John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, soldier and statesman spanning the reigns of five monarchs through the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. He began as a page at the court of the House of Stuart, earning military and political advancement through both courage and diplomatic skill. Churchill's role in defeating the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685 secured James II on the throne, yet just three years later he abandoned his Catholic patron for the Protestant William of Orange and was awarded the earldom of Marlborough. It was not until the accession of Queen Anne in 1702 that Marlborough reached the zenith of his powers and secured his fame and fortune. Becoming de facto leader of Allied forces during the War of the Spanish Succession, his victories on the fields of Blenheim (1704), Ramillies (1706), Oudenarde (1708) and Malplaquet (1709) ensured his place in history as one of Europe's great generals.