You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:

This IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia.
This does not affect your ability to read Wikipedia pages.
Most people who see this message have done nothing wrong. Some kinds of blocks restrict editing from specific service providers or telecom companies in response to recent abuse or vandalism, and can sometimes affect other users who are unrelated to that abuse. Review the information below for assistance if you do not believe that you have done anything wrong.

The IP address or range 34.203.0.0/16 has been blocked (disabled) by ‪ST47‬ for the following reason(s):

The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be a web host provider. To prevent abuse, web hosts may be blocked from editing Wikipedia.
You will not be able to edit Wikipedia using a web host provider because it hides your IP address, much like a proxy or VPN.
We recommend that you attempt to use another connection to edit. For example, if you use a proxy or VPN to connect to the internet, turn it off when editing Wikipedia. If you edit using a mobile connection, try using a Wi-Fi connection, and vice versa. If you are using a corporate internet connection, switch to a different Wi-Fi network. If you have a Wikipedia account, please log in.
If you do not have any other way to edit Wikipedia, you will need to request an IP block exemption.

How to appeal if you are confident that your connection does not use a web host's IP address:
If you are confident that you are not using a web host, you may appeal this block by adding the following text on your talk page: ((unblock|reason=Caught by a web host block but this host or IP is not a web host. My IP address is _______. Place any further information here. ~~~~)). You must fill in the blank with your IP address for this block to be investigated. Your IP address can be determined here. Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private you can use the unblock ticket request system. There are several reasons you might be editing using the IP address of a web host (such as if you are using VPN software or a business network); please use this method of appeal only if you think your IP address is in fact not a web host.

Administrators: The IP block exemption user right should only be applied to allow users to edit using web host in exceptional circumstances, and they should usually be directed to the functionaries team via email. If you intend to give the IPBE user right, a CheckUser needs to take a look at the account. This can be requested most easily at SPI Quick Checkuser Requests. Unblocking an IP or IP range with this template is highly discouraged without at least contacting the blocking administrator.

This block will expire on 00:10, 24 April 2026.

Even when blocked, you will usually still be able to edit your user talk page, as well as email administrators and other editors.

For information on how to proceed, please read the FAQ for blocked users and the guideline on block appeals. The guide to appealing blocks may also be helpful.

Other useful links: Blocking policy · Help:I have been blocked
Your IP address is in a range that has been blocked on all Wikimedia Foundation wikis. The block was made by ‪Jon Kolbert‬. The reason given is Open proxy/Webhost: See the help page if you are affected .
- Start of block: 05:38, 21 February 2024
- Expiry of block: 05:38, 21 February 2029
Your current IP address is 34.203.203.107. The blocked range is 34.203.0.0/16. Please include all above details in any queries you make. If you believe you were blocked by mistake, you can find additional information and instructions in the No open proxies global policy. Otherwise, to discuss the block please post a request for review on Meta-Wiki. You could also send an email to the stewards VRT queue at stewards@wikimedia.org including all above details.

You can view and copy the source of this page:

((short description|Title in the Peerage of England))
((Use dmy dates|date=April 2022))

((Infobox nobility title
| name              = Dukedom of Marlborough 
| image             = Coat of Arms of the Duke of Marlborough.svg 
| image_size        = 240px  
| caption           = ''Quarterly: 1st and 4th, Sable a Lion rampant Argent, on a Canton of the second a Cross Gules (Churchill); 2nd and 3rd, Quarterly Argent and Gules a Fret Or on a Bend Sable three Escallops of the first (Spencer) over all in the centre chief point, an Escutcheon Argent charged with the Cross of St George surmounted by another Escutcheon Azure charged with three Fleur-de-lis two and one Or''
| creation_date     = 1702 
| monarch           = [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Anne]] 
| peerage           = [[Peerage of England]] 
| first_holder      = [[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough|John Churchill, 1st Earl of Marlborough]] 
| last_holder       =  
| present_holder    = [[James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough]] 
| heir_apparent     = [[George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford]] 
| heir_presumptive  =  
| remainder_to      = ''[[#Succession to the title|Special case]]'' ([[Semi-Salic]]) 
| subsidiary_titles = Marquess of Blandford<br />[[Earl of Sunderland]] (from 1733)<br />[[Earl of Marlborough]]<br />[[Baron Spencer]] (from 1733)<br />Baron Churchill of Sandridge 
| extinction_date   =  
| family_seat       = [[Blenheim Palace]] 
| former_seat       =  
| motto             = ((Langnf|es|Fiel pero desdichado|Faithful but unfortunate))<ref name=Debrett>''Debrett's Peerage'', 1876, p. 322.</ref> 
| footnotes         =  
))

'''Duke of Marlborough''' (<small>pronounced</small> ((IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɔːr|l|b|r|ə))) is a title in the [[Peerage of England]]. It was created by [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne]] in 1702 for [[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough|John Churchill, 1st Earl of Marlborough]] (1650–1722), the noted military leader. In historical texts, unqualified use of the title typically refers to the 1st Duke. The name of the dukedom refers to [[Marlborough, Wiltshire|Marlborough]] in [[Wiltshire]].

The [[Earl of Marlborough|earldom of Marlborough]] 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]]'' (1682) in the [[Peerage of Scotland]], and ''Baron Churchill'' of [[Sandridge]] (1685) and ''Earl of Marlborough'' (1689) in the [[Peerage of England]]. Shortly after her accession to the throne in 1702, [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne]] made Churchill the first ''Duke of Marlborough'' and granted him the subsidiary title ''Marquess of [[Blandford]]''.

In 1678, Churchill married [[Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough|Sarah Jennings]] (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]];<ref>((cite web
| title = Family Lineage: Duke of Marlborough
| publisher = [[Burke's Peerage]]
|date=August 2004
| url = http://www.burkes-peerage.net/Search/FullRecord.aspx?ID=9123
| access-date = 2007-08-06 ))</ref> one daughter and one son died in infancy. He was pre-deceased by his son, [[John Churchill, Marquess of Blandford]], 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 [[Peerage of Scotland]] became extinct and the Marlborough titles passed, according to the Act, to his eldest daughter [[Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough|Henrietta]] (1681–1733), the 2nd Duchess of Marlborough. She was married to [[Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin]] and had a son who predeceased her.<ref>((Cite web |title=The first Parliament of Queen Anne: Second session - begins 3/12/1706 ((!)) British History Online |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/commons-hist-proceedings/vol4/pp45-68 |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=www.british-history.ac.uk))</ref><ref>((Cite web |last=Blenheim |title=Family Tree |url=https://www.blenheimpalace.com/visitus/family-tree/ |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=www.blenheimpalace.com |language=en-GB))</ref>

When Henrietta died in 1733, the Marlborough titles passed to her nephew [[Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough|Charles Spencer]] (1706–1758), the third son of her late sister [[Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (1683-1716)|Anne]] (1683–1716), who had married the [[Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland|3rd Earl of Sunderland]] in 1699. After his older brother's death in 1729, Charles Spencer had already inherited the [[Spencer family]] estates and the titles of ''[[Earl of Sunderland]]'' (1643) and ''Baron Spencer'' of [[Wormleighton Manor|Wormleighton]] (1603), all in the [[Peerage of England]]. 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 Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough|George]] (1739–1817), who was succeeded by his eldest son George, the [[George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough|5th Duke]] (1766–1840). In 1815, [[Francis Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill|Francis Spencer]] (the younger son of the [[George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough|4th Duke]]) was created ''[[Baron Churchill of Whichwood|Baron Churchill]]'' in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In 1902, his grandson, the [[Victor Spencer, 1st Viscount Churchill|3rd Baron Churchill]], was created '''[[Baron Churchill (1815 creation)#Viscounts Churchill (1902)|Viscount Churchill]]'''.

In 1817, the [[George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough|5th Duke]] obtained permission to assume and bear the [[surname]] of Churchill in addition to his surname of [[Spencer family|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]] of Churchill with his paternal arms of Spencer.<ref>((London Gazette |issue=17256 |date=3 June 1817 |page=1277))</ref><ref name="Courtenay ">Paul Courtenay, The Armorial Bearings of Sir Winston Churchill [http://www.winstonchurchill.org/resources/reference/the-armorial-bearings-of-sir-winston-churchill The Armorial Bearings of Sir Winston Churchill] (accessed 20 July 2013).</ref> The modern Dukes thus originally bore the surname "Spencer": the [[double-barrelled name|double-barrelled surname]] of "Spencer-Churchill" as used since 1817 remains in the family, although many members have preferred to style themselves simply as "Churchill".

The 7th Duke was the paternal grandfather of the [[British Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill|Sir Winston Churchill]], born at [[Blenheim Palace]] on 30 November 1874.

The 11th Duke, [[John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough|John Spencer-Churchill]] died in 2014, having assumed the title in 1972. The 12th and present Duke is [[Jamie Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough|Charles James Spencer-Churchill]].

==Family seat==
[[File:Blenheim Palace IMG 3675.JPG|thumb|Burial place of most Dukes and Duchesses of Marlborough in the chapel at [[Blenheim Palace]].]]
The family seat is [[Blenheim Palace]] in [[Woodstock, Oxfordshire|Woodstock]], [[Oxfordshire]].

After his leadership in the victory against the [[France|French]] in the [[Battle of Blenheim]] on 13 August 1704, the 1st Duke was honoured by [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne]] granting him the royal manor of [[Woodstock, Oxfordshire|Woodstock]], 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 [[John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough|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 Church, Bladon|St. Martin's parish churchyard]] at [[Bladon]], a short distance from the palace.

==Succession to the title==
The dukedom can theoretically pass through a female line. However, unlike the remainder to [[Hereditary peer#Writ of Summons|heirs general]] found in most other peerages that allow [[male-preference primogeniture]], the grant does not allow for [[Abeyance#Peerage law|abeyance]] and follows a more restrictive [[Semi-Salic]] formula designed to keep succession wherever possible in the male line.

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&mdash;including the lines of the [[Baron Churchill (1815 creation)#Viscounts Churchill (1902)|Viscounts Churchill and Barons Churchill of Wychwood]] and of the [[Earl Spencer (peerage)|Earl Spencer]] and of the entire Spencer-Churchill and Spencer family&mdash;would have to become extinct.

If that were to happen, the Churchill titles would pass to the [[Earl of Jersey]], the heir-male of the 1st Duke's granddaughter [[Anne Russell, Duchess of Bedford|Anne Villiers (born Egerton), Countess of Jersey]], daughter of Elizabeth Egerton, Duchess of Bridgewater, the third daughter of the first Duke.

==Line of succession==
((Tree list))
* [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough]] (1650–1722)''
** [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough]] (1681–1733)''
** ''[[Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (1683–1716)|Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland]] (1683–1716)''
*** [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough]] (1706–1758)''
**** [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough]] (1739–1817)''
***** [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough]] (1766–1840)''
****** [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough]] (1793–1857)''
******* [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough]] (1822–1883)''
******** [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[George Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough]] (1844–1892)''
********* [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough]] (1871–1934)''
********** [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough]] (1897–1972)''
*********** [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] ''[[John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough]] (1926–2014)''
************ [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|15px]] '''[[James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough]]''' (born 1955) 
************* '''(1)''' [[George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford]] (((Born in|1992)))
************** '''(29)''' Lady Olympia Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|2020)))
************* '''(2)''' Lord Caspar Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|2008))) ((sup|[[#notes_and_sources|2]]))
************ '''(3)''' Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1974))) ((sup|[[#notes_and_sources|2]]))
*********** ''Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill (1940–2016)''
************ '''(4)''' Rupert Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1971))) ((sup|[[#notes_and_sources|2]]))
************ '''(5)''' Dominic Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1979))) ((sup|[[#notes_and_sources|2]]))
************* '''(6)''' Ivor Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|2014)))
************ '''(7)''' Alexander Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1983))) ((sup|[[#notes_and_sources|2]]))
********** ''[[Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill]] (1898–1956)''
*********** '''(8)''' Robert Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1954)))
************ '''(9)''' John Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1984)))
************ '''(10)''' Ivor Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1986)))
******** ''[[Lord Randolph Churchill|Lord Randolph Spencer-Churchill]] (1849–1895)''
********* ''[[Winston Churchill|Sir Winston Churchill]] (1874–1965)''
********** ''[[Randolph Churchill|Randolph Spencer-Churchill]] (1911–1968)''
*********** ''[[Winston Churchill (1940–2010)|Winston Spencer-Churchill]] (1940–2010)''
************ '''(11)''' Randolph Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1965)))
************* '''(12)''' John Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|2007)))
************ '''(13)''' John Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|1975)))
************* '''(14)''' Edward Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|2008)))
************* '''(15)''' Alexander Spencer-Churchill (((Born in|2014)))
***** [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|15px]] ''[[Francis Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill]] (1779–1845)''
****** ''[[Augustus Spencer]] (1807–1893)''
******* ''Augustus Spencer (1851–1912)''
******** ''Richard Spencer (1888–1956)''
********* ''[[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|15px]] Richard Spencer, 6th Baron Churchill (1926–2020)''
********** '''(16)''' [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|15px]] Michael Spencer, 7th Baron Churchill (((Born in|1960)))
********** '''(17)''' David Spencer (((Born in|1970)))
*********** '''(18)''' Thomas Ellison-Spencer (((Born in|2006)))
****** ''William Spencer (1810–1900)''
******* ''William Spencer (1838–1923)''
******** ''John Spencer (1881–1952)''
********* ''John Spencer (1917–1967)''
********** '''(19)''' John Spencer (((Born in|1957)))
*********** '''(20)''' Charles Spencer (((Born in|1990)))
****** ''Charles Spencer (1824–1895)''
******* ''Charles Spencer (1848–1922)''
******** ''Francis Spencer (1881–1972)''
********* ''Francis Spencer (1917–1989)''
********** '''(21)''' Philip Spencer (((Born in|1966)))
**** ''[[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)''
********** '''(22)''' Robert Spencer (((Born in|1944)))
*********** '''(23)''' Edmund Spencer (((Born in|1991)))
********* ''Charles Spencer (1909–1963)''
********** '''(24)''' Piers Spencer (((Born in|1963)))
*** ''[[John Spencer (British politician)|John Spencer]] (1708–1746)''
**** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer]] (1734–1783)''
***** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer]] (1758–1834)''
****** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer]] (1798–1857)''
******* [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer]] (1857–1922)''
******** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer]] (1892–1975)''
********* [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer]] (1924–1992)''
********** '''(25)''' [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] [[Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer]] (((Born in|1964)))
*********** '''(26)''' [[Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp]] (((Born in|1994))) 
*********** '''(27)''' Edmund Spencer (((Born in|2003)))
******** ''George Spencer (1903–1982)''
********* '''(28)''' George Spencer (((Born in|1932)))
** ''Lady Elizabeth Churchill (1687–1714)''
*** ''[[Anne Russell, Duchess of Bedford|Lady Anne Egerton]] (1705–1762)''
**** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey]] (1735–1805)''
***** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey]] (1773–1859)''
****** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[George Child Villiers, 6th Earl of Jersey]] (1808–1859)''
******* [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[Victor Child Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey]] (1845–1915)''
******** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[George Child Villiers, 8th Earl of Jersey]] (1873–1923)''
********* [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] ''[[George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey]] (1910–1998)''
********** ''[[George Child-Villiers, Viscount Villiers]] (1948–1998)''
*********** [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|15px]] '''(?)''' [[William Child-Villiers, 10th Earl of Jersey]] (((Born in|1976)))((sup|[[#notes_and_sources|2]]))
************ '''(?)''' George Child-Villiers, Viscount Villiers (((Born in|2015)))
*********** '''(?)''' Jamie Child-Villiers (((Born in|1994)))((Sup|[[#notes_and_sources|3]]))
********* ''Edward Child-Villiers (1913–1980)''
********** '''(?)''' Edward Child-Villiers (((Born in|1935)))
*********** '''(?)''' Alexander Child-Villiers (((Born in|1961)))
************ '''(?)''' Frederick Child-Villiers (((Born in|1990)))
************ '''(?)''' William Child-Villiers (((Born in|2003)))
********** '''(?)''' George Child-Villiers (((Born in|1947)))
((Tree list/end))

{| class=wikitable
|+ Notes and sources((anchor|notes_and_sources))
! Mark !! Note <!--Source for listing or note on exclusion from succession-->
|-
| align="center" | '''2''' || Issue from second marriage
|-
| align="center" | '''3''' || Issue from third marriage
<!--
|-
| align="center" | '''4''' || Issue from fourth marriage
|-
| align="center" | '''A''' || Absolute primogeniture
|-
| align="center" | '''S''' || Salic law
|-
| align="center" | '''I''' || Excluded for being born out of wedlock.
|-
| align="center" | '''B''' || Barred to succeed if there are nearest male relative -->
|}

==Other titles of the Dukes==

===Subsidiary titles===
The Duke holds subsidiary titles: ''Marquess of [[Blandford]]'' (created in 1702 for John Churchill), ''[[Earl of Sunderland]]'' (created in 1643 for the [[Spencer family]]), ''Earl of Marlborough'' (created in 1689 for John Churchill), ''Baron Spencer'' of [[Wormleighton Manor|Wormleighton]] (created in 1603 for the Spencer family), and ''Baron Churchill'' of [[Sandridge]] (created in 1685 for John Churchill), all in the Peerage of England.

The title ''Marquess of Blandford'' is used as the [[Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom|courtesy title]] 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 (peerage)|Earl Spencer]]).

The title of ''Earl of Marlborough'', created for John Churchill in 1689, had previously been created for [[James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough|James Ley]], in 1626, becoming extinct in 1679.

===Foreign titles===
The 1st Duke was honoured with land and titles in the [[Holy Roman Empire]]: [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Leopold I]] created him a [[Prince of the Holy Roman Empire|Prince]] in 1704, and in 1705, his successor [[Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Joseph I]] gave him the [[principality of Mindelheim]] (once the lordship of the noted soldier [[Georg von Frundsberg]]). He was obliged to surrender Mindelheim in 1714 by the [[Treaty of Utrecht]], which returned it to [[Bavaria]]. He tried to obtain [[County of Nellenburg|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.<ref>William Coxe, ''Herzogs Johann von Marlborough Leben und Denkwürdigkeiten'', vol. 6, Vienna 1822, pp. 297–8.</ref> 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 (Cavalier)|Winston Churchill]] (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 [[Saint George's Cross|canton of Saint George]] (see below) rendered the distinguishing mark of the bendlet unnecessary.<ref name="Courtenay"/>

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.<ref name="Courtenay"/>

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]] to his arms around 1662. This rare mark of royal favour took the form of a [[Saint George's Cross|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.<ref name="Courtenay"/>

===Arms of the 1st Duke of Marlborough===

Sir Winston's shield and crest were inherited by his son [[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough]]. 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]] (part lion, part eagle) and [[Wyvern]] (a dragon without hind legs).<ref name="Courtenay"/> The supporters were derived from the arms of the family of the 1st Duke's mother, Drake of [[Ash, Musbury|Ash]] (Argent, a wyvern gules; these arms can be seen on the monument in Musbury Church to Sir [[Bernard Drake]], d.1586).

The motto was ''Fiel pero desdichado'' (Spanish for "Faithful but unfortunate").<ref name="Robson, Thomas 1830, p 401">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).</ref> The 1st Duke was also entitled to a [[coronet]] indicating his rank.<ref name="Courtenay"/>

When the 1st Duke was made a [[Prince of the Holy Roman Empire]] in 1705, two unusual features were added: the Imperial Eagle and a Princely Coronet.<ref name="Courtenay"/> His estates in Germany, such as [[Mindelheim]], 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.<ref name="Courtenay"/> The shield of the [[Spencer family]] 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.<ref name="Courtenay"/> 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."<ref name="Courtenay"/>

Also in 1817, a further [[augmentation of honour]] 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 [[St George's cross|Saint George]] surmounted by an [[inescutcheon]] Azure, charged with three [[fleurs-de-lys]] Or, two over one. This inescutcheon represents the royal arms of France.<ref name="Courtenay"/>

These quartered arms, incorporating the two augmentations of honour, have been the arms of all subsequent Dukes of Marlborough.<ref name="Courtenay"/>

===Motto===
The [[motto]] ''Fiel pero desdichado'' is [[Spanish language|Spanish]] for 'Faithful but unfortunate'.<ref>((cite web |url=https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/reference/the-armorial-bearings-of-sir-winston-churchill/ |title=The Armorial Bearings of Sir Winston Churchill |work=International Churchill Society |accessdate=2023-01-19))</ref> ''Desdichado'' means without happiness or without joy, alluding to the first Duke's father, [[Winston Churchill (1620–1688)|Winston]], who was a royalist and faithful supporter of the king during the [[English Civil War]] but was not compensated for his losses after the restoration. Charles II [[knight]]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]], and it is not known why this is the case.<ref>((cite web |url=http://www.churchill-society-london.org.uk/fielpero.html |title=Churchill's Motto |publisher=Churchill Society of London |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106011716/http://www.churchill-society-london.org.uk/fielpero.html |url-status=dead ))</ref>

===Gallery of arms===
<gallery>
File:Churchill Original.svg|Original arms of the Churchill family
File:Coat of arms of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.svg|Arms of [[Winston Churchill (Cavalier)|Sir Winston Churchill]], the father of the 1st Duke of Marlborough
File:1st Duke of Marlborough arms.png|Arms of the [[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough|1st Duke of Marlborough]], with quarterings representing his estates in Germany
MarlboroughCoatOfArms.jpg|Simple arms of the [[Spencer family|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]]
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 [[Winston Churchill]] (or any Spencer-Churchill) as a [[gentleman]]
Coat of Arms of Winston Churchill.svg|Arms of Sir Winston Churchill as a [[Knight of the Garter]]
</gallery>

===Achievement===

((Infobox COA wide
|image = Coat of arms of the duke of Marlborough.png
|year_adopted = 1817 (by the 5th Duke of Marlborough).
|coronet = [[Coronet#Commonwealth usage|Coronet of a duke]] (above the escutcheon).<br />[[Princely hat]] of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] (above the [[double-headed eagle]]).
|crest = 1st: a lion couchant guardant Argent supporting a banner Gules charged with a dexter hand couped Argent (Churchill);<br />2nd: out of a ducal coronet Or a griffin's head between two wings expanded Argent gorged with a collar gemel and armed Gules (Spencer).
|escutcheon = Quarterly:  1st and 4th, Sable a lion rampant Argent, on a canton of the second a cross Gules (Churchill);  2nd and 3rd, quarterly Argent and Gules, in the 2nd and 3rd quarters a fret Or, over all on a bend Sable three Escallops of the first (Spencer); over all in the centre chief point (as an [[augmentation of honour]]) an escutcheon Argent charged with [[Saint George's Cross]] surmounted by an inescutcheon Azure charged with three [[fleurs-de-lys]] Or, two over one.
|supporters = On either side: a [[wyvern]] wings elevated Gules.<br />Behind: the [[Reichsadler|imperial eagle]] of the Holy Roman Empire.
|motto = ((Langnf|es|Fiel Pero Desdichado|Faithful but unfortunate)).<ref name=Debrett/>
))

==List of title holders==

=== Earls of Marlborough, first creation (1626–1679) ===
((main|Earl of Marlborough))
The earldom of Marlborough was held by the family of Ley from 1626 to 1679. [[James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough|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 Ley, 3rd Earl of Marlborough|James]] (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.<ref name="EB1911">((EB1911 |inline=y |wstitle=Marlborough, Earls and Dukes of |volume=17 |page=737 ))</ref>

===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 Duke of Marlborough|John Churchill, 1st Earl of Marlborough]] (1650–1722), became Duke of Marlborough in 1702

===Dukes of Marlborough (1702)===
[[File:John Churchill, Marquis of Blandford (1686-1703), studio of Godfrey Kneller.jpg|thumb|140px|[[John Churchill, Marquess of Blandford]] (1686–1703)]]
:''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)''
* [[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough]] (1650–1722), soldier and statesman
** [[John Churchill, Marquess of Blandford]] (1686–1703), elder son of the 1st Duke, died unmarried
* [[Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough]] (1681–1733), eldest daughter of the 1st Duke, succeeded her father by [[Act of Parliament]] (1706)
** [[William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford]] (1700–1731), elder son of the 2nd Duchess, predeceased his mother without issue
* [[Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (1683–1716)|Anne Spencer]], Countess of Sunderland (''née'' Lady Anne Churchill; 1683–1716), second daughter of the 1st Duke, married [[Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland]], 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]] (1706–1758), 5th Earl of Sunderland, second son of Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland
* [[George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough]] (1739–1817), elder son of the 3rd Duke
* [[George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough]] (1766–1840), elder son of the 4th Duke
* [[George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough]] (1793–1857), eldest son of the 5th Duke
* [[John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough|John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough]] (1822–1883), eldest son of the 6th Duke and paternal grandfather of [[Winston Churchill]]
* [[George Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough|George Charles Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough]] (1844–1892), eldest son of the 7th Duke
* [[Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough|Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough]] (1871–1934), only son of the 8th Duke
* [[John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough|John Albert William Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough]] (1897–1972), elder son of the 9th Duke
* [[John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough|John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough]] (1926–2014), elder son of the 10th Duke
* [[James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough|Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough]] (b. 1955), eldest surviving son of the 11th Duke

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

==Family trees==

[[File:The 1st Duke of Marlborough's genealogy.PNG|thumb|center|600px|The 1st Duke of Marlborough's genealogy]]
<section begin=FamilyTree />
((Marlborough family tree))
<section end="FamilyTree" />

==References==
((reflist))

== External links ==
((Commons category|Dukes of Marlborough))
((Commons category|House of Churchill))
* [https://www.blenheimpalace.com/ Blenheim Palace website]

((Extant British dukedoms))
((Dukes of Marlborough))

((DEFAULTSORT:Marlborough))
[[Category:Dukedoms in the Peerage of England]]
[[Category:Spencer family|Duke]]
[[Category:Dukes of Marlborough| ]]
[[Category:Peerages created with special remainders]]
[[Category:Noble titles created in 1702]]

Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page (help):

Duke of Marlborough (title) (edit)
Template:Abbr (view source) (protected)
Template:Anchor (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Born in (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Chart bottom (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Chart top (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Cite EB1911 (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Cite book (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite encyclopedia (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite magazine (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite web (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite wikisource/make link (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Clear (view source) (protected)
Template:Commons category (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Country data Kingdom of England (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Country data Kingdom of Great Britain (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Country data Kingdom of Ireland (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Country data Kingdom of Scotland (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Country data United Kingdom (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:DMCA (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dated maintenance category (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dated maintenance category (articles) (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dukes of Marlborough (edit)
Template:Dukes of Marlborough family tree (edit)
Template:EB1911 (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Emblem table (view source) (extended confirmed protected)
Template:Extant British dukedoms (edit)
Template:FULLROOTPAGENAME (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Flagicon (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Flagicon/core (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Harvid (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Hlist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:IPAc-en (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Infobox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Infobox COA wide (view source) (extended confirmed protected)
Template:Infobox hereditary title (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Infobox nobility title (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Langnf (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Language with name/for (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:London Gazette (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Main (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Main other (view source) (protected)
Template:Marlborough family tree (edit)
Template:Navbar (view source) (protected)
Template:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Nowrap (view source) (protected)
Template:Ns has subpages (view source) (protected)
Template:PAGENAMEBASE (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Template:Plainlist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Preview warning (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Reflist (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Replace (view source) (protected)
Template:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Template:SfnRef (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Short description (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description/lowercasecheck (view source) (protected)
Template:Side box (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Sister project (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Sup (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Template other (view source) (protected)
Template:Tree chart (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Tree chart/end (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Tree chart/start (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Tree list (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Tree list/end (view source) (extended confirmed protected)
Template:Tree list/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Use dmy dates (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Yesno (view source) (protected)
Template:Yesno-no (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Anchor (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Arguments (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/blacklist (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/shared (view source) (protected)
Module:Check for unknown parameters (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1 (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/COinS (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Date validation (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Whitelist (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Disambiguation/templates (view source) (protected)
Module:Exponential search (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Footnotes (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Format link (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Hatnote (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Hatnote/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Hatnote list (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:IPAc-en (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:IPAc-en/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:IPAc-en/phonemes (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:IPAc-en/pronunciation (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:If preview (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:If preview/configuration (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:If preview/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Infobox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Infobox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:InfoboxImage (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Labelled list hatnote (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Lang (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Lang/ISO 639 synonyms (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Lang/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana languages (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana regions (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana scripts (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana suppressed scripts (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana variants (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language with name/for (view source) (semi-protected)
Module:London Gazette util (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Namespace detect/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/configuration (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Ns has subpages (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/disambiguation (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/setindex (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/softredirect (view source) (protected)
Module:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Module:Side box (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Side box/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:String (view source) (protected)
Module:TableTools (view source) (protected)
Module:Template wrapper (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Tree chart (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Tree chart/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Unicode data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Unicode data/scripts (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Unsubst (view source) (protected)
Module:WikidataIB (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:WikidataIB/nolinks (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:WikidataIB/titleformats (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Wikitext Parsing (view source) (protected)
Module:Yesno (view source) (protected)

Return to Duke of Marlborough (title).

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Marlborough_(title)"