Duchess of Marlborough. Born Sarah Jenyns, the daughter of Frances Thornhurst and Richard Jenyns (sometimes recorded as Jennings) of Hertfordshire. In 1673, she went to court as Maid of Honour to James, Duke of York's second wife, Mary of Modena. She married John Churchill in October 1678. After Princess Anne's marriage in 1683, Sarah was appointed to her as a Lady of the Bedchamber. In 1688, with the onset of the Glorious Revolution, King James ordered that both Lady Churchill and Princess Anne be placed under house arrest. The pair, however, escaped together to Nottingham. The new monarchs, William and Mary, created Churchill Earl of Marlborough, though Sarah's influence over Princess Anne was seen in a poor light. Eventually, Queen Mary demanded her sister dismiss Sarah. Anne refused. The friendship between Sarah and Anne grew as the relationship between the sisters became more antagonistic. In 1702, Anne succeeded to the throne and created Churchill Duke of Marlborough and granted him a pension of £5,000 a year for life. Sarah was created Mistress of the Robes, Groom of the Stole, Keeper of the Privy Purse, and Ranger of Windsor Great Park. She had virtual control over the Queen from her finances to who would be granted a royal audience. Two years later, however, politics and personalities caused a breach in the relationship. When her only surviving son contacted smallpox and died at age 17 in 1703, she withdrew from society and largely ignored the queen's letters. When Anne's husband died, however, Sarah pushed into the Queen's mourning and displayed a callous disregard toward her friend's feelings. By 1708, the rift between the Queen and Sarah was all but complete, three years later it was at an end. In January 1711, Sarah was stripped of her offices and the Queen dismissed the Marlboroughs from court. In disgrace, they left England and traveled Europe. They returned to England August 1, 1714, the same day the Queen died. Under the new monarch, Marlborough was back in favor, but after his death in 1722, Sarah alienated the King by flatly declaring him 'too German.' During her life, she amassed a personal fortune that included twenty-seven estates, over £4 million in land; £17,000 in rent rolls; and a further £12,500 in annuities, making her a very wealthy widow. And although the relationship with most of her daughters was strained, she arranged marriages for them to England's greatest aristocratic families. Among the more famous of her descendants are Sir Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales.