Henrietta, Elizabeth and Mary. After Elizabeth's death from smallpox in 1714, Sarah wrote to Robert Jennings (a friend and distant relation): “All the arguments I can possibly think of can't hinder me from lamenting as long as I live of what I had so much reason to love.” Similarly heartbroken when her favourite daughter Anne Spencer
Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (1683-1716)
Lady Anne Churchill was the second daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough...
died in 1716, Sarah kept her favourite cup, a lock of her hair, and adopted the Sunderlands' youngest child, Lady Diana
Diana Spencer (1710-1735)
Diana Russell, Duchess of Bedford was a prospective Princess of Wales and, later, Duchess of Bedford....
, who would later become her favourite granddaughter. Sarah's youngest daughter Mary, Duchess of Montagu, outlived her mother; the two never reconciled.
Later years
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
died at Windsor in 1722, and Sarah arranged a large funeral for him. Their daughter, Henrietta, became duchess in her own right. Sarah became one of the trustees of the Marlborough estate, and she used her business sense to distribute the family fortune, including the income for her daughter Henrietta.
Sarah’s personal income was now considerable, and she used the money to invest in land; she believed this would protect her from currency devaluation. The dowager duchess
Dowager
A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....
purchased Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
in 1723, and rebuilt the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
. Her wealth was so considerable that Sarah hoped to marry her granddaughter, Lady Diana Spencer
Diana Spencer (1710-1735)
Diana Russell, Duchess of Bedford was a prospective Princess of Wales and, later, Duchess of Bedford....
, to Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria...
, for which she would pay a massive dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
of £100,000. However, Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, the First Lord of the Treasury
First Lord of the Treasury
The First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is now always also the Prime Minister...
(effectively the same as today's Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
) vetoed the plan. Walpole, although a Whig, had alienated Sarah by supporting peace in Europe; she was also suspicious of his financial probity; and Walpole, in turn, mistrusted Sarah. Despite this, good relations with the royal family continued, and Sarah was occasionally invited to court by Queen Caroline
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
, who attempted to cultivate her friendship.
The Duchess of Marlborough was a capable business manager, unusual in a period when women were excluded from most things outside the management of their household. Her friend Arthur Maynwaring wrote that she was more capable of business than any man. Although she never came to like Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
– describing it as “that great heap of stones” – she became more enthusiastic about its construction and wrote to the Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. Derived from Somerset, it is particularly associated with two families; the Beauforts who held the title from the creation of 1448 and the Seymours, from the creation of 1547 and in whose name the title is...
about the new waterworks: “I believe it will be beautiful. The Canal and Bason (which is already don[e]) look very fine. There is to be a lake & a cascade ... which I think will bee[sic] a great addition to the place”.
William Kent
William Kent , born in Bridlington, Yorkshire, was an eminent English architect, landscape architect and furniture designer of the early 18th century.He was baptised as William Cant.-Education:...
; and the Doric Column of Victory in the park designed by Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke
Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke
Lt.-Gen. Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke, 6th Earl of Montgomery PC FRS was the heir and eldest son of Thomas Herbert and his first wife Margaret...
, and finished by Roger Morris. The latter rose to a height of 130 feet (39.6 m), complete with fine embellishments. The Duchess carefully monitored the construction of all Blenheim's features, and she fell out with anyone who did not do exactly what she wanted.
These detailed inspections extended to her smaller land purchases. After buying the Wimbledon estate (which she described as “upon clay, an ill sod, very damp and...an unhealthy place”), and Holdenby House
Holdenby House
Holdenby House is a historic country house in Northamptonshire, traditionally pronounced and sometimes spelt Holmby. The house is situated in the parish of Holdenby, six miles northwest of Northampton and close to Althorp....
near Althorp
Althorp
Althorp is a country estate of about and a stately home in Northamptonshire, England. It is about north-west of the county town of Northampton. The late Diana, Princess of Wales is buried in the estate.-History:...
, she kept detailed accounts of her finances and expenditure, as well as a sharp look-out for any dishonesty in her agents.
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
estate, which resulted in the loss of her £500 income as Ranger of Windsor Great Park
Ranger of Windsor Great Park
The office of Ranger of Windsor Great Park was established to oversee the protection and maintenance of the Great Park at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. The ranger has always been somebody close to the monarch....
. Sarah was also rude to King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
–making it clear that he was "too much of a German"–which further alienated her from the court. Her persona non grata status at the Walpole-controlled court prevented her from suppressing the rise of the Tories
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
; Walpole's taxes and peace with Spain were deeply unpopular with ruling class English society, and the Tories were gaining much more support as a result.
Sarah never lost her good looks and, despite failing popularity, received many offers of marriage after the death of her husband, including one from her old enemy, Charles Seymour
Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset
Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset , sometimes referred to as the "Proud Duke". The son of Charles Seymour, 2nd Baron Seymour of Trowbridge, and Elizabeth Alington , he succeeded his brother Francis Seymour, 5th Duke of Somerset, to the dukedom when the latter was shot in 1678...
, the sixth Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. Derived from Somerset, it is particularly associated with two families; the Beauforts who held the title from the creation of 1448 and the Seymours, from the creation of 1547 and in whose name the title is...
. Ultimately, she decided against remarriage, preferring to keep her independence.
Sarah continued to appeal against court decisions which ruled that funding for Blenheim should come from the Marlboroughs' personal estate, and not the government. This made her unpopular; she could easily afford the payments herself. She was surprised by the grief she felt following the death of her eldest daughter in 1733, but continued to quarrel with her youngest daughter Mary, Duchess of Montagu. Sarah lived to see her enemy Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
fall in 1742, and in the same year attempted to improve her reputation by approving a biographical publication titled An Account of the Dowager Duchess of Marlborough from her first coming to Court to the year 1710. She died of old age, at the age of eighty-four, on 18 October 1744, at Marlborough House
Marlborough House
Marlborough House is a mansion in Westminster, London, in Pall Mall just east of St James's Palace. It was built for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, the favourite and confidante of Queen Anne. The Duchess wanted her new house to be "strong, plain and convenient and good"...
; she was buried at Blenheim
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
. Her husband’s body was exhumed from Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and buried beside her.
Assessment
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
, she was a vibrant and intelligent woman, who loyally promoted Anne's interests when she was princess. Anne was a dull conversationalist and Sarah did not find her company stimulating. Sarah believed that she had a right to enforce her political advice, whether Anne personally liked it or not, and became angry if she stubbornly refused to take it.
Abigail Masham also played a key role in Sarah’s downfall. Modest and retiring, she actively promoted the Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
policies of her cousin Robert Harley. Despite owing her position at court to the Duchess of Marlborough, Abigail soon became Sarah’s enemy, and supplanted her in Anne’s affections.
During her lifetime, Sarah drafted twenty-six wills
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, the last of which was only written a few months before her death; and had purchased twenty-seven estates. With a wealth of over £4 million in land; £17,000 in rent rolls; and a further £12,500 in annuities, she made financial bequests to rising Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
ministers such as William Pitt
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham PC was a British Whig statesman who led Britain during the Seven Years' War...
, later the first Earl of Chatham
Earl of Chatham
Earl of Chatham, in the County of Kent, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1766 for William Pitt the Elder on his appointment as Lord Privy Seal, along with the subsidiary title Viscount Pitt, of Burton Pynsent in the County of Somerset, also in the Peerage of Great...
, and Philip Stanhope
Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield
Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield PC KG was a British statesman and man of letters.A Whig, Lord Stanhope, as he was known until his father's death in 1726, was born in London. After being educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, he went on the Grand Tour of the continent...
, the fourth Earl of Chesterfield
Earl of Chesterfield
Earls of Chesterfield, in the County of Derby, was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1628 for Philip Stanhope, 1st Baron Stanhope. He had already been created Baron Stanhope, of Shelford in the County of Nottingham, in 1616, also in the Peerage of England. Stanhope's youngest son...
. Although she left little to the poor and even less to charity, she left her servants annuities far above the average for the time: her favourite, Grace Ridley, received £16,000, equivalent to approximately £1.32 million in today's money.
Much of the money left after Sarah's numerous bequests was inherited by her grandson, John Spencer
John Spencer (British politician)
John Spencer was a British politician and an ancestor of the Earls Spencer.-Biography:Born the Hon. John Spencer, he was the youngest son of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland and his wife, Lady Anne Churchill. In 1732, he succeeded his cousin, William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford as Member of...
, with the condition that he could not accept a political office under the government. He also inherited the remainder of Sarah's numerous estates, including Wimbledon
Wimbledon Park
Wimbledon Park is an urban park in Wimbledon and the suburb south and east to which it lends its name. It is the second largest park in the London Borough of Merton and also gives its name to Wimbledon Park tube station. To the immediate west of the park resides the All England Lawn Tennis and...
. Marlborough House
Marlborough House
Marlborough House is a mansion in Westminster, London, in Pall Mall just east of St James's Palace. It was built for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, the favourite and confidante of Queen Anne. The Duchess wanted her new house to be "strong, plain and convenient and good"...
remained empty for fourteen years, with the exception of James Stephens, one of her executors, before it became the property of the Dukes of Marlborough upon Stephens's death. In 1817, it became a royal residence, and passed through members of the British royal family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
until it became the Commonwealth Secretariat
Commonwealth Secretariat
The Commonwealth Secretariat is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is responsible for facilitating cooperation between members; organising meetings, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings ; assisting and advising on policy...
in 1959. Wimbledon Park House succumbed to fire in 1785; and Holywell House
Holywell House, Hertfordshire
Holywell House was a house in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England.The manor house was originally called Hallywell...
, Sarah's birthplace in St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, was demolished in 1827. Today, much of St Albans is named after the Marlboroughs as a result of Sarah's influence.
Tobias Smollett
Tobias George Smollett was a Scottish poet and author. He was best known for his picaresque novels, such as The Adventures of Roderick Random and The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle , which influenced later novelists such as Charles Dickens.-Life:Smollett was born at Dalquhurn, now part of Renton,...
, “immensely rich and very little regretted, either by her own family or the world in general”, but her efforts to continue the Marlborough legacy cannot be ignored. Because of her influence, Sarah managed to marry off members of her family to England’s greatest aristocratic dynasties. Among the more famous descendants of the Marlboroughs are Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
.
Titles
- 5 June 1660 – [exact date unknown] 1677: Miss Sarah Jennings
- [Exact date unknown] 1677 – 21 December 1682: Mrs John Churchill
- 21 December 1682 – 14 May 1685: The Lady Churchill of Eyemouth
- 14 May 1685 – 9 April 1689: The Lady Churchill of Sandridge
- 9 April 1689 – 14 December 1702: The Countess of Marlborough
- 14 December 1702 – 27 June 1722: Her Grace The Duchess of Marlborough
- 27 June 1722 – 18 October 1744: Her Grace The Dowager Duchess of Marlborough
Children
The Duke and Duchess of Marlborough's children who survived childhood married into the most important families in Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
:
| Image | Name | Birth date | Death date | Brief biography |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Harriet Churchill | October 1679 | October 1679 | Died an infant |
 |
Henrietta Churchill (later Godolphin), 2nd Duchess of Marlborough in her own right Suo jure Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage.... |
19 July 1681 | 24 October 1733 | Married The Hon. Francis Godolphin Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin, PC was a British politician, styled Viscount Rialton between 1706 and 1712.-Biography:... (later Viscount Rialton by courtesy and 2nd Earl of Godolphin Earl of Godolphin Earl of Godolphin was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1706 for Sidney Godolphin, 1st Baron Godolphin, the Lord High Treasurer. At the same time, he was created Viscount Rialton. In 1684 he had already been created Baron Godolphin, of Rialton, also in the Peerage of England... respectively) on 23 April 1698. Their son, William, Marquess of Blandford died in 1731; their daughter Henrietta married Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman, whose official life extended throughout the Whig supremacy of the 18th century. He is commonly known as the Duke of Newcastle.A protégé of Sir Robert Walpole, he served... ; their daughter Mary Mary Osborne, Duchess of Leeds Mary Osborne, Duchess of Leeds , daughter of Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough and Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin... married Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds KG, PC, DL, FRS , styled Earl of Danby from birth until 1729 and subsequently Marquess of Carmarthen until 1731, was a British peer, politician and judge.-Background:... . |
 |
Anne Churchill Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (1683-1716) Lady Anne Churchill was the second daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough... (later Spencer Spencer family The Spencer family are a British noble family descended in the male line from Henry Spencer, claimed to be a descendant of the cadet branch of the ancient House Le Despencer , male-line ancestor of the Earls of Sunderland, the later Dukes of Marlborough, and the Earls Spencer... ) |
27 February 1683 | 15 April 1716 | Anne married the Whig politician Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland Sir Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland KG PC , known as Lord Spencer from 1688 to 1702, was an English statesman... on 14 September 1699. After her sister Henrietta's death in 1733, their son, Charles Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough KG, PC , known as The Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British soldier and politician. He briefly served as Lord Privy Seal in 1755... became 3rd Duke of Marlborough. Their son John John Spencer (British politician) John Spencer was a British politician and an ancestor of the Earls Spencer.-Biography:Born the Hon. John Spencer, he was the youngest son of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland and his wife, Lady Anne Churchill. In 1732, he succeeded his cousin, William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford as Member of... is the ancestor of the Earls Spencer Earl Spencer Earl Spencer is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created on 1 November 1765, along with the title Viscount Althorp, of Althorp in the County of Northamptonshire, for John Spencer, 1st Viscount Spencer, a great-grandson of the 1st Duke of Marlborough... and thus of Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century... . Their daughter Diana Diana Spencer (1710-1735) Diana Russell, Duchess of Bedford was a prospective Princess of Wales and, later, Duchess of Bedford.... nearly married Frederick, Prince of Wales Frederick, Prince of Wales Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria... , but when the plan failed, married Lord John Russell, later 4th Duke of Bedford John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford KG, PC, FRS was an 18th century British statesman. He was the fourth son of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Howland of Streatham, Surrey... . |
 |
John Churchill, Marquess of Blandford | 13 February 1686 | 20 February 1703 | John, Marquess of Blandford was the heir to the Dukedom of Marlborough. He died unmarried and without children in 1703, so the dukedom passed to Marlborough's eldest daughter, Henrietta, after his death in 1722. |
 |
Elizabeth Churchill (later Egerton) | 15 March 1687 | 22 March 1713/14 | Married Scroop Egerton, 4th Earl of Bridgewater (from 1720, 1st Duke of Bridgewater) on 9 February 1703, leaving issue |
 |
Mary Churchill (later Montagu) | 15 July 1689 | 14 May 1751 | Married John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG, KB, PC , styled Viscount Monthermer until 1705 and Marquess of Monthermer between 1705 and 1709, was a British peer... on 17 March 1705, leaving issue |
| — | Charles Churchill | 19 August 1690 | 22 May 1692 | Died an infant |