Lady Abigail Masham

Lady Abigail Masham (died 1734), confidante of Queen Anne of Great Britain, born in London. The daughter of a London merchant, Abigail was appointed lady of the bedchamber in 1704 through her cousin, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, and gradually replaced the Duchess as the Queen's favourite. She gained such influence that in 1710 she was able to bring about the dismissal of such high officials as Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, and Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, who had dominated the government. In 1714 she had Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford, dismissed from the office of lord high treasurer. In the intervening years, she became keeper of the privy purse and won (1712) a peerage for her husband, Samuel Masham. After Anne's death in 1714, Lady Masham retired from court.