John Vanbrugh

Sir John Vanbrugh (January 24, 1664? – March 26, 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse (1696) and The Provoked Wife (1697), which have become enduring stage favourites but originally occasioned much controversy.

A Vanbrugh timeline

• 1664 Born 29 January
• 1686 Commissioned in the Earl of Huntingdon's Foot Regiment
• 1688 Arrested at Calais in September
• William III lands at Torbay 5 November
• 1692 Transferred to the Bastille
• 1693 Returns to England
• ≈1695 Moves to London
• 1696 Première of Colley Cibber's Love's Last Shift in January
• Première of The Relapse 21 November
• 1697 Première of The Provoked Wife in April
• 1698 Publication of Jeremy Collier's Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage
• 1699 1st architectural commission
• 1699 Initial designs for Castle Howard
• 1703 Begins work on Haymarket Theatre
• 1705 Commencement of work at Blenheim Palace
• 1704 Main structure of Castle Howard completed
• 1708 Sells Haymarket Theatre
• 1717 Final quarrel with Duchess of Marlborough, and leaves Blenheim
• 1718 Begins work on Seaton Delaval Hall
• 1722 Blenheim Palace completed
• 1723 Knighted by King George I
• 1726 Dies at Whitehall 3 May
• 1728 Colley Cibber publishes Vanbrugh's unfinished posthumous play A Journey to London and premières his own finished version of it, titled The Provoked Husband.
• Seaton Delaval completed