Earl of Marlborough is a title that has been created twice, both times in the Peerage of England. The first time in 1626 in favour of James Ley, 1st Baron Ley and the second in 1689 for John Churchill, 1st Baron Churchill the future

Duke of Marlborough General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722 O.S.) was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reign ...

History

The first creation came on 5 February 1626 in favour of James Ley, 1st Baron Ley,

Lord Chief Justice Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

and

Lord High Treasurer The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Acts of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third-highest-ranked Great Officer of State in ...

. He had already been created a 'baronet, of Westbury in the County of Wiltshire, in the Baronetage of England in 1619 and Baron Ley, of Ley in the County of Devon, on 31 December 1624, also in the Peerage of England. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He served as

Custos Rotulorum of Somerset This is a list of people who have served as Custos Rotulorum of Somerset. * Sir William Portman bef. 1554–1557 * Sir Hugh Paulet bef. 1558–1573 * Sir Amias Paulet bef. 1577–1588 * Sir John Popham bef. 1594–1607 * Sir Ed ...

. In 1628, one year before he succeeded his father in the earldom, he was summoned to the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...

through a

writ of acceleration A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, is a type of writ of summons that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with more than one peerage to attend the British or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father ...

as Baron Ley. He was succeeded by his only son, the third Earl. He was a naval commander and was killed at the

Battle of Lowestoft The Battle of Lowestoft took place on during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. A fleet of more than a hundred ships of the United Provinces commanded by Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer, Lord Obdam attacked an English fleet of equal size comm ...

in 1665. He was unmarried and was succeeded by his uncle, William Ley, the fourth Earl. William married Miss Hewet, daughter of Sir William Hewet, but dying without issue, in 1679, the Baronetcy of Ley, and Earldom of Marlborough, became extinct. The second creation came on 9 April 1689, when John Churchill, 1st Baron Churchill, was created Earl of Marlborough, in the County of Wiltshire, for his role in the Glorious Revolution. He was subsequently created Duke of Marlborough, and the earldom has since descended with the dukedom.

Earls of Marlborough; First creation (1626)

James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough (c. 1552–1629) was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1597 and 1622. He was Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench in Ireland and then in England, and wa ...

(1552–1629) *

Henry Ley, 2nd Earl of Marlborough Henry Ley, 2nd Earl of Marlborough (3 December 1595 – 1 April 1638) was an English peer and Member of Parliament. He was baptised on 3 December 1595, the eldest son of James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough and his wife, Mary née Petty and educate ...

(1595–1638), elder son of 1st Earl *

James Ley, 3rd Earl of Marlborough James Ley, 3rd Earl of Marlborough (28 January 1618 – 3 June 1665) was a British peer, naval admiral and coloniser, and Member of Parliament. He was styled Lord Ley from 1629 to 1638. Life He was the only son of Henry Ley, 2nd Earl of Marlboro ...

(1618–1665), only son of 2nd Earl *

William Ley, 4th Earl of Marlborough William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

(1612–1679), younger son of 1st Earl

Earls of Marlborough; Second creation (1689)

*see

Notes

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Marlborough Earldoms in the Peerage of England Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of England 1626 establishments in England Noble titles created in 1626 Noble titles created in 1689