Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough

British Army officer, politician and peer

For other people named Charles Spencer, see Charles Spencer (disambiguation).

His Grace

The Duke of Marlborough

KG PC

Portrait by Joshua Reynolds c. 1759

Lord Privy Seal
In office
8 June 1755 – 22 December 1755
Monarch| George II
Prime Minister| The Duke of Newcastle
Preceded by| The Earl Gower
Succeeded by| The Earl Gower
Lord Steward of the Household
In office
1749–1755
Monarch| George II
Prime Minister| Henry Pelham
The Duke of Newcastle
Preceded by| The Duke of Devonshire
Succeeded by| The Duke of Rutland
Personal details
Born| 22 November 1706
Died| 20 October 1758(1758-10-20) (aged 51)
Spouse| Elizabeth Trevor
Children|

* Lady Diana Beauclerk
* Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery
* George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough
* Lord Charles Spencer
* Lord Robert Spencer

Parents|

* Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland
* Lady Anne Churchill

Military service
Allegiance|  Great Britain
Branch/service|  British Army
Battles/wars| Seven Years' War

Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, KG, PC (22 November 1706 - 20 October 1758), styled as The Honourable Charles Spencer between 1706 and 1729 and as the Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British Army officer, politician and peer who served as Lord Privy Seal in 1755. He led the British forces involved in the raid on St Malo in 1758.

## Early life

[edit]

A young Charles Spencer, painted by John Vanderbank

He was the second son of Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, and Lady Anne Churchill, the second daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and his wife Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. He inherited the Sunderland title from his older brother in 1729, becoming 5th Earl of Sunderland, and then the Marlborough title from his aunt Henrietta, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough in 1733. At that time, he handed over the Sunderland estates to his younger brother John, but he did not obtain Blenheim Palace until Sarah, the dowager duchess, died in 1744.[1]

On Thursday, 14 July 1737, Marlborough captained his own cricket team in a match against the Prince of Wales' XI on Kew Green. Wales' XI are known to have won the match which was apparently of minor standard although publicised because of the participants.[2] This is the only known mention of Marlborough in a cricketing connection.

He was one of the original governors of London's Foundling Hospital, the foundation of which in 1739 marked a watershed in British child care advocacy and attitudes.[citation needed]

## Seven Years War

[edit]

Further information: Great Britain in the Seven Years War

He is best known for his service in the early part of the Seven Years' War. He led the Raid on St Malo, a naval descent against the French coastal port. Following the Capture of Emden in 1758, he led the British expeditionary force sent to join Ferdinand of Brunswick's Army of Observation on Continental Europe, but died the same year, leaving command to John Manners, Marquess of Granby.

## Marriage and children

[edit]

He married The Hon. Elizabeth Trevor (c. 1713 - 1761), daughter of Thomas Trevor, 2nd Baron Trevor. They had five children:

* Lady Diana Spencer (1734-1808). Married first Frederick St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke, and secondly Topham Beauclerk.
* Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery (29 December 1737 - 30 April 1831).[3] Married Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke.
* George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (26 January 1739 - 29 January 1817).[4]
* Lord Charles Spencer (31 March 1740 - 16 June 1820).[5]
* Lord Robert Spencer (8 May 1747 - 23 June 1831)

## Personal life

[edit]

Quartered arms of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, KG

The amiable Charles was generally well-liked, and he was a loyal husband and loving father. He made sure to write to his wife frequently while on military campaigns and always sent his love to their children.[6] He had no concept of economy, and was a heavy spender. He was so notoriously incompetent with money that when he suddenly died in 1758, acquaintances wryly remarked that he died before he could spend his heir's inheritance on the estate.[7]

## Death

[edit]

In October 1758, Charles was on a campaign in Germany when he caught dysentery that was sweeping the camp. His sudden death shocked his family, friends, and England. However, an autopsy revealed he would have died not long after, as his lungs were ravaged by the consumption that had killed his mother and sister. Surprisingly, Charles did not spread consumption to his children.[8]

## Titles

[edit]

* 22 November 1706 - 15 September 1729: The Honourable Charles Spencer
* 15 September 1729 - 24 October 1733: The Right Honourable The Earl of Sunderland
* 24 October 1733 - 20 October 1758: His Grace The Duke of Marlborough

## Ancestry

[edit]

Ancestors of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8\. Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| 4\. Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland|

|  |  |
| 9\. Lady Dorothy Sidney

| 2\. Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland|

|  |  |  |  |
| 10\. George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol

| 5\. Lady Anne Digby|

|  |  |
| 11\. Lady Anne Russell

| 1\. Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 12\. Sir Winston Churchill

| 6\. John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough|

|  |  |
| 13\. Elizabeth Drake

| 3\. Lady Anne Churchill|

|  |  |  |  |
| 14\. Sir Richard Jennings

| 7\. Sarah Jennings|

|  |  |
| 15\. Frances Thornhurst

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Marlborough, Earls and Dukes of". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 737.
2. ^ Waghorn, H. T. (1899). Cricket Scores, Notes, etc. (1730–1773). Blackwood. p. 18.
3. ^ The Third Register Book of the Parish of St James in the Liberty of Westminster For Births & Baptisms. 1723-1741. 19 January 1737.
4. ^ The Third Register Book of the Parish of St James in the Liberty of Westminster For Births & Baptisms. 1723-1741. 26 February 1738.
5. ^ The Third Register Book of the Parish of St James in the Liberty of Westminster For Births & Baptisms. 1723-1741. 18 April 1740.
6. ^ Hicks, Carola (19 June 2002). Improper Pursuits: The Scandalous Life of an Earlier Lady Diana Spencer. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-29157-0.
7. ^ Hicks, Carola (19 June 2002). Improper Pursuits: The Scandalous Life of an Earlier Lady Diana Spencer. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-29157-0.
8. ^ Hicks, Carola (19 June 2002). Improper Pursuits: The Scandalous Life of an Earlier Lady Diana Spencer. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-29157-0.

## External Sources

[edit]

* Lee, Sidney, ed. (1898). "Spencer, Charles (1706-1758)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 53\. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

Honorary titles

Preceded by

The Viscount Cobham

|  Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire
1739-1758  | Succeeded by

The Earl Temple

Preceded by

The Earl of Godolphin

|  Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
1739-1758  | Vacant

Title next held by

The Duke of Marlborough
Political offices
Preceded by

The Duke of Devonshire

|  Lord Steward
1749-1755  | Succeeded by

The Duke of Rutland

Preceded by

The 1st Earl Gower

|  Lord Privy Seal
1755  | Succeeded by

The 2nd Earl Gower

Military offices
Preceded by

Edward Montagu

|  Governor of Kingston-upon-Hull
1738-1740  | Succeeded by

James Dormer

Preceded by

Hon. Robert Murray

|  Colonel of 38th Regiment of Foot
1738-1739  | Succeeded by

Robert Dalzell

Preceded by

Humphrey Gore

|  Colonel of The Royal Regiment of Dragoons
1739-1740  | Succeeded by

Henry Hawley

Preceded by

Earl of Hertford

|  Captain and Colonel of
The Queen's Troop of Horse Guards
1740-1742  | Succeeded by

The Lord Cadogan

Preceded by

The Duke of Cumberland

|  Colonel of the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards
1742-1744  | Succeeded by

The Earl of Albemarle

Preceded by

The Duke of Montagu

|  Master-General of the Ordnance
1755-1758  | Vacant

Title next held by

The Viscount Ligonier
Peerage of England
Preceded by

Henrietta Godolphin

|  Duke of Marlborough
1733-1758  | Succeeded by

George Spencer

Preceded by

Robert Spencer

|  Earl of Sunderland
1729-1758

* v
* t
* e

Dukes and Duchesses of Marlborough

* John Churchill, 1st Duke (1702–1722)
* Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess (1722–1733)
* Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke (1733–1758)
* George Spencer, 4th Duke (1758–1817)
* George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke (1817–1840)
* George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke (1840–1857)
* John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke (1857–1883)
* George Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke (1883–1892)
* Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke (1892–1934)
* John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke (1934–1972)
* John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke (1972–2014)
* James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke (2014–present)

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