The Churchills
David Starkey uncovers the links between Britain's two greatest war leaders, both called Churchill: Winston, who defeated Hitler, and his ancestor John Churchill, who faced down Louis XIV of France. Starkey tells the story of the two greatest war leaders in British history, both of whom were called Churchill. Everyone knows Winston Churchill led Britain and her Allies in their struggle against Hitler; less well known is John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, who led Britain and her Allies against an earlier would-be dictator of Europe, the Sun King Louis XIV of France.
- 2012-2012
- 1 season
- Documentary, Action & Adventure
David Starkey uncovers the links between Britain's two greatest war leaders, both called Churchill: Winston, who defeated Hitler, and his ancestor John Churchill, who faced down Louis XIV of France. Starkey tells the story of the two greatest war leaders in British history, both of whom were called Churchill. Everyone knows Winston Churchill led Britain and her Allies in their struggle against Hitler; less well known is John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, who led Britain and her Allies against an earlier would-be dictator of Europe, the Sun King Louis XIV of France.
Season 1 Episode Guide
3 Episodes 2012
Episode 1
The Choice
47 mins
Historian Starkey assesses the position of Winston Churchill during his political wilderness days of the early 1930s,when he was writing a biography of his ancestor,John Churchill,the future Duke of Marlborough. John had been a trusted general at the court of James II,with whose daughter Anne,John's wife Sarah was a great friend but,fearing that the Catholic James would tyrannise the largely Protestant England had helped William of Orange,husband to Anne's sister Mary,to invade the country and depose the king. Just as Churchill was a lone British voice against the atrocities of Hitler in Europe Starkey sees John Churchill as being only too aware of the expansionist plans of the French monarch Louis XIV and draws a comparison between the two Churchills.
Episode 2
The March to War
47 mins
In 1932 Churchill visited Germany to research his ancestor's biography but missed meeting Hitler. Starkey argues that the so-called Wilderness Years of the 1930s were misnamed as the decade long account of the life of John Churchill enabled Winston to see a parallel between Hitler and Louis XIV,the seemingly unstoppable conqueror of the rest of Europe,whom John Churchill soundly defeated at the battle of Blenheim in 1704. As a consequence he received the dukedom of Marlborough and the residence of Blenheim Palace. In 1938,when the fourth and last volume of the biography was published,Neville Chamberlain made his futile trip to Munich,where he was betrayed by Hitler. Winston foresaw the German's treachery and,in two years' time,found his country anxious to return him as their leader.
Episode 3
Grand Strategies
47 mins
Two years after Blenheim Marlborough once more crushed the French at the battle of Ramillies. However in 1940 it was Britain who was routed in Europe and,as the French had earlier lost morale,Churchill chose not to deploy air strikes on the continent,allowing for the decisive Battle of Britain. Like his ancestor Churchill saw the need for alliances,courting the support of President Roosevelt, to whom the first volume of biography was dedicated,even before America's official entry into the war. Now an accomplished strategist Churchill made the decision to engage on a Mediterranean war front,rather than back American plans for a premature invasion of northern France ,which turned the war in Allied favour. But,just as Europe endured an uneasy peace following Marlborough's last victory at Malplaquet, Churchill was aware that Russian domination of the East of the continent after the war threatened its liberty. Starkey concludes by endorsing Churchill's post-war policies and regretting the lack of a worthy successor to him.