The Death of the First Baron
Colswein, the 1st Baron of Brattleby, died sometime during the reign of William II (1087–1100), leaving a son and heir named Picot. Picot became the 2nd Baron, inheriting the 56 lordships, the military obligations, and the immense responsibility of holding one of Lincolnshire's greatest feudal estates. But Picot's tenure would prove tragically brief. He died without children, and the barony faced its first succession crisis. In a feudal system built on male primogeniture, a barony without a male heir was vulnerable — it could be seized by the Crown, parcelled out to rivals, or lost entirely.
The barony nearly died in its second generation. Had Picot's sister Muriel not inherited, the entire 960-year history of the Barony of Brattleby would have ended before it truly began.
Muriel — The 3rd Baron
Picot's sister Muriel inherited the barony, becoming the 3rd Baron of Brattleby. This was not unusual in English feudal law — unlike some Continental systems, English law allowed women to inherit baronies in the absence of male heirs. Muriel married Robert de la Haye, a Norman knight of considerable standing. Through this marriage, Robert became one of the most powerful barons in Lincolnshire 'in the right of his wife' — a legal formula meaning his authority derived from Muriel's inheritance, not his own. This marriage transformed the barony: the de la Haye family would hold it for over a century, through some of the most turbulent decades in English history.
The Anarchy — When God and His Saints Slept
In 1135, King Henry I died, plunging England into a civil war known as 'The Anarchy' (1135–1153). Henry's nephew Stephen seized the throne, but Henry's daughter Matilda (also called Maud) challenged him. England was torn apart as barons chose sides, built unlicensed castles, and waged private wars. The chronicler wrote that 'Christ and his saints slept' as England descended into chaos. Lincoln was at the centre of this maelstrom. In 1141, the Battle of Lincoln was fought in the streets of the city itself — King Stephen was captured and briefly deposed. The de la Haye family, as Constables of Lincoln Castle, were in the eye of the storm.
Richard de la Haye — The 4th Baron
Robert de la Haye died leaving a son and heir Richard, who became the 4th Baron. Richard's position was confirmed by the Crown, along with the hereditary offices of Constable of Lincolnshire and Constable of Lincoln Castle. These offices were of enormous significance: the Constable was responsible for the military defence of the castle and the county, commanded the garrison, and administered justice in the castle court. Lincoln Castle was one of the most important fortifications in England — one of only two castles in the country with two mottes (mounds). The 4th Baron was not merely a landowner; he was a military commander with responsibility for one of England's key strategic positions.
Lincoln Castle: one of only two castles in England with two mottes, and one of four surviving copies of Magna Carta would later be held here.
Henry II and the Restoration of Order
When Henry II came to the throne in 1154, he set about restoring royal authority after the chaos of the Anarchy. He demolished over 1,100 unlicensed castles, reformed the legal system, and reasserted the Crown's control over its barons. For the de la Haye family, this was a period of consolidation. Richard de la Haye's confirmation in his hereditary offices was a sign of royal favour — Henry needed reliable men to hold key positions. The barony of Brattleby was now firmly established as one of the major feudal holdings in Lincolnshire, with its lords serving as the Crown's principal military commanders in the county.