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Arabella Churchill (1648-1730)
daughter of Sir Winston Churchill and Elizabeth Drake
Born 23 February 1648 Ashe
Died 30 May 1730
Buried Westminster Abbey
Affaire with James II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland
1685-1688
Born 14 October 1633 St.James's Palace
Died 16 September 1701 St.Germain-en-Laye
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She was the eldest of twelve children, but only a few survived. In
1650 her famous brother John, the future Duke of Marlborough, was born.
After Charles II was restored, the 17-year-old Arabella became a Maid of
Honour to the Duchess of York. She was described as "a tall creature, pale-faced,
and nothing but skin and bone---that ugly skeleton Churchill". However,
she had a good figure and beautiful legs and became the first lasting mistress
of the Duke of York (James II).
They became the parents of four children; the eldest son, James FitzJames,
Duke of Berwick, became famous as a French Marshall in the employ of King
Louis XIV of France.
Arabella was the most important of all James II's affaires that lasted
close to twelve years. Their last child was born a year after James II's
second marriage. Being domestic, Arabella led a quiet life in a house at
St.James's Square provided by James II. She also received a pension, not
extravagant, but enough to live comfortably.
James II's second marriage to the 15-year-old Maria Beatrice was not
the cause of the end of the affair between James II and Arabella but a
new affair with another Maid of Honour, Catherine Sedley. When Arabella
was free from James II she sold her house at St.James's
Square for a large amount, 8,000 pounds, and with her other savings
was quite well to do.
Arabella married Charles Godfrey who may have been a cousin as his
mother or grand-mother may have been a sister of Arabella's mother. Charles
Godfrey was a Colonel and became a member of Parliament and, during Queen
Anne's reign, one of the Clerks of the Green Cloth. From this marriage,
which lasted almost forty years, four children were
born of which two girls survived. As an old rich widow she died in
1730 having well provided for her children, both legitimate and illegitimate.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
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