= John Churchill = '''John Churchill''' was a [[UnitedKingdom/ToryParty|Tory]] politician and member of the [[UnitedKingdom/Parliament|Parliament]] in [[UnitedKingdom/Democratization|England]]. <> ---- == History == Churchill was elected to the [[UnitedKingdom/Parliament|House of Commons]] in 1679 amid the '''Exclusion Crisis'''. Churchill, a [[UnitedKingdom/ToryParty|Tory]], supported [[UnitedKingdom/JamesII|James']] succession. He was raised to '''lord of Eyemouth''' in 1682, and then to '''baron of Sandridge''' in 1685. The latter afforded him a seat in the House of Lords. He fought against the '''Monmouth Rebellion''' and thereafter received a promotion to major general. Churchill was among the officers that defected to [[UnitedKingdom/WilliamIII|William]] in the '''Glorious Revolution'''. William and [[UnitedKingdom/MaryII|Mary]] created him as '''earl of Marlborough'''. He then served as an English general for the '''Grand Alliance''' in the [[WorldHistory/NineYearsWar|Nine Years War]] and '''Williamite War'''. Churchill himself was a Jacobite sympathizer, and re-established communication with James II in exile. And in court politics, his wife Sarah sided with [[UnitedKingdom/Anne|Anne]] over Mary. In 1692, he was dismissed from all military and governmental roles. Only in 1698 was he reappointed to government and returned his military rank. Following [[Spain/PhilipV|Philip's]] succession to the [[Spain/Monarchs#Catholic_Monarchy|Spanish crown]], an ailing William appointed Churchill to represent him in a diplomatic conference in the Hague. In the '''Treaty of the Hague''', the Grand Alliance was recreated and declared for an alternate claim to the Spanish crown, so as to keep it independent from [[France/LouisXIV|France]]. William died shortly thereafter, with Anne succeeding him. Churchill was raised to the captain-general of English forces. He was also soon raised to '''duke of Marlborough'''. He enjoyed great influence on the continent, paralleled only by [[Austria/Eugene|Eugene of Savoy]] and [[Netherlands/AnthonieHeinsius|Heinsius]]. However, his persistent remoteness ensured a gradual downfall. Anne had initially appointed a mixed government of both Tories and [[UnitedKingdom/WhigParty|Whigs]]. Over time, her government drifted to favor a '''Whig Junto''' (i.e., [[UnitedKingdom/JohnSomers|Somers]], [[UnitedKingdom/CharlesMontagu|Montagu]], [[UnitedKingdom/ThomasWharton|Wharton]], and [[UnitedKingdom/EdwardRussell|Russell]]). Churchill and [[UnitedKingdom/SidneyGodolphin|Godolphin]], both political moderates, were left the only Tories still in government. The oppositional Country Whigs merged with the wider Tory Party and, in 1710, in the context of the '''Sacheverell riots''', won a majority in the Parliament. Anne appointed a Tory government led by [[UnitedKingdom/RobertHarley|Harley]] and [[UnitedKingdom/HenryStJohn|St John]], who then enacted a strategy to force a peace treaty. Churchill was relieved of his command, and English forces were directed to cease combat. Bilateral diplomacy with Louis XIV was opened. Before the '''Treaty of Utrecht''' was signed in 1713, Churchill had already gone into exile. He only returned to England nearly simultaneous to Anne's death. Churchill's health deteriorated rapidly after returning to England, and he eventually died in 1722. ---- CategoryRicottone