Arabella Churchill (royal mistress) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arabella Churchill
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| Born | 23 February 1648 |
| Died | 30 May 1730 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Mistress of James II and VII, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland |
| Spouse(s) | Charles Godfrey |
| Partner(s) | King James II and VII |
| Children | Henrietta, Countess of Newcastle James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick Henry FitzJames, 1st Duke of Albemarle Arabella FitzJames Francis Godfrey Charlotte, Viscountess Falmouth Elizabeth Dunch |
| Parent(s) | Sir Winston Churchill Elizabeth Drake |
Arabella Churchill (born February 23, 1648 – died May 30, 1730) was an important person in the court of King James II and VII. She was the mother of four of his children. These children had the last name FitzJames, which means "son of James."
Life Story
Arabella Churchill was the daughter of Sir Winston Churchill. She was also the sister of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, a very famous military leader. Her other brothers were George Churchill, an important naval officer, and General Charles Churchill.
Arabella became a lady-in-waiting, which means she helped a duchess at court. She was known for her quick wit and intelligence. These qualities helped her stay close to King James for about ten years. During this time, they had four children together.
On June 1, 1680, Arabella married Charles Godfrey in London. They had three more children together. Arabella and Charles lived happily for over 30 years.
Charles Godfrey passed away in 1714 when he was 67 years old. Arabella lived for another 16 years after him. She died in 1730 at the age of 82.
Her Children
Children with King James II
- Henrietta FitzJames (1667 – April 3, 1730)
- James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick (1670–1734)
- Henry FitzJames, 1st Duke of Albemarle (1673–1702)
- Arabella FitzJames (1674 – November 7, 1704); she became a nun
Through her children Henrietta and James, Arabella is an ancestor of many important families. This includes the Earls Spencer and even Diana, Princess of Wales. She is also an ancestor of the Dukes of Berwick and the Dukes of Alba in Spain. One of her descendants, Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, was known for having the most noble titles in the world.
Children with Charles Godfrey
- Francis Godfrey
- Charlotte Godfrey, born before 1685. She married Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth.
- Elizabeth Godfrey. She married Edmund Dunch.
See also
In Spanish: Arabella Churchill para niños
