Dukes of Marlborough

Dukedom of Marlborough
Arms of Charles Spencer-Churchill, Duke of Marlborough: 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 second and third quarters a fret Or, over all on a bend Sable three escallops of the first (Spencer); in chief, on an escutcheon Argent a cross Gules surmounted by an inescutcheon Azure charged with three fleurs-de-lys Or.
Creation date	1702
Monarch	Anne
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
Present holder	Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke
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
Seat(s)	Blenheim Palace
Armorial motto	Fiel pero desdichado (Faithful, though unfortunate)

Duke of Marlborough (local ⁱ/ˈmɔːlbrə/ MAWL-brə) 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, and indeed an unqualified reference to the Duke of Marlborough in a historical text will almost certainly refer to him. The name of the dukedom refers to Marlborough in Wiltshire. It is one of the few titles in the peerage which allows for suo jure female inheritance, and the only current dukedom to do so.

The earldom of Marlborough was held by the family of Ley from its creation 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).

Churchill had been made Lord Churchill of Eyemouth (1682) in the Scottish peerage, 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, Queen Anne made Churchill the first Duke of Marlborough and granted him the subsidiary title Marquess of Blandford.