Nichola de la Haye — A Woman Like No Other
When Richard de la Haye, the 4th Baron, died without male heirs, his daughter Nichola inherited everything — the barony, the 56 lordships, the hereditary offices of Constable of Lincolnshire and Lincoln Castle. She became the 5th Baron of Brattleby, and over the next four decades, she would prove herself one of the most extraordinary figures in the entire history of medieval England. In an age when women were considered the property of their husbands, Nichola de la Haye commanded armies, defied chancellors, survived sieges, served as Sheriff, and twice defended Lincoln Castle against overwhelming odds. She did all of this while outliving two husbands and navigating the reigns of four kings.
Nichola de la Haye held Lincoln Castle through siege, served as High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, and was personally trusted by King John — in an era when women were rarely allowed to own property, let alone command armies.
Gerard de Camvill and Prince John's Conspiracy
In 1185, Nichola married her second husband, Gerard de Camvill, a close associate of King Henry II. Gerard inherited his own lands, including a castle at Middleton Stoney in Oxfordshire. But Gerard was ambitious — dangerously so. In 1191, while King Richard the Lionheart was on the Third Crusade, Gerard accompanied Prince John to Nottingham to plan a rebellion against the absent king. William Longchamp, the Lord Chancellor, responded by stripping Gerard of his offices and ordering the surrender of Lincoln Castle. What happened next would become legend.
The First Siege — Nichola Holds Lincoln Castle
Gerard refused to surrender Lincoln Castle. But Gerard was not there — he was with Prince John. It was Nichola who held the castle. Longchamp sent troops to take it by force, and Nichola — alone, without her husband, with a garrison that was almost certainly outnumbered — held out for an entire month. A month-long siege in the 12th century was an extraordinary feat of endurance and leadership. The castle garrison had to maintain morale, manage dwindling supplies, repair damage from siege engines, and watch for attempts to scale the walls — all while knowing that the full weight of the Lord Chancellor's authority was behind the besiegers. Nichola did not merely survive; she won.
Alone, without her husband, outnumbered by the Lord Chancellor's forces — Nichola held Lincoln Castle for a month. She was approximately 40 years old.
The Crusades and the Barony
The Barony of Brattleby's connections to the Crusades run deep through the Longespee family. Sir William II de Longespee, husband of the 6th Baron Idoine de Camville, was a crusading knight of the highest calibre. He accompanied Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall on the Baron's Crusade (1240), fought at the Battle of Saintes (1242), and suppressed the Welsh uprising (1245). But his greatest — and final — campaign was the 7th Crusade. He travelled to Rome to plead with Pope Innocent IV for support, raised a company of 200 English horsemen, and took command of all English troops in the Holy Land. At the Battle of Mansura in Egypt (1250), he was lured into a trap by Count d'Artois and killed alongside 280 Knights Templar. His death was one of the great tragedies of the Crusading era.
Henry de Lacy — The King's Right Hand
Henry de Lacy, who married the 8th Baron Margaret, became one of the most powerful men in England. He held the Earldom of Lincoln, the Barony of Pontefract, the Barony of Halton, and the Constableship of Chester. He served as joint Lieutenant of England, guardian of the kingdom, and close confidant of Edward I 'Longshanks.' He was present at the Battle of Falkirk (1298), where Edward crushed William Wallace's army. He commanded the first division at the siege of Caerlaverock (1300). He negotiated peace with France and took possession of Gascony for the Crown. And at the death of Edward I, he stood at the dying king's side. He then carried the sword at the coronation of Edward II — one of the highest ceremonial honours in the realm.
Alice de Lacy — A Life of Suffering
Alice, the 9th Baron, endured one of the most tragic lives in the entire history of the English peerage. Her husband Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, was executed for treason after the Battle of Boroughbridge (1322). Alice was arrested, imprisoned at York, and forced under threat of execution to surrender most of her inheritance — including Brattleby — pledging a staggering £20,000 indemnity to the Crown. She was abducted three times: first by the knights of John de Warenne, who took her to Reigate; then by Hugh de Freyne, who raped her at Bolingbroke Castle (the rape was recorded as 'a breach of the King's peace'); and finally by Roger le Strange, who arrived with 20 horsemen and assaulted her servants. She died at Barlings Abbey, broken but unbroken — a woman who endured more than any person should be asked to bear.
Imprisoned. Extorted for £20,000. Abducted three times. Raped. And yet Alice de Lacy survived to die on her own terms, at Barlings Abbey, just miles from the ancient seat of the barony.