John Churchill,
Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill was the 1st Duke of Marlborough in England as well as being a soldier and political statesman. During his political career, he served under no less than five monarchs in a span ranging from the late 17th Century to the early 18th Century.
John was born on May 26, 1650 to Elizabeth and Winston Churchill at Ashe House in Devon, England. This same Winston Churchill's descendant is the famous 20th Century statesman who bears his name.
Winston Churchill would have lived a fairly comfortable life as a Royalist Cavalry Captain if not for the fact that he supported the Monarchs in the Civil War and his side subsequently lost the war. As a result, he was forced to pay hefty fines by way of compensation and this dealt a serious blow to the family's financial state. Winston Churchill's own mother-in-law Lady Eleanor Drake, had sided with the Parliament during this conflict. Churchill had felt that it was his duty to retain his allegiance to the crown in spite of the prospect of defeat. He therefore had as his motto Fiel Pero Desdichado which means Faithful but Unfortunate and this motto is still used by his descendant to this very day.
It is very likely that these financial misfortunes and the atmosphere of political conflicts in the Ashe House had a lasting effect on the young John Churchill and that these factors have probably had great influence on how he conducted his later affairs throughout his adult life. Sir Winston Churchill, who later on wrote John Churchill's biography, strongly felt that these harsh conditions in John's early life cultivated in him an intense aversion to poverty and the need to hide what was on his mind from those who would have opposing opinions.
John Churchill later on became closely associated with John the Duke of York and the Duke's interest in naval and military matters was probably a great influence on him and he soon began to explore a career in the military. He later saw action in many victorious battles such as the Battle of Solebay in June of 1672, where he served with the English forces against the Dutch Navy. This particular battle saw John perform at his best and he was rewarded by a promotion to the position of Captain in the Lord High Admiral's Regiment.
Although John Churchill would later in his career appear to support King James by remaining in his court, he was secretly growing more alienated by the King's religious and political decisions. When the various political factions in the country as well as the Protestant Church campaigned for the ascension to the throne by William, Prince of Orange, Churchill did not sign the petition, although he signified his support to the future King to William's advisers in England. In the end, it was Churchill's religious convictions that drove him to oppose the King to whom he would have otherwise remained loyal.
John Churchill died from a stroke on June 27, 1722, in Windsor Lodge.
Original Authors: Doods Pangburn
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 25/07/2008
