Marlborough, realising the only way to ignore Dutch wishes was by the use of secrecy and guile, set out to deceive his Dutch allies by pretending to simply move his troops to the Moselle – a plan approved of by The Hague – but once there, he would slip the Dutch leash and link up with Austrian forces in southern Germany.

This force was to be augmented en route such that by the time Marlborough reached the Danube, it would number 40, 000 ( 47 battalions, 88 squadrons ).

However, Marlborough was convinced of the urgency – " I am very sensible that I take a great deal upon me ", he had earlier written to Godolphin, " but should I act otherwise, the Empire would be undone ..."

Marlborough could not attack Dillingen because of a lack of siege guns – he was unable to bring any from the Low Countries, and Baden had failed to supply any despite assurances to the contrary.

Marlborough knew it was necessary that another crossing point over the Danube would be required in case Donauwörth fell to the enemy.

" By a series of brilliant marches Marlborough concentrated his forces on Donauwörth and, by noon 11 August, the link-up was complete.

Some Allied officers who were acquainted with the superior numbers of the enemy, and aware of their strong defensive position, ventured to remonstrate with Marlborough about the hazards of attacking ; but the Duke was resolute – " I know the danger, yet a battle is absolutely necessary, and I rely on the bravery and discipline of the troops, which will make amends for our disadvantages ".

The Allied commanders agreed that Marlborough would command 36, 000 troops and attack Tallard's force of 33, 000 on the left ( including capturing the village of Blenheim ), whilst Eugene, commanding 16, 000 men would attack the Elector and Marsin's combined forces of 23, 000 troops on the right wing ; if this attack was pressed hard the Elector and Marsin would have no troops to send to aid Tallard on their right.

However, Marlborough would have to wait until Eugene was in position before the general engagement could begin.

The last thing Tallard expected that morning was to be attacked by the Allies – deceived by intelligence gathered from prisoners taken by de Silly the previous day, and assured in their strong natural position, Tallard and his colleagues were convinced that Marlborough and Eugene were about to retreat north-eastwards towards Nördlingen.

The plan was sound if all its parts were implemented, but it allowed Marlborough to cross the Nebel without serious interference and fight the battle he had in mind.

Whilst these events around Blenheim and Lutzingen were taking place, Marlborough was preparing to cross the Nebel.

Count Horn's Dutch infantry managed to push the French back from the water's edge, but it was apparent that before Marlborough could launch his main effort against Tallard, Oberglauheim would have to be secured.

There was now a pause in the battle: Marlborough wanted to concert the attack upon the whole front, and Eugene, after his second repulse, needed time to reorganize.

With the battle still not won, Marlborough had to rebuke one of his cavalry officers who was attempting to leave the field – " Sir, you are under a mistake, the enemy lies that way ..." Now, at the Duke's command, the second Allied line under von Bulow and the Count of Ost-Friese was ordered forward, and, driving through the centre, the Allies finally put Tallard's tired horse to rout, not without cost.

Surrounded by a squadron of Hessian troops, Tallard surrendered to Lieutenant-Colonel de Boinenburg, the Prince of Hesse-Kassel's aide-de-camp, and was sent under escort to Marlborough.

During these events Marlborough was still in the saddle conducting the pursuit of the broken enemy.

" Nevertheless, although the war dragged on for years, the Battle of Blenheim was probably its most decisive victory ; Marlborough and Eugene, working indivisibly together, had saved the Habsburg Empire and thereby preserved the Grand Alliance from collapse.

Realising that France was too powerful to be forced to make peace by a single victory, however, Eugene, Marlborough and Baden met to plan their next moves.

The reluctance of his Dutch allies to see their frontiers denuded of troops for another gamble in Germany had denied Marlborough the initiative, but of far greater importance was the Margrave of Baden ’ s pronouncement that he could not join the Duke in strength for the coming offensive.

The Anglo-Dutch forces gained minor compensation for the failed Moselle campaign with the success at Elixheim and the crossing of the Lines of Brabant in the Spanish Netherlands ( Huy was also retaken on 11 July ), but a chance to bring the French to a decisive engagement had eluded Marlborough.

Far from standing on the defensive therefore – and unbeknown to Marlborough – Louis XIV was persistently goading his marshal into action.

Villeroi still believed ( on 22 May ) the Allies were a full day ’ s march away when in fact they had camped near Corswaren waiting for the Danish squadrons to catch up ; for his part, Marlborough deemed Villeroi still at Jodoigne when in reality he was now approaching the plateau of Mont St. André with the intention of pitching camp near Ramillies ( see map at right ).

The following day, at 01: 00, Marlborough dispatched Cadogan, his Quartermaster-General, with an advanced guard to reconnoitre the same dry ground that Villeroi ’ s army was now heading, country that was well known to the Duke from previous campaigns.

Crystal Eastman was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts on June 25, 1881.

The 7th Duke of Marlborough was the paternal grandfather of the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill ( who was born at Blenheim Palace on 30 November 1874 ).

George was born on 3 June 1865, in Marlborough House, London, as the second son of the Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales, Albert Edward and Alexandra.

Like their elder brother, Kennedy ( born 1923 ), Ross and Norris were educated at Marlborough College and Trinity College, Oxford, where, at his choice, he completed his law degree in two years rather than the usual three.

Their second son, later King George V, was born at Marlborough House in 1865.

He was born at Savernake Hospital in Marlborough, Wiltshire, near Hungerford, Berkshire on 18 May 1960.

Consuelo Balsan ( formerly, Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough ; born Consuelo Vanderbilt ) ( 2 March 1877 – 6 December 1964 ), was a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family.

* Jamie Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford ( born 1955 ), full name Charles James Spencer-Churchill, son of the 11th Duke of Marlborough

Douglas Hurd was born in 1930 at Marlborough, Wiltshire.

The princess was born Princess Louise of Wales at Marlborough House, the London residence of her parents, then The Prince and Princess of Wales ( later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra ).

John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough, DL, JP ( born 13 April 1926 ), is the son of Lt .- Col. John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough and his wife, Hon.

Princess Maud of Wales was born at Marlborough House, London as the daughter of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Victoria and at that time heir apparent to the British throne.

Princess Victoria was born on the 6 July 1868 at Marlborough House, London.

****** John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough ( born 1926 )

Hallam Tennyson was born at Chapel House, Twickenham, in Surrey, England, and educated at Marlborough College and Trinity College, Cambridge.

Christopher Chope was born in Putney, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, the son of a judge, and was educated at the Independent St Andrew's School in Eastbourne, East Sussex, and Marlborough College, Wiltshire, before attending Queen's College of the University of St Andrews where he was awarded an LLB degree in 1970, and finished his education at the Inns of Court School of law.

Edmund FitzAlan was born in the Castle of Marlborough, in Wiltshire, on 1 May 1285.

He was born on 27 July 1921 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England and attended Marlborough College from 1935 to 1939.

McMinn was born in West Marlborough Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, and was one of ten children.

Sarah Churchill was born in London, England, the second daughter of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Clementine Churchill ; she was the third of the couple's five children and was named after Winston's ancestor, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough.

He was born at Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland, where his father was secretary to his grandfather, the Duke of Marlborough, who had been appointed Viceroy of Ireland in 1876.