| Dukedom of Marlborough | |
|---|---|
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| Creation date | 1702 |
| Created by | Anne |
| Peerage | Peerage of England |
| First holder | John Churchill, 1st Earl of Marlborough |
| Present holder | James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough |
| Heir apparent | George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford |
| Remainder to | Special case (Semi-Salic) |
| Subsidiary titles | Marquess of Blandford Earl of Sunderland (from 1733) Earl of Marlborough Baron Spencer (from 1733) Baron Churchill of Sandridge |
| Seat(s) | Blenheim Palace |
| Motto | Fiel pero desdichado (Spanish for 'Faithful but unfortunate')[1] |
Duke of Marlborough (pronounced /ˈmɔːrlbrə/) 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. In historical texts, unqualified use of the title typically refers to the 1st Duke. The name of the dukedom refers to Marlborough in Wiltshire.
The 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).
- ^ Debrett's Peerage, 1876, p. 322.