Duke of Marlborough (pronounced ) is a title in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. From that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were closed to new creations, and new peers were created in a single Peerag ...

. It was created by Queen Anne in 1702 for John Churchill, 1st Earl of Marlborough (1650–1722), the noted military leader. The queen and the nation also gave him what became

Blenheim Palace Blenheim Palace ( ) is a country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough. Originally called Blenheim Castle, it has been known as Blenheim Palace since the 19th century. One of England's larg ...

, unique as a national monument and family home. In historical texts, unqualified use of the title typically refers to the 1st Duke. The name of the dukedom refers to

Marlborough Marlborough or the Marlborough may refer to: Places Australia * Marlborough, Queensland * Principality of Marlborough, a short-lived micronation in 1993 * Marlborough Highway, Tasmania; Malborough was an historic name for the place at the sou ...

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...

. The

earldom of Marlborough Duke of Marlborough (pronounced ) is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by Queen Anne in 1702 for John Churchill, 1st Earl of Marlborough (1650–1722), the noted military leader. The queen and the nation also gave him what becam ...

was held by the family of Ley from its creation in 1626 until its extinction with the death of the 4th earl in 1679. The title was recreated 10 years later for John Churchill (in 1689).

History of the dukedom

Churchill had been made ''Lord Churchill of

Eyemouth Eyemouth is a town and civil parishes in Scotland, civil parish in Berwickshire, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is east of the main north–south A1 road (Great Britain), A1 road and north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. The town's name ...

'' (1682) in the

Peerage of Scotland The Peerage of Scotland (; ) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union 1707, Treaty of Union, the Kingdom of Scots and the ...

, and ''Baron Churchill'' of

Sandridge Sandridge is a village and civil parish between the city centre of St Albans ( to the south-west) and Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire, England, forming part of the contiguous built-up area of St Albans. History The original name was "Saundruag ...

(1685) and ''Earl of Marlborough'' (1689) in the

. Shortly after her accession to the throne in 1702, Queen Anne made Churchill the first ''Duke of Marlborough'' and granted him the subsidiary title ''Marquess of

Blandford Blandford Forum ( ) is a market town in Dorset, England, on the River Stour, Dorset, River Stour, north-west of Poole. It had a population of 10,355 at the United Kingdom 2021 census, 2021 census. The town is notable for its Georgian archit ...

''. In 1678, Churchill married

Sarah Jennings Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, Princess of Mindelheim, Countess of Nellenburg (née Jenyns, spelt Jennings in most modern references; 5 June 1660 (Old Style) – 18 October 1744), was an English courtier who rose to be one of th ...

(1660–1744), a courtier and influential favourite of the queen. They had seven children, of whom four daughters married into some of the most important families in

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

; one daughter and one son died in infancy. He was pre-deceased by his son,

John Churchill, Marquess of Blandford John Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (13 February 1686 – 20 February 1703), sometimes called Charles Churchill, was a British nobleman. He was the heir apparent to the dukedom of Marlborough as the only surviving son of John Churchill, 1st D ...

, in 1703; so, to prevent the extinction of the titles, a special Act of Parliament was passed. When the 1st Duke of Marlborough died in 1722 his title as ''Lord Churchill of Eyemouth'' in the

became extinct and the Marlborough titles passed, according to the Act, to his eldest daughter Henrietta (1681–1733), the 2nd Duchess of Marlborough. She was married to

Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin, (3 September 1678 – 17 January 1766), styled Viscount Rialton from 1706 to 1712, was an English courtier and politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1695 and 1712, wh ...

and had a son who predeceased her. When Henrietta died in 1733, the Marlborough titles passed to her nephew Charles Spencer (1706–1758), the third son of her late sister

Anne Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), Annie a ...

(1683–1716), who had married the

3rd Earl of Sunderland Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, KG, PC (23 April 167519 April 1722), known as Lord Spencer from 1688 to 1702, was a British statesman from the Spencer family. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1714–1717), Lord Privy Seal (17 ...

in 1699. After his older brother's death in 1729, Charles Spencer had already inherited the

Spencer family The Spencer family is an Aristocracy (class), aristocratic British family. From the 16th century, its members have held numerous titles, including the dukedom of Marlborough, the earldoms of Earl of Sunderland, Sunderland and Earl Spencer (title) ...

estates and the titles of ''

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, 11th Baron Scrope of Bolton. The earldom became extinct upon his death in 1630, while the barony be ...

'' (1643) and ''Baron Spencer'' of

Wormleighton Wormleighton is a village in Warwickshire, England. It sits on Wormleighton Hill overlooking the River Cherwell. The population taken at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census was 183. The original village was on the banks of the Cherwe ...

(1603), all in the

. Upon his maternal aunt Henrietta's death in 1733, Charles Spencer succeeded to the Marlborough family estates and titles and became the 3rd Duke. When he died in 1758, his titles passed to his eldest son

George George may refer to: Names * George (given name) * George (surname) People * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Papagheorghe, also known as Jorge / GEØRGE * George, stage name of Gior ...

(1739–1817), who was succeeded by his eldest son George, the 5th Duke (1766–1840). In 1815, Francis Spencer (the younger son of the 4th Duke) was created '' Baron Churchill'' in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In 1902, his grandson, the 3rd Baron Churchill, was created Viscount Churchill. In 1817, the 5th Duke obtained permission to assume and bear the

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

of Churchill in addition to his surname of Spencer, to perpetuate the name of his illustrious great-great-grandfather. At the same time, he received Royal Licence to quarter the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

of Churchill with his paternal arms of Spencer.Paul Courtenay
''The Armorial Bearings of Sir Winston Churchill''
(accessed 20 July 2013). The

double-barrelled surname A double-barrelled name is a type of Surname#Compound surnames, compound surname, typically featuring two words (occasionally more), often joined by a hyphen. Notable people with double-barrelled names include Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Julia ...

of "Spencer-Churchill" has been used by family members since 1817, although some members have preferred to style themselves simply as "Churchill". The 7th Duke was the paternal grandfather of

British Prime Minister The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet, and selects its ministers. Modern pri ...

Sir Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

, who was born at

on 30 November 1874. The 11th Duke, John Spencer-Churchill, died in 2014, having assumed the title in 1972. The 12th and present Duke is Charles James Spencer-Churchill.

Family seat

The family seat is

Woodstock, Oxfordshire Woodstock is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish, north-west of Oxford in West Oxfordshire in the county of Oxfordshire, England. The United Kingdom Census 2021, 2021 census recorded a parish population of 3,521, up from t ...

. After his leadership in the victory against the

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

in the

Battle of Blenheim The Battle of Blenheim (; ; ) fought on , was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. The overwhelming Allied victory ensured the safety of Vienna from the Franco-Bavarian army, thus preventing the collapse of the reconstituted G ...

on 13 August 1704, the 1st Duke was honoured by Queen Anne granting him the royal manor of

Woodstock The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...

, and building him a house at her expense to be called Blenheim. Construction started in 1705 and the house was completed in 1722, the year of the 1st Duke's death. Blenheim Palace has since remained in the Churchill and Spencer-Churchill family. With the exception of the 10th Duke and his first wife, the dukes and duchesses of Marlborough are buried in Blenheim Palace's chapel. Most other members of the Spencer-Churchill family are interred in St. Martin's parish churchyard at

Bladon Bladon is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish on the River Glyme about northwest of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. It is where Sir Winston Churchill is buried. The United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census recorded the parish's ...

, a short distance from the palace.

Other titles of the Dukes

Subsidiary titles

The Duke holds subsidiary titles: ''Marquess of

'' (created in 1702 for John Churchill), ''

'' (created in 1643 for the

), ''Earl of Marlborough'' (created in 1689 for John Churchill), ''Baron Spencer'' of

(created in 1603 for the Spencer family), and ''Baron Churchill'' of

(created in 1685 for John Churchill), all in the Peerage of England. The title ''Marquess of Blandford'' is used as the

courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but is rather used by custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some context ...

for the Duke's eldest son and heir. The Duke's eldest son's eldest son can use the courtesy title ''Earl of Sunderland'', and the duke's eldest son's eldest son's eldest son (not necessarily the eldest great-grandson) the title ''Lord Spencer of Wormleighton'' (not to be confused with Earl Spencer). The title of ''Earl of Marlborough'', created for John Churchill in 1689, had previously been created for James Ley, in 1626, becoming extinct in 1679.

Foreign titles

The 1st Duke was honoured with land and titles in the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

Emperor Leopold I Leopold I (Leopold Ignaz Joseph Balthasar Franz Felician; ; 9 June 1640 – 5 May 1705) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary, List of Croatian monarchs, Croatia, and List of Bohemian monarchs, Bohemia. The second son of Ferdinand III, Holy Rom ...

created him a

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

in 1704, and in 1705, his successor

Emperor Joseph I Joseph I (Joseph Jacob Ignaz Johann Anton Eustachius; 26 July 1678 – 17 April 1711) was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1705 until his death in 1711. He was the eldest son of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor from his thi ...

gave him the principality of Mindelheim (once the lordship of the noted soldier

Georg von Frundsberg Georg von Frundsberg (24 September 1473 – 20 August 1528) was a German people, German military and Landsknecht leader in the service of the Holy Roman Empire and Imperial House of Habsburg. An Early modern period, early modern proponent of in ...

). He was obliged to surrender Mindelheim in 1714 by the

Treaty of Utrecht The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaty, peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vac ...

, which returned it to

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

. He tried to obtain Nellenburg in Austria in exchange, which at that time was only a county ('Landgrafschaft'), but this failed, partially because Austrian law did not allow for Nellenburg to be converted into a sovereign principality. The 1st Duke's princely title of Mindelheim became extinct either on the return of the land to Bavaria or on his death, as the Empire operated Salic Law, which prevented female succession.

Coats of arms

Original arms of the Churchill family

The original arms of Sir

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

(1620–1688), father of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, were simple and in use by his own father in 1619. The shield was Sable a lion rampant Argent, debruised by a bendlet Gules. The addition of a canton of Saint George (see below) rendered the distinguishing mark of the bendlet unnecessary. The Churchill crest is blazoned as a lion couchant guardant Argent, supporting with its dexter forepaw a banner Gules, charged with a dexter hand appaumée of the first, staff Or. In recognition of Sir Winston's services to King Charles I as Captain of the Horse, and his loyalty to King Charles II as a Member of Parliament, he was awarded an

augmentation of honour In heraldry, an augmentation (often termed augmentation of honour or sometimes augmentation of arms) is a modification or addition to a coat of arms, typically given by a monarch as either a mere mark of favour, or a reward or recognition for som ...

to his arms around 1662. This rare mark of royal favour took the form of a canton of Saint George. At the same time, he was authorised to omit the bendlet, which had served the purpose of distinguishing this branch of the Churchill family from others which bore an undifferenced lion.

Arms of the 1st Duke of Marlborough

Sir Winston's shield and crest were inherited by his son

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough General (United Kingdom), 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 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) was a Briti ...

. Minor modifications reflected the bearer's social rise: the helm was now shown in profile and had a closed grille to signify the bearer's rank as a peer, and there were now supporters placed on either side of the shield. They were the mythical

Griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...

(part lion, part eagle) and

Wyvern The wyvern ( ), sometimes spelled wivern ( ), is a type of mythical dragon with bipedalism, two legs, two wings, and often a pointed tail. The wyvern in its various forms is important in heraldry, frequently appearing as a mascot of schools an ...

(a dragon without hind legs). The supporters were derived from the arms of the family of the 1st Duke's mother, Drake of Ash (Argent, a wyvern gules; these arms can be seen on the monument in Musbury Church to Sir

Bernard Drake Sir Bernard Drake (c. 1537 – 10 April 1586) of Ash in the parish of Musbury, Devon, was an English sea captain. He himself refuted any familial relationship with his contemporary the great Admiral Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540 � ...

, d.1586). The motto was ''Fiel pero desdichado'' (Spanish for "Faithful but unfortunate").Robson, Thomas, ''The British Herald, or Cabinet of Armorial Bearings of the Nobility & Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland'', Volume I, Turner & Marwood, Sunderland, 1830, p. 401 (CHU-CLA). The 1st Duke was also entitled to a

coronet In British heraldry, a coronet is a type of crown that is a mark of rank of non-reigning members of the royal family and peers. In other languages, this distinction is not made, and usually the same word for ''crown'' is used irrespective of ra ...

indicating his rank. When the 1st Duke was made a

Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (, , cf. ''Fürst'') was a title attributed to a hereditary ruler, nobleman or prelate recognised by the Holy Roman Emperor. Definition Originally, possessors of the princely title bore it as immediate vassal ...

in 1705, two unusual features were added: the Imperial Eagle and a Princely Coronet. His estates in Germany, such as

Mindelheim Mindelheim (; ) is a town in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. The town is the capital of the Unterallgäu district. At various points in history it was the chief settlement of an eponymous state. Geography Mindelheim is located on the river Mindel ...

, were represented in his arms by additional quarterings.

Arms of the Spencer-Churchill family

In 1817, the 5th Duke received Royal Licence to place the quarter of Churchill ahead of his paternal arms of Spencer. The shield of the

arms is: quarterly Argent and Gules, in the second and third quarters a fret Or, over all on a bend Sable three escallops of the first. The Spencer crest is: out of a ducal coronet Or, a griffin's head between two wings expanded Argent, gorged with a collar gemel and armed Gules. Paul Courtenay observes that "It would be normal in these circumstances for the paternal arms (Spencer) to take precedence over the maternal (Churchill), but because the Marlborough dukedom was senior to the Sunderland earldom, the procedure was reversed in this case." Also in 1817, a further

was added to his armorial achievement. This incorporated the bearings from the standard of the Manor of Woodstock and was borne on an escutcheon, displayed over all in the centre chief point, as follows: Argent a cross of

Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...

surmounted by an

inescutcheon In heraldry, an inescutcheon is a smaller Escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon that is placed within or superimposed over the main shield of a coat of arms, similar to a Charge (heraldry), charge. This may be used in the following cases: * as a sim ...

Azure, charged with three

fleurs-de-lys The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...

Or, two over one. This inescutcheon represents the royal arms of France. These quartered arms, incorporating the two augmentations of honour, have been the arms of all subsequent Dukes of Marlborough.

Motto

The

motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...

''Fiel pero desdichado'' is

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

for 'Faithful but unfortunate'. ''Desdichado'' means without happiness or without joy, alluding to the first Duke's father, Winston, who was a royalist and faithful supporter of the king during the

English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...

but was not compensated for his losses after the Restoration. Charles II

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

ed Winston Churchill and other Civil War royalists but did not compensate them for their wartime losses, thereby inducing Winston to adopt the motto. It is unusual for the motto of an Englishman of the era to be in Spanish rather than

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

, and it is not known why this is the case.

Gallery of arms

File:Churchill Original.svg, Original arms of the Churchill family File:Coat of arms of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.svg, Arms of

, the father of the 1st Duke of Marlborough File:Coat of arms of the John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (16xx-1722).svg, Arms of the

1st 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 a British army officer and statesman. From a gentry family, he ...

, with quarterings representing his estates in Germany MarlboroughCoatOfArms.jpg, Simple arms of the Spencer Dukes of Marlborough before they changed their name to "Spencer-Churchill" and took the modern arms George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough Color.jpg, Arms of

George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, (26 January 1739 – 29 January 1817), styled Marquess of Blandford until 1758, was a British courtier, nobleman, and politician from the Spencer family. He served as Lord Chamberlain between 1762 a ...

Arms of Spencer-Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.svg, Shield of the Spencer-Churchill Dukes of Marlborough since 1817 File:Coat of Arms of Winston Churchill as a Gentleman.svg, Arms of

(or any Spencer-Churchill) as a

gentleman ''Gentleman'' (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man; abbreviated ''gent.'') is a term for a chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire ...

Coat of Arms of Winston Churchill.svg, Arms of Sir Winston Churchill as a

Knight of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...

Achievement

List of title holders

Earls of Marlborough, first creation (1626–1679)

The earldom of Marlborough was held by the family of Ley from 1626 to 1679. James Ley, the 1st Earl (c. 1550 – 1629), was lord chief justice of the King's Bench in Ireland and then in England; he was an English member of parliament and was lord high treasurer from 1624 to 1628. In 1624 he was created Baron Ley and in 1626 Earl of Marlborough. The 3rd earl was his grandson

James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...

(1618–1665), a naval officer who was killed in action with the Dutch. James was succeeded by his uncle William, a younger son of the 1st earl, on whose death in 1679 the earldom became extinct.

Earls of Marlborough, second creation (1689)

:''Other titles: Lord Churchill of Eyemouth, in the county of Berwick (Scotland 1682) and Baron Churchill of Sandridge, in the county of Hertford (England 1685)'' * John Churchill, 1st Earl of Marlborough (1650–1722), became Duke of Marlborough in 1702

Dukes of Marlborough (1702)

:''Other titles: Marquess of Blandford (England 1702), Earl of Marlborough, in the county of Wiltshire (En 1689) and Baron Churchill of Sandridge, in the county of Hertford (England 1685)'' :''Other titles (1st Duke): Lord Churchill of Eyemouth, in the county of Berwick (Scotland 1682)'' *

(1650–1722), soldier and statesman **

(1686–1703), elder son of the 1st Duke, died unmarried *

Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough Henrietta Godolphin, ''suo jure'' Duchess of Marlborough (19 July 1681 – 24 October 1733) was the daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, general of the army, and Sarah Jennings, Duchess of Marlborough, close friend and business ...

(1681–1733), eldest daughter of the 1st Duke, succeeded her father by Act of Parliament (1706) **

William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford ( 1699 – 24 August 1731), styled as Viscount Rialton until 1722, was an English nobleman and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1720 and 1731. Heir to the Dukedom of Marlborough and Ea ...

(1700–1731), elder son of the 2nd Duchess, predeceased his mother without issue *

Anne Spencer Anne Bethel Spencer (born Bannister; February 6, 1882 – July 27, 1975) was an American poet, teacher, civil rights activist, librarian, and gardener. She was a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance, also known as New Negro Movement, the N ...

, Countess of Sunderland (''née'' Lady Anne Churchill; 1683–1716), second daughter of the 1st Duke, married

Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, KG, PC (23 April 167519 April 1722), known as Lord Spencer from 1688 to 1702, was a British statesman from the Spencer family. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1714–1717), Lord Privy Seal ( ...

, predeceased her elder sister, leaving male issue :''Other titles (3rd Duke onwards): Earl of Sunderland (England 1643) and Baron Spencer of Wormleighton (England 1729)'' *

Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, (22 November 170620 October 1758), styled as The Honourable Charles Spencer between 1706 and 1729 and as the Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British Army officer, politician and peer wh ...

(1706–1758), 5th Earl of Sunderland, second son of Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland *

(1739–1817), elder son of the 3rd Duke *

George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough Society of Antiquaries of London, FSA (6 March 1766 – 5 March 1840), styled Marquess of Blandford until 1817, was a British nobleman, politician, peer, and collector of antiquities and books. ...

(1766–1840), elder son of the 4th Duke *

George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough (né Spencer; 27 December 1793 – 1 July 1857), styled Earl of Sunderland until 1817 and Marquess of Blandford between 1817 and 1840, was a British nobleman, politician, and peer. The great-gra ...

(1793–1857), eldest son of the 5th Duke *

John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, (2 June 18224 July 1883), styled Earl of Sunderland from 1822 to 1840 and Marquess of Blandford from 1840 to 1857, was a British Conservative cabinet minister, politician, peer, and noble ...

(1822–1883), eldest son of the 6th Duke and paternal grandfather of

* George Charles Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough (1844–1892), eldest son of the 7th Duke * Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough (1871–1934), only son of the 8th Duke * John Albert William Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897–1972), elder son of the 9th Duke * John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough (1926–2014), elder son of the 10th Duke * Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (b. 1955), eldest surviving son of the 11th Duke The

heir apparent An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...

to the dukedom is George John Godolphin Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (b. 1992), eldest son of the 12th Duke.

Succession to the title

The dukedom can theoretically pass through a female line. However, unlike the remainder to

heirs general In English law, heirs of the body is the principle that certain types of property pass to a descendant of the original holder, recipient or grantee according to a fixed order of kinship. Upon the death of the grantee, a designated inheritance su ...

found in most other peerages that allow

male-preference primogeniture Primogeniture () is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit all or most of their parent's estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relat ...

, the grant does not allow for

abeyance Abeyance (from the Old French ' meaning "gaping") describes a state of temporary dormancy or suspension. In law, it can refer to a situation where the ownership of property, titles, or office is not currently Vesting, vested in any specific perso ...

and follows a more restrictive

Semi-Salic The Salic law ( or ; ), also called the was the ancient Frankish civil law code compiled around AD 500 by Clovis, the first Frankish King. The name may refer to the Salii, or "Salian Franks", but this is debated. The written text is in Late L ...

formula designed to keep succession wherever possible in the male line. The patent originally provided that the Dukedom of Marlborough could be inherited by the heirs-male of the body of the first duke, Captain-General Sir John Churchill. However, one his son had died in infancy and the other died in 1703 from

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...

. In 1706 Parliament amended the letters patent creating the Dukedom. Under Parliament's amendment to the patent, designed to allow the famous general's honour to survive after his death, the dukedom was allowed to pass to the Duke's daughters; Lady Henrietta, the Countess of Sunderland, the

Countess of Bridgewater The Countess of Bridgewater is a title used by the wife or widow of an Earl of Bridgewater. The Countesses of Bridgewater include: First creation (1538) Second creation (1617) {, class="wikitable" width="95%" ! width="8%" , Person ! width= ...

and Lady Mary and their heirs-male—and thereafter "to all and every other the issue male and female, lineally descending of or from the said Duke of Marlborough, in such manner and for such estate as the same are before limited to the before-mentioned issue of the said Duke, it being intended that the said honours shall continue, remain, and be invested in all the issue of the said Duke, so long as any such issue male or female shall continue, and be held by them severally and successively in manner and form aforesaid, the elder and the descendants of every elder issue to be preferred before the younger of such issue." Succession to the title under the first and second contingencies has lapsed; holders of the title from the 3rd Duke trace their status from the third contingency: It is now very unlikely that the dukedom will be passed to a woman or through a woman, since all the male-line descendants of the 1st Duke's second daughter Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland—including the lines of the Viscounts Churchill and Barons Churchill of Wychwood and of the Earl Spencer and of the entire Spencer-Churchill and Spencer family—would have to become extinct. If that were to happen, the Churchill titles would pass to the

Earl of Jersey Earl of Jersey is a title in the Peerage of England. It is held by a branch of the Villiers family, which since 1819 has been the Child Villiers family. History The earldom was created in 1697 for the statesman Edward Villiers, 1st Viscou ...

, the heir-male of the 1st Duke's granddaughter Anne Villiers (born Egerton), Countess of Jersey, daughter of Elizabeth Egerton, Duchess of Bridgewater, the third daughter of the first Duke.

Line of succession

(1650–1722)'' ** Coronet of a British Duke

(1681–1733)'' ** '' Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (1683–1716)'' *** Coronet of a British Duke

(1706–1758)'' **** Coronet of a British Duke

(1739–1817)'' ***** Coronet of a British Duke

(1766–1840)'' ****** Coronet of a British Duke

(1793–1857)'' ******* Coronet of a British Duke

John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, (2 June 18224 July 1883), styled Earl of Sunderland from 1822 to 1840 and Marquess of Blandford from 1840 to 1857, was a British Conservative cabinet minister, politician, peer, and noble ...

(1822–1883)'' ******** Coronet of a British Duke

'' George Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough (1844–1892)'' ********* Coronet of a British Duke

Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough (13 November 1871 – 30 June 1934), styled Earl of Sunderland until 1883 and Marquess of Blandford between 1883 and 1892, was a British soldier and Conservative ...

(1871–1934)'' ********** Coronet of a British Duke

'' John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897–1972)'' *********** Coronet of a British Duke

John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough, (13 April 1926 – 16 October 2014) was a British peer. He was the elder son of the 10th Duke of Marlborough and his wife, the Hon. Alexandra Mary Hilda Cadogan. He was ...

(1926–2014)'' ************ Coronet of a British Duke

James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (born 24 November 1955), styled Earl of Sunderland until March 1972 and Marquess of Blandford until October 2014, and often known as Jamie Blandford or Jamie Marlborough, is a British p ...

(born 1955) ************* (1)

George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford George John Godolphin Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford (born 28 July 1992), styled as Earl of Sunderland until 2014, is a British Aristocracy (class), aristocrat and polo player. He is a model and brand ambassador for La Martina, an Arg ...

() ************* (2) Lord Caspar Spencer-Churchill () ************ (3) Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill () *********** ''Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill (1940–2016)'' ************ (4) Rupert Spencer-Churchill () ************ (5) Dominic Spencer-Churchill () ************* (6) Ivor Spencer-Churchill () ************ (7) Alexander Spencer-Churchill () ************* (8) Jake Spencer-Churchill () ********** ''

Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill Lord Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill (14 October 1898 – 17 September 1956) was a British aristocrat, soldier, and art collector. He was the younger son of the 9th Duke of Marlborough and his first wife, the former Consuelo Vanderbilt, an Ameri ...

(1898–1956)'' ***********male issue and descendants in remainder ******** '' Lord Randolph Spencer-Churchill (1849–1895)'' ********* '' Sir Winston Spencer-Churchill (1874–1965)'' ********** '' Randolph Spencer-Churchill (1911–1968)'' *********** '' Winston Spencer-Churchill (1940–2010)'' ************male issue and descendants in remainder ***** Coronet of a British Baron

Francis Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill Francis Almeric Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill DCL FRS (26 December 1779 – 10 March 1845) was a British peer and Whig politician from the Spencer family. Early life Born Lord Francis Almeric Spencer, he was the second youngest of the 4th Du ...

(1779–1845)'' ****** Coronet of a British Baron

Barons Churchill **** '' Lord Charles Spencer (1740–1820)'' ***** ''John Spencer (1767–1831)'' ****** ''Frederick Spencer (1796–1831)'' ******* ''Charles Spencer (1827–1898)'' ******** ''Sir Charles Spencer (1869–1934)'' ********* ''John Spencer (1907–1977)'' **********male issue and descendants in remainder ********* ''Charles Spencer (1909–1963)'' **********male issue in remainder *** '' John Spencer (1708–1746)'' **** Coronet of a British Earl

John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer (19 December 1734 – 31 October 1783), styled Viscount Spencer from 1761–5, was a British peerage, British peer and politician. Early life Spencer was born on 19 December 1734 at Althorp, his family's home ...

(1734–1783)'' ***** Coronet of a British Earl

Earls 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 Northampton, for John Spencer, 1st Viscount Spencer. He was a member of the prominen ...

** ''

Elizabeth Churchill, Countess of Bridgewater Elizabeth Churchill, Countess of Bridgewater (15 March 1687 – 15 April 1716), born Lady Elizabeth Churchill, was the daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, Sarah Jenyns. By marriage to ...

(1687–1714)'' *** '' Anne Villiers, Countess of Jersey (1705–1762)'' **** Coronet of a British Earl

George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey George Bussy Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey, PC FSA (9 June 173522 August 1805, Tunbridge Wells), ''styled'' Viscount Villiers from 1742 to 1769; was an English nobleman, peer, politician and courtier at the court of George III. Early life He ...

(1735–1805)'' ***** Coronet of a British Earl

Earls of Jersey

Family trees

References

External links

Blenheim Palace website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marlborough Dukedoms in the Peerage of England Duke Peerages created with special remainders Noble titles created in 1702