The thrilling history of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, the man who built Blenheim, is brought to life in a new exhibition Battlef­ields & Baroque.

A courageous leader in battle, John Churchill's victories over Louis XIV forever changed the face of Europe and led to the building of Blenheim Palace and him gaining the title of the Duke of Marlborough, both gifted from Queen Anne.

At a time when marriages were often no more than business transactions to increase power and wealth, John Churchill chose to marry his wife Sarah for love.

In 2022, 300 years after his death, Blenheim is celebrating the Duke's life, family and achievements with interactive displays, tours, battle re-enactments, and other activities for all the family.

Step back in time to the Palace of the 1700s and marvel at the exquisite clothing, food, games, and music that the 1st Duke and his Duchess would have loved.

After a less than illustrious beginning (he was once imprisoned in the Tower of London), the Duke rose to dizzying heights in the court of Queen Anne with his beautiful, strong willed wife Sarah by his side, only to be plotted and schemed against and eventually exiled abroad until a change of monarch made it safe for him to return to his homeland.

Visitors are free to wander through the sumptuous state rooms to find out more about his extraordinary life and career and absorb the history of the Palace.

The exhibition, sponsored by Bicester Village, features costumes from the movie The Favourite (based on the life of Sarah), by Oscar-winning designer Sandy Powell, 18th century armour, 18th century music and instruments, a court feast and contemporary maps, documents and artefacts from the archive.

The exhibition runs until June 19.

For more information at Battlefields & Baroque and to find out more about the life of the 1st Duke or visit www.blenheimpalace.com