Took the opportunity to take a look around Blenheim Palace recently, the 'reward' that John Churchill received form a grateful nation, as a result of leading the allies to victory in the War of Spanish Succession.
The palace its-self is well worth a look around and there is good information on Marlborough's life and times, concentrating mainly on his WSS exploits and his service for Queen Ann, his later fall form grace and his reinstatement on the arrival of King George. His earlier, more dubious exploits have been left somewhat under wraps...
... save the night he was found in bed with Charles II's mistress!
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Small case of WSS artefacts
found at Blenheim Battlefield |
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More WSS artefacts
found at Blenheim Battlefield |
Actually there is not a huge amount of military history interest to see at the palace - except for the following...
The main items of interest are a series of tapestries commissioned by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough to commemorate his victories at Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenaarde and Malplaquet, designed by Lambert de Hondt and woven by Judocus de Vos in Brussels.
The photos do not do justice to the detail in the pieces, at present one of the ten tapestries was away at the cleaners (in Belgium), see if you can spot its replacement!
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| Detail of Winston Churchill's toy soldiers |
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| Display Case with Winston Churchill's toy soldiers |
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| Depicting the battle of Blenheim, the tapestry shows Marshall Tallard, escorted by two British officers, in the act of surrender to Marlborough (in the red coat on a white horse). Grenadier Guardsman can be seen furling a captured French standard on the left of the image |
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| Wynendael Tapestry, Battle was on 28th September 1708. In the background, General Webb's forces are ambushing the French and Bavarians through a gap in the woods. |
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This tapestry depicts the battle of Elixham when Marlborough
breached the French fortified lines between Namun and Antwerp |
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Depicting the battle of Malplaquet, this tapestry shows Marlborough dispatching a rider with orders.
In the background we see Lord Orkney advancing on horseback to the main attack,
and the village of Halplaquet in the distance, with period miniature
reproduction captured flags |
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| The left hand tapestry shows Marshall Boufflers surrendering the city of Lille to Marlborough. The right hand tapestry depicts Marlborough's approach to the hilltop fortress at Schellenberg, part of his campaign to save the Habsburg capital of Vienna from a threatened advance by King Louis XIV |
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The first of the Bouchain tapestries shows the French encampment which is completely
surrounded and Marlborough ready to receive the surrender of Bouchain |
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| Siege of Bouchain, 13 September 1711 |
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Marlborough's crossing of enemy lines in August led to the siege of Bouchain,
Marlborough's last success. In this, the first of three tapestries depicting the event, we see the
Allies under Marlborough advancing on the city of Bouchain |
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The second of the Bouchain tapestries shows the first stages of the surrounding of Bouchain.
It also depicts the river Scheldt and the village of Sensee (This one is the replica) |
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| Duke of Marlborough at the Battle of Oudenarde |
