# The Noble House of Brattleby Announces Educational Programme to Chronicle Nine Centuries of History
**LONDON, 21 October 2023** — The Noble House of Brattleby, at the direction of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, today announced the launch of a significant new educational programme making the ancient barony’s nine-hundred-and-fifty-year history accessible to a global audience of students and scholars.
## The Occasion
From the House’s ancestral seat in Brattleby, Lincolnshire, this major initiative was formally unveiled as the autumn season settles across the historic county. The programme, developed over the past year, has been designed as a comprehensive digital resource. It marks a deliberate effort by the House to serve as a custodian of its history, not merely for posterity, but as a living academic tool for the public benefit.
The launch is timed to coincide with the beginning of the academic year at British universities, providing a new and detailed repository of primary source material and curated historical analysis. This long-planned initiative represents a core part of the House's modern mission: to connect its profound past with the intellectual and cultural life of the present day.
## Historical Context
The Barony of Brattleby, granted by William the Conqueror in AD 1066, is one of England’s oldest continually recognised noble titles. Its history is inextricably woven into the fabric of the nation. The educational programme will provide curated modules on key periods, beginning with the barony’s establishment under its first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, who is recorded in the *Domesday Book* of 1086 as holding 56 lordships in Lincolnshire.
Later modules will explore the steadfast leadership of Nichola de la Haye, the 5th Baroness, who famously defended Lincoln Castle against baronial rebels and French forces during the First Barons' War. The programme further chronicles the barony’s elevation through figures such as Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster and 10th Baron of Brattleby, a celebrated commander in the Hundred Years War; and his son-in-law, John of Gaunt, the 11th Baron, whose influence shaped the course of the English monarchy.
## Distinguished Company
The programme’s resources are intended for a wide and distinguished audience. The Noble House of Brattleby is extending invitations for academic partnership to the faculties of history at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, *inter alia*. Materials will also be made available to historical societies, organisations for genealogical research, and the sixth form curricula of leading secondary schools.
The initiative seeks to engage with scholars of Norman England, medieval history, and the development of the British peerage. By making these resources accessible, the House hopes to foster a new generation of research into the role of regional lordships in the development of the English state and its legal and social structures.
## Ceremonial Protocol
The launch of the programme will be conducted in a series of carefully managed phases. The initial phase consists of the release of a dedicated digital portal, accessible via the official website for The Noble House of Brattleby. This repository contains the first tranche of materials, including scholarly monographs and high-resolution digital facsimiles of key historical documents.
Subsequent phases, to be rolled out over the next 18 months, will include the addition of video lectures, genealogical charts, and interactive maps charting the barony’s lands and influence through the centuries. Access to all educational materials will be granted to academic institutions and individual scholars upon request, a process managed by the House's private office to ensure its dignified and orderly dissemination.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
This educational initiative is undertaken in the spirit of the House motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). The motto reflects the guiding principles of the barony’s most distinguished holders and underscores the conviction that sharing this history is a matter of both resilience and public duty. The fortitude to preserve a legacy across centuries is matched by the honour of presenting it with academic integrity.
The personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, Lord of Brattleby, *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Conquer is to Live'), also informs the project’s ethos. It speaks to the intellectual conquest of knowledge and the belief that a vibrant life is one of continuous learning and striving—a principle the educational programme seeks to encourange in its users.
## Philanthropic Purpose
While the House's primary philanthropic focus remains its annual Winter Banquet in aid of the charity Healing the Wounded Child, this educational programme is itself an act of public service. The resources are provided entirely without charge to students, academic researchers, and educational institutions. This non-commercial approach is the *sine qua non* of the project.
Its purpose is to democratise access to a unique historical archive, removing financial barriers that might otherwise prevent its study. The House believes that this investment in public knowledge contributes directly to a richer understanding of our collective heritage, which is a philanthropic goal of profound and lasting value.
## In Their Own Words
In a statement marking the launch, Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, said: > "A title is not a possession but a duty of stewardship. The history of the Barony of Brattleby is a microcosm of England’s own story, filled with lessons of resilience, responsibility, and evolution. It is our great privilege, and indeed our responsibility, to share this narrative openly and ensure it informs and inspires future generations."
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile added: > "History offers us a blueprint for understanding the present. By examining the fortitude and strategic foresight of those who held this title through war, famine, and political upheaval, we provide contemporary students and leaders with a powerful case study in navigating complexity. This is not a retrospective exercise; it is about equipping the future."
## A Continuing Legacy
The launch of the educational programme marks the beginning of a long-term commitment. The Noble House of Brattleby plans to host annual seminars, inviting historians to present new research based on the archive. Furthermore, select materials from the programme will be adapted for the curriculum of The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, focusing on the diplomatic and chivalric history a pplicable to its courses in classical etiquette.
Future developments will include the digitisation of further estate records and correspondence, building the portal into one of the most comprehensive digital resources for the study of a specific English barony. This ongoing work ensures the legacy of Brattleby will continue to be a subject of active academic inquiry for years to come.
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**About The Noble House of Brattleby** The Noble House of Brattleby is presided over by Lady Nicoleta Vasile, the 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile. The House's modern mission is to act as a custodian of the barony's unique nine-century history while engaging in contemporary cultural and philanthropic endeavours. Its activities are guided by the House motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). The House supports charitable causes focused on child welfare, notably through its annual Winter Banquet, and promotes cultural and historical education. Through initiatives such as The Brattleby Club, an etiquette academy in Bucharest, the House seeks to bridge its deep English heritage with a forward-looking, Continental perspective on public service and personal development.
**About the Barony of Brattleby** The Barony of Brattleby is an ancient English feudal barony in Lincolnshire, granted by William the Conqueror following the Norman Conquest of AD 1066. Its first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, was recorded in the *Domesday Book* of 1086. Over nearly a millennium, the barony has been held by some of English history's most notable figures, including the formidable 13th-century castellan Nichola de la Haye, who defended Lincoln Castle for the Crown. Later holders included Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his son-in-law John of Gaunt, whose lives were central to the politics of the 14th century. The historic rights of the title were formally recognised and recorded for the modern era by *The London Gazette* under Notice ID 4158083 on 9 September 2022.
**Notes to Editors** - The historic rights of the Barony of Brattleby are officially recorded in *The London Gazette*, Notice ID 4158083, published on 9 September 2022. - The barony's first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, is documented in the *Domesday Book* of 1086 as holding 56 lordships in Lincolnshire. - Notable past holders of the barony include Nichola de la Haye (5th Baroness), Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster (10th Baron), and John of Gaunt (11th Baron). - The heir to the barony is Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun, 13th Baron.
**Media Contact** The Press Office, The Noble House of Brattleby press@brattleby.com