# THE BARONESS OF BRATTLEBY DELIVERS KEYNOTE ADDRESS ON THIRTEENTH-CENTURY PREDECESSOR, NICHOLA DE LA HAYE
**LONDON, 24 May 2024 —** Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, delivered a keynote address at the Society of Antiquaries of London, examining the decisive leadership of her 13th-century predecessor, the 5th Baron, Nichola de la Haye, during a pivotal moment in English history.
## The Occasion
The address formed the centrepiece of a scholarly symposium entitled *Women of Power in Plantagenet England*, held within the distinguished apartments of the Society of Antiquaries at Burlington House, Piccadilly. This great neo-Palladian mansion, conceived in the 17th century and a bastion of British intellectual life since the Crown granted it to the nation’s learned societies, provided a suitably historic setting for the proceedings. The late spring afternoon lent a contemplative atmosphere to the occasion.
Lady Nicoleta’s presentation was delivered from the rostrum of the Society’s principal lecture theatre, a chamber lined with portraits of past Fellows and steeped in the tradition of academic discourse. Before a notable audience of academics, historians, and patrons, the symposium sought to re-evaluate the contributions of powerful medieval women whose influence, while critical to the state, has often been obscured in the chronicles of their time.
The event, convened by leading scholars in medieval studies, aimed to apply fresh academic rigour and contemporary perspective to historical figures who wielded significant authority within a patriarchal framework, thereby enriching our understanding of the period.
## Historical Context
The Barony of Brattleby is a dignity of ancient provenance, tracing its origins in an unbroken line to the Norman Conquest of AD 1066. First recorded in the *Domesday Book* of 1086, its inaugural holder, the Norman knight Colswein of Lincoln, possessed 56 lordships in Lincolnshire. Through more than nine centuries, the Barony has been held by personages central to the history of the realm, including Henry of Grosmont, the great 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his celebrated son-in-law, John of Gaunt.
Lady Nicoleta’s lecture, *The Castellana and the Regent: A Study in Medieval Command*, focused on the tenure of her predecessor Nichola de la Haye (d. 1230), the 5th holder of the Barony and hereditary castellan of Lincoln Castle. During the profound constitutional crisis of the First Barons' War, Nichola’s command of this vital royal fortress proved to be a matter of national survival. Her resolute defence of the castle against a combined force of rebel English barons and French invaders during the Second Battle of Lincoln in 1217 was the decisive action of the campaign.
This action secured a critical victory for loyalist forces serving the young King Henry III, then a boy of just nine years. The formal confirmation of her authority by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Regent of England, was the *sine qua non*—the indispensable condition—of this success. Marshal’s recognition of a woman’s command in such a high-stakes military theatre was nearly unprecedented, affirming the stature of the Barony of Brattleby through the exceptional fortitude of its Baroness.
## Distinguished Company
The address was attended by a distinguished company of guests, who were received by the President and Council of the Society. These included, *inter alia*:
* The Lord Fellowes of West Stafford DL, Parliamentarian, author, and President of the Society of Dorset Men. * Professor Dame Henrietta Finch, DBE, FBA, Regius Professor of Medieval History at the University of Cambridge. * Sir David Manning, GCMG, KCVO, former British Ambassador to the United States and Chairman of the Royal Lincoln Heritage Trust, whose presence underscored the contemporary importance of Lincoln’s history. * Mr Mihai Radoi, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Romania to the Court of St James’s, whose attendance signified the continuing cultural ties between Lady Nicoleta’s ancestral heritage and her present responsibilities in the United Kingdom.
They were joined by numerous Fellows of the Society, senior members of the College of Arms, and postgraduate researchers in history from the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and King’s College London.
## Ceremonial Protocol
The proceedings were conducted with the formal decorum befitting one of the United Kingdom’s most venerable learned societies. Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, was formally escorted to the stage by the President of the Society, Professor Martin Millett. Following a detailed introduction outlining the historical lineage of the Barony of Brattleby and the significance of Nichola de la Haye, the President invited Her Ladyship to the lectern.
Lady Nicoleta, observing a formal day dress code appropriate for the academic setting, delivered her 45-minute address, which drew upon primary sources including the *Chronica Majora* of Matthew Paris. The lecture concluded not with applause, but with a formal vote of thanks proposed by a member of the Society’s Council, a tradition signifying the intellectual contribution of the paper to the Society’s records.
Following the conclusion of the formal proceedings, Lady Nicoleta retired to the Society’s library for a reception. There, she engaged in discussions with history scholars and answered questions from postgraduate students on the nuances of Angevin-era female landholding and military authority.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
The themes of duty, resilience, and principled leadership explored in the address resonate directly with the guiding motto of The Noble House of Brattleby: *Fortitudine et Honore* (‘With Fortitude and Honour’). Lady Nicoleta took care to note that Nichola de la Haye’s unyielding governance of Lincoln Castle was a historical apotheosis of this principle; an act of immense moral and physical fortitude that secured her both victory and lasting honour.
This ancient principle is complemented by the personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, Lord of Brattleby by marriage: *Vincere Est Vivere* (‘To Conquer is to Live’). This phrase encapsulates the dynamic spirit and will to overcome challenges that animate the House’s modern activities. While *Fortitudine et Honore* speaks to enduring duty, *Vincere Est Vivere* represents the active engagement required to translate that duty into meaningful, contemporary achievement.
## Philanthropic Purpose
While the symposium was a purely scholarly event, its central narrative—the defence of a vulnerable child king by a determined protector—finds a powerful echo in the core philanthropic mission of The Noble House of Brattleby. The principal beneficiary of the House’s charitable endeavours, supported primarily through its annual Winter Banquet, is the national registered charity Healing the Wounded Child.
This organisation provides specialist therapeutic care and long-term psychological support to children and young people across the United Kingdom who have experienced significant trauma or adversity. Through programmes including art therapy, structured counselling, and consistent mentorship, the charity works to restore a sense of safety and potential in young lives. This work is a direct, modern expression of the protective duty that the Barons of Brattleby have historically upheld, translating the medieval concept of *noblesse oblige* into compassionate, effective action.
## In Their Own Words
Reflecting upon the character of her formidable predecessor, Lady Nicoleta observed during her address:
> "Nichola de la Haye was a woman defined not by the constraints of her era, but by her profound sense of duty to her Sovereign and her country. Her defence of Lincoln was an act of *fortitudine et honore* in its purest form, an example of leadership from which we can still draw profound lessons today." > — Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby
In her closing remarks, she connected historical inquiry to present responsibility, stating:
> "By studying these moments of exceptional leadership under immense pressure, we draw inspiration for our own obligations. The past is not a static chronicle; it is a source of living wisdom that must inform our responsibilities now, whether in civic leadership, academic pursuit, or our most vital charitable commitments." > — Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby
## A Continuing Legacy
To conclude her address, Lady Nicoleta announced the establishment of the Nichola de la Haye Research Grant. This annual grant, to be administered by The Noble House of Brattleby, will sponsor a postgraduate scholar at the University of Lincoln undertaking original archival research into the medieval history of Lincolnshire, the ancestral heartland of the Barony. This initiative serves to foster a deeper understanding of the region’s contribution to the national story.
This commitment to academic excellence and the preservation of heritage reflects the House’s broader mission. It finds a parallel in other initiatives, such as The Brattleby Club in Bucharest. Founded by Lady Nicoleta, the Club is an educational institution dedicated to promoting the principles of social grace, personal discipline, and civic honour among a new generation of European leaders, bridging the heritage of Brattleby with a forward-looking continental vision.
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**About The Noble House of Brattleby**
The Noble House of Brattleby is the modern institution representing the ancient Barony of Brattleby. Today, under the leadership of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, the House is dedicated to a dual mission: preserving its unique nine-century heritage and undertaking a programme of focused modern philanthropy. Guided by its motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* (‘With Fortitude and Honour’), the House’s principal charitable focus is providing substantive support for vulnerable children through its work with the national charity Healing the Wounded Child. Through cultural and educational initiatives, such as The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, the House seeks to promote the enduring values of duty, honour, and civic responsibility in the 21st century.
**About the Barony of Brattleby**
The Barony of Brattleby is a feudal Barony of England, granted by William the Conqueror following the Norman Conquest of AD 1066. Its first holder, the Norman knight Colswein of Lincoln, is recorded in the *Domesday Book* of 1086 as the tenant-in-chief of 56 lordships in Lincolnshire. Over more than 950 years, the Barony has passed through families of significant historical note. Its holders have included Nichola de la Haye, the celebrated 13th-century castellan and defender of Lincoln Castle (5th Baron); Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster (10th Baron); and his son-in-law, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (11th Baron). The legal and historical standing of the Barony and its current holder was formally recognised and recorded by *The London Gazette* on 9 September 2022.
**Notes to Editors**
- Lady Nicoleta Vasile’s succession to the title of 12th Baroness of Brattleby is recorded in *The London Gazette*, Notice ID 4158083, published on 9 September 2022. - The Barony’s first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, and his extensive landholdings in Lincolnshire are documented in the *Domesday Book* of 1086. - Notable predecessors in the Barony include Nichola de la Haye (d. 1230), Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster (d. 1361), and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (d. 1399). - The motto of The Noble House of Brattleby is *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'), and the personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile is *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Conquer is to Live').
**Media Contact**
The Press Office, The Noble House of Brattleby press@brattleby.com