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JOHN CHURCHILL, 1st DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH. A POSSIBLE TOPIC FOR CE EVIDENCE 2014. (The other possible topic being “Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots” two ladies we have already met) Marlborough’s a brave commander. He’ll conduct us into the field; As bold as Alexander, He’ll die before he’ll yield. Sound the trumpet sound, boys, Let each man stand his ground, boys. Ne’er let us flinch, nor give back and inch, And so let his Health go round, boys. Early Life of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough: The son of Sir Winston Churchill and his wife Elizabeth, John Churchill was born at Ashe House in Devon on May 26, 1650. As a Royalist officer in the English Civil War, John's father was forced to pay fines to the victorious Parliamentary forces leaving the family nearly destitute. Taken in by his grandmother, Lady Eleanor Drake, who had backed Parliament in the conflict, John spent his first ten years in relative poverty in a household rife with political tensions. With the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660, his father's fortunes improved as he moved through several civil service posts. Educated at the Dublin Free School and later St. Paul's School in London, John was appointed to be a page to James, Duke of York in 1665. A noted military leader, James exposed Churchill to army and navy matters developing a passion in his young aide. Pursuing this interest, he obtained a commission as an ensign in the King's Own Company, 1st Guards on September 14, 1667. Posted to Tangier for three years, he returned to England in 1671. Reunited with James, he served aboard the duke's flagship at the Battle of Solebay the following year. A Rapid Rise: Performing heroically, Churchill was promoted to captain in the Lord High Admiral's Regiment (the ancestor regiment of the modern Royal Marines). Continuing to fight the Dutch, Churchill was present at the siege of Maastricht. Taking part in desperate assault on the fortress, he was again commended for his actions and rescued the Duke of Monmouth during the fighting. In April 1674, he was appointed as a Colonel (Commanding Officer) of an English regiment in French service. Serving under Marshal Vicomte de Turenne, Churchill developed his skills as a commander and earned the "esteem and confidence" of the French leader. Politics & Intrigue: Returning home in 1675, Churchill married Sarah Jennings, one of the Duchess of York's Maids of Honor, during the winter of 1677/8. Following a diplomatic mission to The Hague in which he distinguished himself, he was compelled to follow James to Scotland as the Catholic Duke was arguing with those who wished to prevent his eventual ascension to the throne. In 1682, Charles II succeeded in having his brother James, Duke of York recognised as the heir to the throne and James returned to London. For his loyalty, Churchill was created Baron of Eyemouth in the Scottish peerage and made Colonel of the King's Own Royal Regiment of Dragoons. In July 1683, Churchill was dispatched to escort Prince George of Denmark to England for his marriage to Princess Anne. Close friends, Anne immediately appointed Sarah as one of her Ladies of the Bedchamber, increasing the Churchill's influence at court. With this new association, they began to drift away from James. With the ascension of James to the throne in 1685, Churchill was called upon to aid in putting down a rebellion led by the Duke of Monmouth. Churchill was promoted to Major General just before the battle and now as second-in-command to the Earl of Feversham, Churchill organised and effectively led the troops that defeated Monmouth at Sedgemoor on July 6. After the Battle of Sedgemore, Churchill remained at court but he distanced himself from James' increasingly Catholic regime. With the invasion of William of Orange and his wife Mary (James' daughter) in November 1688, Churchill was promoted to Lieutenant General and rode out with the king. On November 23rd, Churchill changed sides and also encouraged other officers of the army to support William of Orange. Crushed that he had lost the support of one of his most trusted servants, James fled to France and William and Mary took the throne. Conflicts with William: In April 1689, William created Churchill as Earl of Marlborough. This led many to wonder if this was why Churchill had changed sides. Was he promised this new title in return for his support? However, William remained wary of Marlborough as he had deserted his greatest patron in his hour of need. As the Nine Year's War (1688-1697) raged, Marlborough only saw three years of active duty despite being one of England's best young commanders. During this time he played a key role in the victory at Walcourt and also captured Cork and Kinsale in Ireland. Angered by William's withholding of honors and the King’s preference for foreign commanders, Marlborough began to quietly spread dissatisfaction through the army. Marlborough's position was weakened as he had kept in correspondence with King James in exile in France. Tired of Marlborough's intrigues, Mary demanded that Anne dismiss Sarah from her retinue. Anne refused and on January 20, 1692, Marlborough was stripped of his ranks and positions. Captain-General: Following several fraudulent plots that implicated Marlborough against the king and resulted in a brief imprisonment in the Tower of London, he began to slowly rebuild a positive relationship with King William. Finally recalled in 1698, he was named governor to Anne's oldest son and his military ranks restored. With the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession in 1701, an ailing William dispatched Marlborough to The Hague to negotiate the Treaty of the Second Grand Alliance against France. With Anne's rise to the throne in March 1702, Marlborough was knighted, named CaptainGeneral of the Armies, and Master-General of the Ordnance. Marlborough traveled to the Continent to take command of the Allied troops. Capturing several towns in the Spanish Netherlands during 1702, including Liège, Marlborough was raised to Duke by Anne. Frustrated by his allies and with a delicate political situation at home, Marlborough was unable to bring the French to battle in 1703. The following year, he was able to break loose and inflicted a severe defeat on the French at Blenheim. In the wake of the victory, Anne gave Marlborough the royal manor of Woodstock. His allies also made him a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. Again hampered by his allies in 1705, Marlborough was able to move forward the following year and decisively defeated the Duc de Villeroi at Ramillies on May 23rd. Despite the victories, the failure to defeat France in 1707, led the Marlboroughs influence with Queen Anne began to decline. The government became reluctant to continue the costly war and Queen Anne became more distant from her former friends. Returning to the army, Marlborough conducted a successful campaign in 1708, which included a victory at the Battle of Oudenarde. While fighting continued in 1709, the political situation in London had reached a crisis with those that wished to end the war effectively taking power. Winning at Malplaquet in September, he was criticised for the casualties sustained. After leading his final campaign in 1711, his wife Sarah's relationship with Queen Anne completely collapsed and he was recalled back to England at the end of the year. Marlborough’s enemies accused him of embezzlement and after a legal battle to clear his name the Marlboroughs departed for the Continent. Returning in August 1714, they learned that Anne had died the day before their arrival. Rushing to London, they were warmly welcomed by the new king, George I. Restored to his position as Captain-General, Marlborough became an influential figure at court. In declining health, he suffered several strokes in 1716. Largely recovering, he supervised the construction of Blenheim Palace at Woodstock. Shortly after his seventy-second birthday, Marlborough suffered another stroke and died on June 16, 1722. John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. King James II. King William III. Queen Anne. The Battle of Blenheim occurred during the War of Spanish Succession. It was a key battle where a victory by the Grand Alliance of England, Austria, the Dutch Republic, Portugal, Spain and the Duchy of Savoy, prevented the French and Bavarian Army from capturing Vienna. Has Vienna fallen to the French then Austria would have been knocked out of the war.. The Basics of the Battle The Battle of Blenheim was fought by the Grand Alliance members England and Austria, led by John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy, and the allies of France and Bavaria, led by Duc de Tallard and Ferdinand de Marsin. England and Austria went into battle with 52,000 soldiers and 60 guns. France and Bavaria went in with a slight advantage of 56,000 soldiers and 90 guns. The battle was fought on 13 August 1704. The battle took place on the banks of the river Danube near the Bavarian village of Blenheim, hence the battle's name. The battle was all for the sake of getting control over the city of Vienna, so that Austria would no longer be able to participate in the War of Spanish Succession. It was a pivotal move initiated by French King Louis XIV and could have changed the whole outcome of the war if France and Bavaria had been successful. The Battle The Duke of Marlborough planned to keep the French and Bavarian armies from reaching Vienna by launching an attack on the Danube. He moved his army in only five weeks to get in the best position between the enemy and the city he sought to protect. The French and Bavarian armies lined the river banks and had secured the village of Blenheim. Marlborough ordered an attack on the village, which was unsuccessful in actually getting control over the village, but played an important role in the battle, possibly even being the turning point where the English and Austrian armies got the upper hand. These attacks unnerved the commander of the French army and caused him to make a premature move. He sent his troops into the village without the reserve forces. He was greatly outnumbered. Marlborough realised the mistake and immediately took action and ordered an attack. He was able to contain the French troops in the village where they could not continue on with the battle. At the same time the remaining troops of the English and Austrian armies were fighting against a strong Bavarian army. They were losing, but Marlborough continued his attack on the French and was able to finally get the French and Bavarians to retreat. The Results The British and Austrian armies suffered 4,542 troops killed and 7,942 wounded so. France and Bavaria had 20,000 troops either killed or wounded. A further 14,190 French and Bavarian soldiers were captured. The most important aspect of this battle was that it kept Vienna secure, while also making it clear that King Louis XIV did not have armies that were indestructible, as was so widely believed. The battle was important in the war and was a direct reason for the Grand Alliance's victory in the War of Spanish Succession. British infantry make an assault upon the village of Blenheim. Jack Frenchman’s Lamentation Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) In the Dutch accounts of the battle of Oudenarde it is said that the Dukes of Burgundy and Berry, with the Chevalier de St. George, viewed the action at a distance from the top of a steeple, and fled, when the fate of the day turned against the French. Vendome commanded the French upon that occasion. YE Commons and Peers, Pray lend me your ears, I ’ll sing you a song (if I can), How Lewis le Grand Was put to a stand By the arms of our gracious Queen Anne. How his army so great Had a total defeat, And close by the river Dender; Where his grandchildren twain, For fear of being slain, Galloped off with the Popish Pretender. To a steeple on high, The battle to spy, Up mounted these clever young men; But when from the spire, They saw so much fire, Most cleverly came down again. Then on horseback they got All on the same spot, By advice of their cousin Vendome, O Lord! cried out he, Unto young Burgundy, Would your brother and you were at home! While this he did say, Without more delay, Away the young gentry fled; 5 10 15 20 25 Whose heels for that work Were much lighter than cork, Though their hearts were as heavy as lead. Not so did behave Young Hanover brave, In this bloody field I assure ye; When his war-horse was shot He valued it not, But fought it on foot like a fury. Full firmly he stood, As became his high blood, Which runs in his veins so blue; For this gallant young man, Being akin to Queen Anne, Did as (were she a man) she would do. What a racket was here (I think ’t was last year), For a little misfortune in Spain! For by letting ’em win, We have drawn the puts in, To lose all they ’re worth this campaign. Though Bruges and Ghent To Monsieur we lent, With interest they shall repay ’em; While Paris may sing, With her sorrowful king, Nunc dimittis instead of Te Deum. From this dream of success They ’ll awaken, we guess, At the sound of great Marlborough’s drums; They may think, if they will, Of Almanza still, But ’t is Blenheim wherever he comes. O Lewis perplexed, What general next! 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 Thou hast hitherto changed in vain; He has beat ’em all round, If no new one ’s found, He shall beat ’em over again. We ’ll let Tallard out If he ’ll take t’ other bout; And much he ’s improved, let me tell ye, With Nottingham ale At every meal, And good beef and pudding in belly. But as losers at play Their dice throw away, While the winners do still win on; Let who will command, Thou hadst better disband, For, old Bully, thy doctors are gone. 65 70 75