Description: | Medal by Dassier issued to commemorate the death of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough in June 1722. |
Obverse: | Long haired, draped cuirassed bust of Marlborough three-quarters right, "IOHAN. CHURC. DUX. MARLB." "J.D." in small letters. |
Reverse: | Victory, holding palm branch and laurel wreath, standing amongst piles of arms, "VBI ADERAT IBI VICTORIA" ="Where he was present, there was Victory". In exergue - "OB. 27. JUN. 1722. NAT./ ANN. 74" ="Died 27 June 1722 aged 74" |
Statistics: | Bronze 43mm, 34.7gm |
Reference: | MI ii 457/68, Eisler 7 |
Comment: | This medal puts Victory as Marlborough's inseparable companion to conform to the historical statement "That he never besieged a town which he did not take nor fought a battle that he did not gain". Marlborough was born on the 24th June 1650 and so died in his 72nd year and not in his 74th, as Dassier states on this medal! |
DUKE of MARLBOROUGH
The dukedom was created in 1702 by Queen Anne; John Churchill, whose wife was a favorite of the queen, had earlier been made Lord Churchill of Eyemouth in the Scottish peerage (1682), which became extinct with his death, and Earl of Marlborough (1689) by King William III. Anne further honoured Churchill, after his leadership of the victories against the French of 13 August 1704 near the village of Blenheim (German Blindheim) on the river Danube (Battle of Blenheim), by granting him the royal manor of Woodstock, and building him a house at her own expense to be called Blenheim. It was commenced in 1705 and was completed in 1722, the year of his death. Blenheim Palace remains the Marlborough ducal seat. |