John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722), 1700 (c).
Engraving after Sir Godfrey Kneller, published by George Virtue, 1710 (c).

Marlborough has been called Britain's greatest general. It was said of him at the time that he 'never fought a battle which he did not gain nor laid siege to a town which he did not take'.

From 1702 to 1711, during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713), Marlborough fought a series of successful campaigns against the French.

He was rewarded with a peerage and the Order of the Garter, which he can be seen wearing in the picture.