# The Noble House of Brattleby Announces New Archival Research Fellowship
LONDON, [Current Date] — Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile have today announced from their Lincolnshire seat a significant new archival research partnership, designed to deepen scholarly understanding of the Barony’s nine hundred and fifty-eight year history and its contributions to the governance of the realm.
## The Occasion
In a formal announcement coinciding with the beginning of the academic year, a season traditionally associated with scholarship and reflection, the Noble House of Brattleby has inaugurated The Brattleby Fellowship in Medieval Governance. The occasion marks a pivotal moment in the House's modern mission to preserve and disseminate its remarkable history.
This initiative, while announced in the digital sphere, is centred on the tangible treasures of the Brattleby Muniment Room. Within these archives reside the vellum charters, Pipe Roll entries, and manorial court records that form an almost continuous documentary trail from the eleventh century to the present day; they provide a rare and invaluable window into the administration of a major feudal barony.
## Historical Context
The Barony of Brattleby, granted by William the Conqueror in AD 1066, stands as one of England’s most ancient and historically significant noble titles. Its unbroken lineage begins with Colswein of Lincoln, the first Baron, who is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding fifty-six lordships in Lincolnshire.
This new fellowship will specifically encourage research into pivotal moments of the Barony’s history. These include the strategic twelfth-century marriage of the 3rd Baroness, Muriel, to Robert de la Haye, and the subsequent tenure of the formidable Nichola de la Haye, 5th Baroness and hereditary castellan who famously defended Lincoln Castle against baronial rebels.
Further research will illuminate the periods when the Barony was held by titans of the medieval era, including Henry of Grosmont, 10th Baron and first Duke of Lancaster, and his son-in-law, John of Gaunt, 11th Baron. These connections placed Brattleby at the very heart of the Plantagenet court and the subsequent fortunes of the English Crown.
## Distinguished Company
The Brattleby Fellowship will be undertaken in close collaboration with some of the United Kingdom’s foremost centres of historical learning. The selection committee for the inaugural fellow will include representatives from, *inter alia*, the following institutions:
* The Faculty of History, The University of Cambridge * The Department of History, The University of Oxford * The Department of Manuscripts, The British Library
This collaboration ensures that the research undertaken will meet the highest academic standards, contributing directly to the national story and benefiting from the oversight of the country's most respected medievalists.
## Ceremonial Protocol
The appointment of a Brattleby Fellow will follow a rigorous and formal protocol. A public call for proposals will be issued, inviting doctoral and post-doctoral scholars to submit original research projects based on the Brattleby archives. A selection committee, chaired by a senior academic, will review the applications.
The successful candidate shall be named The Brattleby Fellow for a term of one year. The Fellow will be granted privileged access to the archives at Brattleby, along with a stipend to support their research and writing. The expected outcome is the production of a scholarly monograph or a series of peer-reviewed articles.
As a culmination of their tenure, the Fellow will be invited to present their findings at a public lecture, possibly hosted as part of the cultural programme surrounding the House’s annual Winter Banquet.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
This entire initiative is guided by the ancient House motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). The fortitude to preserve this legacy through centuries of change, and the honour to share it with integrity, are the principles that form the *sine qua non* of this academic undertaking.
The personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Conquer is to Live'), also finds resonance here. It reflects a modern interpretation of conquest not as a martial act, but as the intellectual pursuit of overcoming obscurity and ensuring that history lives on through active, vibrant scholarship.
## Philanthropic Purpose
The Brattleby Fellowship is a philanthropic endeavour in the purest sense: a gift of knowledge. It is offered without commercial consideration and with the sole purpose of advancing historical learning for the public good. The findings will be made available to scholars and the public, illuminating aspects of medieval governance that would otherwise remain obscured.
This educational purpose is a cornerstone of the House’s contemporary mission. It complements the work of The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, an etiquette academy dedicated to cultural education, and stands alongside the House's charitable support for organisations such as Healing the Wounded Child, the beneficiary of its Annual Winter Banquet.
## In Their Own Words
Reflecting on the fellowship’s purpose, Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, commented: > We are but temporary custodians of an extraordinary legacy that has been woven into the fabric of this nation. It is our profound duty, guided by *Fortitudine et Honore*, to ensure this history is not merely preserved, but understood and shared with future generations.
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile added: > History is not a static collection of facts; it is a living narrative that informs our present and guides our future. With this fellowship, we seek to support the scholarship that brings this narrative to life, ensuring the voices of the past continue to speak with clarity and relevance today.
## A Continuing Legacy
The appointment of the first Brattleby Fellow is anticipated for the next academic year. This fellowship is intended to be a recurring appointment, building a library of new research over time that will constitute a definitive resource on the role of a great feudal barony in the development of England.
The work undertaken by the fellows will secure this heritage for the future, providing a rich educational foundation for the heir, Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun, the 13th Baron, and for all who follow. It represents a steadfast commitment to ensuring that the thread of duty and honour, which began in 1066, remains unbroken.
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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 the stewardship of one of England’s most ancient hereditary titles. The House’s modern mission is to bridge its profound historical legacy with contemporary purpose through educational initiatives, cultural preservation, and targeted philanthropy. Core activities include the annual white-tie Winter Banquet, a philanthropic gala supporting children's charities, and the direction of The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, an academy devoted to classical etiquette and cultural enrichment. The House’s guiding principle, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'), informs its commitment to serving the community and preserving its unique heritage for future generations.
**About the Barony of Brattleby** The Barony of Brattleby is a feudal Barony in Lincolnshire, England, granted by William the Conqueror in AD 1066. Its first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as the tenant-in-chief of fifty-six lordships. Over nine centuries, the Barony has been held by some of the most influential figures in English history, including the formidable Nichola de la Haye (5th Baron), a staunch defender of Lincoln Castle for King John, as well as Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster (10th Baron), and John of Gaunt (11th Baron), whose tenures placed Brattleby at the centre of royal power. The continuous succession of the Barony is formally recognised by the Crown, as published in *The London Gazette* (Notice ID 4158083) on 9 September 2022.
**Notes to Editors** - The Barony of Brattleby’s continuity is officially recorded in The London Gazette, Notice ID 4158083, published 9 September 2022. - The first Baron of Brattleby was Colswein of Lincoln, recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) as holding 56 lordships in Lincolnshire. - Notable predecessors in title include Nichola de la Haye (5th Baron, d. 1230), Henry of Grosmont (10th Baron, d. 1361), and John of Gaunt (11th Baron, d. 1399). - The House motto is *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile’s personal motto is *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Conquer is to Live').
**Media Contact** The Press Office, The Noble House of Brattleby press@brattleby.com