Book Two Marlborough His Life And Times

It is my hope to recall this great shade from the past and not only invest him with his panoply but make him living and intimate to modern eyesfrom the preface to Volume One John Churchill the Duke of Marlborough 16441722 was one of the greatest military commanders and statesmen in the history of England Victorious in the Battles of Blenheim 1704 Ramillies 1706 and countless other campaigns Marlborough whose political intrigues were almost as legendary as his military skill never fought a battle he didn t win Although he helped James II crush the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth Marlborough later supported William of Orange against James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and brilliantly managed England s diplomatic triumphs during the War of the Spanish Succession Marlborough also bequeathed the world another great British military strategist and diplomathis descendant Winston S Churchill who wrote this book to redeem Marlborough s reputation from Macaulay s smears One million words long and ten years in the making Churchill s Marlborough stands as both a literary and historical masterpiece giving us unique insights into the Churchill of World War II for just as Churchill s literary skill helps us understand the complexities of Marlborough s life so too did his writing of Marlborough help Churchill master the arts of military strategy and diplomacy This twovolume edition includes the entire text and almost all the original maps