This work investigates the rise and consolidation of the Churchill family's political and social influence during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. A. L. Rowse, a noted historian of the Elizabethan and Stuart periods, utilizes primary correspondence and archival records to reconstruct the lives of the first Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. The text argues that the family's ascent was driven by a combination of strategic marital alliances, military prowess, and the complex patronage networks of the British aristocracy.

Historians frequently note the author's distinct narrative style and his deep familiarity with the primary source material of the period. While some critics point to the author's subjective interpretations of his subjects, the work remains a recognized study of the early Marlborough family's impact on British political history.