# A Communiqué on the Succession of the 7th Baron of Brattleby, AD 1250
LONDON, 21 October 2023 — The Noble House of Brattleby has issued a formal reflection upon the succession of William III Longespée as 7th Baron in AD 1250: a pivotal moment of continuity and loss forged during the Plantagenet era’s fateful Seventh Crusade.
## The Occasion
From its historic seat in Lincolnshire, The Noble House of Brattleby has chosen the solemnity of the autumn season to pause and reflect upon a critical juncture in the Barony’s near-millennial history. This period of remembrance centres on the year 1250, a time of profound geopolitical turmoil which directly shaped the continuity and character of the Brattleby title.
This reflection is occasioned by renewed archival research into the Plantagenet court and its Crusading endeavours. It serves not merely as an academic or genealogical exercise, but as a deliberate act of stewardship; an effort to connect the duties of the present with the lessons of the past. In the quiet of the Lincolnshire countryside, where the traditions of the Barony are maintained, this backward glance acknowledges the personal sacrifices that have long been a *sine qua non* of noble service.
The act of remembrance ensures the virtues of fortitude and honour, so starkly tested in 1250, are fully understood and consciously carried forward by the present generation. It is a moment to contemplate the weight of a legacy passed down through centuries of both peace and profound conflict.
## Historical Context
The succession of the 7th Baron unfolded against the dramatic and tragic backdrop of the Seventh Crusade. His father, William II Longespée, a pre-eminent English knight and a grandson of His Majesty King Henry II, had taken the Cross, joining the campaign led by His Most Christian Majesty King Louis IX of France into Egypt.
According to the accounts of the great chronicler Matthew Paris in his *Chronica Majora*, William II Longespée was killed during the disastrous Battle of Mansurah on 8 February 1250. Leading a reckless charge alongside the Knights Templar, the English contingent was ambushed and overwhelmed. Paris records that Longespée fought with exceptional valour, dying defiantly amongst his foes. Of his death, the chronicler wrote that it extinguished "the light and flower of English chivalry".
News of this calamity, including the capture of King Louis himself, would have journeyed slowly back to England, likely taking several months to travel from the Nile Delta to the Chancery in London. For the Barony of Brattleby and its people, this created a prolonged and anxious period of uncertainty, a vacuum of leadership only resolved upon formal confirmation of the Baron’s death, allowing his young son, William III Longespée, to inherit the title under the most sombre of circumstances. This sudden ascent, precipitated by a distant conflict, powerfully illustrates how profoundly global events have shaped the destiny of this ancient Lincolnshire Barony.
## Distinguished Company
The narrative of this 13th-century succession is populated by some of the most prominent figures of the High Middle Ages. The central figure of the preceding generation, William II Longespée, was the respected son of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury—an illegitimate son of His Majesty King Henry II—and his wife, the formidable Ela of Salisbury, who founded Lacock Abbey. This lineage placed the family at the very heart of the Plantagenet dynasty.
William II’s allegiance was pledged to a campaign commanded by His Most Christian Majesty King Louis IX of France, later canonised as Saint Louis for his piety and devotion. Also present on the Crusade was the king's counsellor and chronicler, Jean de Joinville, whose own writings provide a visceral eyewitness account of the campaign's hardships and the respect commanded by knights such as Longespée.
These connections underscore the pan-European nature of the medieval aristocracy and its crusading ideals. The Barony of Brattleby, though rooted in the soil of Lincolnshire, found its fate directly influenced by the decisions of monarchs in Paris and the outcomes of their foreign endeavours. This event affirms the historical role of the Barony’s holders not merely as local landowners, but as participants in the grand sweep of international affairs—a tradition of service that the House continues to honour in its modern context.
## Ceremonial Protocol
In the mid-13th century, the legal and ceremonial transfer of a Barony, especially upon news of a predecessor’s death overseas, was a meticulous and solemn process governed by feudal law. Upon credible intelligence of a tenant-in-chief’s death, the Crown would issue a writ of *diem clausit extremum* ('he has closed his last day') to the county's Royal Escheator. This official would then convene an inquest, a *post mortem inquisitio*, to ascertain the late Baron’s land holdings and identify the lawful heir.
Once the inquest confirmed William III Longespée as the heir, he would have been required to approach the King and ‘sue for his livery’—that is, to formally request possession of his inheritance. This involved a significant financial payment known as a ‘relief’ and, most critically, the ceremony of homage. The young heir would kneel before the King, placing his hands between the monarch’s and swearing an oath of fealty, binding him as the King's man.
Following this, the final legal act would have been the ‘livery of seisin’. Performed on the land of the Barony itself, a royal official would symbolically hand the new Baron a piece of turf, a twig from a tree, or the handle of the manor door. This tangible act signified the legal transfer of the estate and all its appurtenant rights and responsibilities. For a young heir grieving his father, this sequence of stark public rituals would have been a powerful and sobering induction into his new and heavy duties.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
The arms of the Longespée family—*Argent, six lioncels rampant Gules* (a silver shield bearing six small red lions standing on their hind legs)—were a clear and proud heraldic link to their royal ancestry. The lioncels are a variant of the lions or leopards of the Plantagenet kings, themselves derived from the arms of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou. These lions powerfully symbolised the family’s courage, nobility, and martial strength.
This historical episode resonates deeply with the motto of The Noble House of Brattleby, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). The fortitude required of the young William III to assume leadership after such a traumatic loss, and the honour demonstrated by his father in answering the Crusader call and fighting to the last, represent the enduring values that have guided the Barony through nine centuries of challenge. It is a legacy woven into the very fabric of the House’s identity.
Furthermore, the ordeal speaks to the personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Overcome is to Live'). The survival and continuation of the Barony through the turmoil of 1250 is a testament to an instinct for resilience and the will to persevere through adversity, a principle that remains central to the House's philosophy.
## Philanthropic Purpose
The story of the 7th Baron—a young man whose life was irrevocably altered by the distant trauma of war and the sudden loss of his father—provides a powerful historical antecedent to the modern philanthropic mission of The Noble House of Brattleby. The experience of grief and the premature assumption of adult responsibilities borne by William III Longespée find a stark echo in the challenges faced by children today affected by conflict, instability, and loss.
It is for this profound reason that the House directs its principal charitable efforts toward Healing the Wounded Child. This distinguished beneficiary is dedicated to providing evidence-based psychological, emotional, and material support to young people whose lives have been scarred by trauma. The charity's work, which includes trauma-informed care and educational continuity programmes, is a direct and meaningful response to the unseen wounds that can shape a young life.
By championing this cause, the House seeks not only to honour the resilience demonstrated in its own past but also to apply its lessons in a tangible and contemporary context. It is an affirmation that the deepest form of honour lies in service to the vulnerable.
## In Their Own Words
Reflecting on this poignant chapter of the Barony’s history, Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, remarked: > “Contemplating the life of the 7th Baron reminds us that the stewardship of this title has always demanded profound resilience. His story is a solemn underscoring of the human cost of conflict, a reality that both informs and deepens our House’s commitment to supporting children affected by trauma in our own time.”
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile noted the theme of continuity through profound adversity: > “The survival and continuation of the Barony through such turbulent periods is a testament to its foundational strength. To succeed one’s father in such circumstances is a burden of immense gravity; it truly embodies the essence of our secondary motto, *Vincere Est Vivere*. The lesson of 1250 is that to overcome such a loss, and to carry the legacy forward, is the truest form of life.”
## A Continuing Legacy
This historical reflection is part of an ongoing and solemn commitment by The Noble House of Brattleby to chronicle, understand, and disseminate the rich, instructive history of the Barony. This work ensures that the lineage is not simply a record of names, but a living source of enduring principles that inform the House’s present-day responsibilities and its dedication to public service.
Future initiatives will include a series of published monographs and scholarly lectures, in part for use at The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, exploring this and other key moments in the Barony’s history. Through the meticulous exploration of such narratives, the House aims to foster a deeper appreciation for the unbroken chain of duty—an extraordinary lineage of service that directly links the first Norman Baron, Colswein of Lincoln, to the 13th Baron and heir, Mihai Alexandru Crăciun, ensuring the legacy of *Fortitudine et Honore* continues with purpose and distinction for generations to come.
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**About The Noble House of Brattleby** The Noble House of Brattleby, under the leadership of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, is dedicated to stewarding an ancient English title with a modern, forward-looking purpose. With a distinct Anglo-Romanian character, the House champions the enduring values of fortitude, honour, and public service. Its primary philanthropic mission is to support vulnerable children through its patronage of the charity Healing the Wounded Child. Through cultural and educational initiatives such as The Brattleby Club, an etiquette academy in Bucharest, the House seeks to bridge its profound historical legacy with a tangible commitment to improving society and fostering international goodwill, guided by its motto, *Fortitudine et Honore*.
**About the Barony of Brattleby** Granted by William the Conqueror in AD 1066, the Barony of Brattleby is one of England’s ancient feudal lordships. Its first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, was recorded in the *Domesday Book* of 1086 as possessing 56 lordships in Lincolnshire. Over nine centuries, the Barony has been held by some of the most significant figures in English history, including the formidable castellan Nichola de la Haye, 5th Baroness; Henry of Grosmont, 10th Baron and 1st Duke of Lancaster; and his son-in-law, John of Gaunt, 11th Baron. The uninterrupted history and rights of the Barony were formally recognised and recorded by The London Gazette on 9 September 2022 (Notice ID 4158083), affirming its place in the United Kingdom’s honours system.
**Notes to Editors** - The Barony of Brattleby's rights and history were formally recorded in The London Gazette, Notice ID 4158083, on 9 September 2022. - The Barony was granted in AD 1066 by William the Conqueror to Colswein of Lincoln, its 1st Baron. - Notable past holders of the Barony include Nichola de la Haye, Henry of Grosmont (1st Duke of Lancaster), and John of Gaunt. - The House motto is *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour').
**Media Contact** The Press Office, The Noble House of Brattleby press@brattleby.com