# A Historical Statement from The Noble House of Brattleby on the Barony during The Anarchy (AD 1135–1153)
**LONDON, 21 October 2023** — The Noble House of Brattleby has today issued a historical statement on the Barony’s pivotal role during The Anarchy (1135–1153), illuminating how this period of civil war forged the principles of resilience and duty that define its nine-century legacy.
## The Occasion
In an age of immediate information, coherent reflection upon the great currents of history provides an essential and steadying perspective. The Noble House of Brattleby offers this statement not to mark a particular anniversary, but as a deliberate act of historical stewardship, fulfilling its duty to curate and share the chronicle of one of England’s most ancient baronies.
This communication serves to illuminate a defining chapter in its nine-hundred-and-fifty-year history, providing vital context for the principles that guide the modern Barony. The House considers its archives not as a static collection but as a living resource; from its careful study flows a deeper understanding of the responsibilities inherent in the title.
By examining the profound trials faced by their predecessors, particularly during the tumult of the twelfth century, the present Lord and Lady of Brattleby reaffirm the continuity of service and resilience. This dedication to ancestral memory is the *sine qua non* of their obligation to carry the Barony forward with purpose and dignity.
## Historical Context
The Anarchy was a devastating civil war in England and Normandy, its origins lying in a succession crisis that began with the sinking of the *White Ship* in 1120. This tragedy claimed the life of William Adelin, the only legitimate son and heir of King Henry I. In its wake, the King compelled his barons to swear an oath recognising his daughter, the Dowager Holy Roman Empress Matilda, as his successor.
Upon Henry’s death in 1135, however, his nephew Stephen of Blois moved with great speed to seize the Treasury at Winchester and have himself crowned King. This breach of the succession oath fractured baronial loyalties across the kingdom, plunging England into nearly two decades of internecine conflict that contemporary chroniclers described as a time “when Christ and his saints slept.”
For the Barony of Brattleby, the war was of immediate and existential consequence. Its lands in Lincolnshire, centred around the strategic nexus of Lincoln, became a principal theatre of the conflict. The city, a former Roman legionary fortress, commanded the crucial arteries of Ermine Street and the Fossdyke Canal, making its control a matter of supreme military importance for both Royalist and Angevin forces.
Held by the De la Haye family as hereditary Constables of Lincoln Castle, the Barony of Brattleby was at the very fulcrum of the war. This direct and perilous involvement became a crucible, compelling its holders to navigate the fraught landscape of allegiance and open warfare. It was in this environment that a young Nichola de la Haye, later the 5th Baroness and a formidable leader in her own right, witnessed the brutal realities of a divided realm, an experience that would profoundly shape her celebrated defence of Lincoln Castle in a later generation.
## Distinguished Company
The unrelenting conflict of The Anarchy placed the holders of the Barony of Brattleby in the midst of the central figures who would shape the destiny of the English Crown. The historical record, including the *Gesta Stephani* and other chronicles, intimately connects the lineage to the primary antagonists and their most powerful supporters, including:
* **His Majesty King Stephen of England**, grandson of William the Conqueror, whose reign was consumed by the struggle to secure his contested throne. His direct military campaigns in Lincolnshire, including his capture at the First Battle of Lincoln in 1141, brought him into direct confrontation with the forces garrisoned at the castle.
* **Her Imperial Majesty The Empress Matilda**, daughter of King Henry I and claimant to the throne. Her cause was fiercely championed by her half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, and their Angevin party, whose efforts to dislodge Stephen made Lincolnshire one of the war’s most bitterly contested regions.
* **Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester**, a magnate of immense power and ambition whose shifting allegiances exemplified the era’s volatility. His capture of Lincoln Castle by deception in late 1140 was the proximate cause of the major battle that followed, a pivotal moment in which the Constable of Lincoln was forced to contend with one of the most unpredictable figures of the age.
The stewardship of Brattleby and the Constableship of Lincoln Castle demanded that the De la Haye family operate with exceptional judgement amidst this distinguished and perilous company. Their ability to navigate such competing pressures directly influenced the course of the war in the North and secured the Barony’s prominence for centuries to come.
## Ceremonial Protocol
The active stewardship of a lineage extending to the Norman Conquest is itself a high ceremony, governed by its own rigorous protocols. The Noble House of Brattleby approaches its archival heritage with a methodical precision that mirrors the formal conduct of its public affairs, ensuring that all historical narratives are presented with accuracy, dignity, and a profound respect for provenance.
Statements of this nature are issued only following a careful and collegiate review of primary and secondary source materials. Research is conducted within the House’s own archives and cross-referenced with records held in national collections. These sources include, *inter alia*, the foundational *Domesday Book* entry of 1086, comital charters, and the contemporary accounts of chroniclers such as William of Malmesbury and the anonymous author of the *Gesta Stephani*.
The narrative is subsequently drafted by the Press Office in consultation with the House’s historical advisers. It is then submitted for the personal review and final approval of Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile. This disciplined process ensures that every public communication reflects the same order, gravity, and attention to detail with which the House conducts its most solemn duties.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
The trials of The Anarchy offer the quintessential illustration of the House motto: *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). In an age when honour was a contested commodity and fortitude was the price of survival, the Barons of Brattleby defended their charge with a resilience that became inscribed upon the character of the lineage.
The fortitude required was not merely the courage of the battlefield, but the deep resilience needed to withstand siege, famine, and immense political pressure from all sides. Honour, in turn, was the unwavering commitment to one’s formal obligations—to tenants, to allies, and to the principle of legitimate authority—when the entire structure of the kingdom was fractured. The defence of Lincoln Castle was therefore not solely a military act but a symbolic defence of order amidst chaos.
This historical resolve is complemented by the personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, Lord of Brattleby by marriage: *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Conquer is to Live'). The phrase speaks to the strategic imperative of overcoming adversity, a principle demonstrated by the De la Haye family in surviving The Anarchy and consolidating their position in its aftermath. Their actions show that true victory lies not just in enduring a crisis, but in emerging from it with one's position strengthened and one's legacy secured.
## Philanthropic Purpose
While this statement focuses on a distant historical epoch, the lessons drawn from it directly inform the modern philanthropic mission of The Noble House of Brattleby. The widespread suffering and societal breakdown of The Anarchy serve as a powerful historical reminder of the acute vulnerability of the innocent during times of great upheaval and conflict.
The resilience required to protect a community and rebuild it after division is a principle that resonates deeply today. It is this understanding that underpins the House’s support for organisations dedicated to recovery and healing. The annual Winter Banquet, the House’s principal white-tie philanthropic gala, benefits Healing the Wounded Child, an organisation that provides therapeutic care for children who have experienced profound trauma.
Healing the Wounded Child works to restore a sense of safety and potential through specialised interventions, including art and play therapy, in a secure and supportive environment. The House sees a direct and unbroken parallel between the duty to defend a physical stronghold in the twelfth century and the moral obligation to protect the inner sanctum of a vulnerable child’s well-being in the twenty-first. It is a modern expression of the Barony’s ancient protective role.
## In Their Own Words
Reflecting upon the legacy of her predecessors, Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, remarked: > “When I consider the record of Nichola de la Haye, who witnessed The Anarchy as a child and later governed Lincoln Castle as its castellan, I am reminded that stewardship is an active, and often challenging, responsibility. Her example demonstrates that leadership is defined not by circumstance or gender, but by courage and unwavering resolve. It is a profound honour to carry that history forward.”
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile added: > “History offers the ultimate case studies in strategy. The Anarchy teaches a stark lesson: that vision must be anchored by execution, and that survival depends on unwavering resolve. This classical principle—that to conquer adversity is a condition of life, *Vincere Est Vivere*—is a lesson we strive to apply to our modern duties and to impart through the discipline and curriculum of The Brattleby Club.”
## A Continuing Legacy
The Noble House of Brattleby remains steadfastly committed to drawing upon its unique history to inform its present course and future obligations. The House views its heritage not as a prize to be possessed, but as a charter of responsibility. The lessons of leadership, duty, and strategic foresight exemplified during The Anarchy are integrated into the ethos of its modern endeavours.
This is most apparent in the curriculum of The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, an etiquette academy founded by the House to cultivate professional and social excellence. The academy is dedicated to fostering the ‘soft armour’ of modern leadership: protocol, diplomacy, social grace, and ethical conduct, which are the contemporary equivalents of the courtly skills required for survival in a far more hazardous age.
By reflecting upon its past, the House does not dwell in it. Instead, it uses the foundations laid by figures such as the 1st Baron, Colswein of Lincoln, a great magnate of the Domesday survey, and the 5th Baron, Nichola de la Haye, defender of a kingdom, as a platform from which to build a modern legacy of service and philanthropic commitment. The history of Brattleby is not a monument to be admired, but a foundation upon which to build. The work, animated by the enduring spirit of *Fortitudine et Honore*, continues.
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**About The Noble House of Brattleby**
The Noble House of Brattleby is the modern expression of one of England’s most ancient feudal baronies. Under the leadership of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, the House is dedicated to a forward-looking mission of cultural preservation and philanthropic engagement. Its activities are guided by the motto *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'), a principle that reflects a profound commitment to historical stewardship and contemporary social responsibility. The House’s philanthropic endeavours are primarily focused on charities that support the healing and well-being of children affected by trauma. Through initiatives such as its annual Winter Banquet and The Brattleby Club, the House seeks to connect its historic legacy with a tangible vision for community service.
**About the Barony of Brattleby**
The Barony of Brattleby is a Feudal Barony in England, granted by William the Conqueror in AD 1066 following the Norman Conquest. Its first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, is recorded in the *Domesday Book* of 1086 as a significant tenant-in-chief, holding 56 lordships in Lincolnshire. For over nine hundred and fifty years, the Barony has passed through a succession of England’s most notable families and individuals. Its distinguished lineage includes Nichola de la Haye, the formidable 5th Baron and hereditary Sheriff of Lincolnshire who famously defended Lincoln Castle against rebellion; Henry of Grosmont, 10th Baron and 1st Duke of Lancaster; and his son-in-law, John of Gaunt, 11th Baron. The title’s modern standing was formally recognised and recorded by *The London Gazette* on 9 September 2022 (Notice ID 4158083).
**Notes to Editors** - The Barony of Brattleby’s modern rights were officially recorded in *The London Gazette*, Notice ID 4158083, on 9 September 2022. - The *Domesday Book* (1086) confirms the 1st Baron, Colswein of Lincoln, as a magnate holding 56 lordships in Lincolnshire directly from the Crown. - Notable past holders of the Barony include John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (11th Baron), Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster (10th Baron), and Nichola de la Haye (5th Baron). - The motto of The Noble House of Brattleby is *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). 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