General Charles Churchill

This portrait by Sir Godfrey Kneller is in the Guernsey Museum & Art Gallery. Charles was born on 2nd Feb 1656 and was the brother of the Duke of Marlborough. He commanded the infantry in the centre of the line at the battle of Blenheim. He also commanded 4 brigades at the battle of Ramilles. His father was Winston Churchill and his mother was Elizabeth Drake. He married Mary Gould but had an illegitimate son, also Charles, by his mistress Elizabeth Odd. He was MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis from 1701 to 1710. He was Colonel of the Holland Regiment from 1688 to 1707. James II fled England in December 1688 and was replaced by William of Orange. The Roman Catholic officers who supported James had to resign or change their allegiance. Sir Theophilus Oglethorpe, who was such an officer, had commanded the Holland Regiment since October 1685 and was now deprived of his commission, being replaced by Charles Churchill. Charles was also Colonel of the Coldstream Guards from 1707 to 1714. He died on 29th Dec 1714.