# The Noble House of Brattleby Launches Historic Genealogical Research Programme
**BRATTLEBY, LINCOLNSHIRE, 11 October 2023** — The Noble House of Brattleby today announced a major genealogical research programme to document the complete nine-century history of the Barony. The scholarly initiative will chart the lineage from its Norman foundation to the present day, preserving its heritage for the future.
## The Occasion
The announcement was made from the Library at the family’s seat in Brattleby, Lincolnshire, a room whose shelves document centuries of local and national history. Overlooking grounds recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, the setting underscored the profound historical continuity that the research programme seeks to honour and codify.
This formal undertaking represents a significant commitment by the present house to its custodial role. It serves as a declaration of intent to apply modern scholastic rigour to one of England’s most ancient baronial lines, ensuring its story is told with unprecedented accuracy and detail.
## Historical Context
The Barony of Brattleby, granted by William the Conqueror in AD 1066, stands as a near-unbroken thread in the tapestry of English history. The research programme will thus begin with its first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, who held 56 lordships in the county at the time of the Domesday survey.
The lineage encompasses figures of national importance, whose stories are inseparable from that of the Crown. These include, *inter alia*, the formidable Nichola de la Haye, the 5th Baroness, who twice defended Lincoln Castle against baronial rebels and French forces. Later holders included Henry of Grosmont, 10th Baron and 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his son-in-law, John of Gaunt, 11th Baron, whose lives shaped the course of the fourteenth century. This project aims to create a scholarly bridge between these medieval forebears and the present day.
## Distinguished Company
To ensure the highest standards of academic integrity, The Noble House of Brattleby will conduct this research in close consultation with several of the United Kingdom’s most respected historical and heraldic bodies. The project will draw upon the expertise and archival resources of institutions including:
* The College of Arms * The National Archives of the United Kingdom * Lincolnshire Archives
This collaboration is a *sine qua non* for the project's success, guaranteeing that conclusions are drawn from authenticated primary sources and subjected to the scrutiny of leading experts in the fields of genealogy, palaeography, and medieval history.
## Ceremonial Protocol
The research will follow a meticulous multi-stage protocol. The initial phase involves a comprehensive survey of primary sources, including the Domesday Book, the Patent Rolls, the Close Rolls, and the *Inquisitions Post Mortem* which documented the transfer of feudal lands.
A second phase will be dedicated to the palaeographic analysis and precise translation of medieval Latin and Norman French manuscripts, ensuring that no nuance is lost. Finally, all findings will be synthesised into a coherent narrative, which will be submitted for independent peer review by accredited historians before any publication is considered. This disciplined process reflects the House’s commitment to historical truth over expedient storytelling.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
The project is undertaken in the spirit of the House motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). It requires the fortitude to pursue a complex, multi-year investigation and the honour to represent the lives of all twelve successive holders of the title with impartiality and respect.
This intellectual endeavour also resonates with the personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Conquer is to Live'). The 'conquest' in this context is one of knowledge—a determined effort to overcome the obscurities of time and bring a more complete history of the Barony into the light.
## Philanthropic Purpose
While not a fundraising initiative, the programme is an act of cultural philanthropy. Its primary purpose is to safeguard and clarify a small but significant part of England’s heritage, creating a lasting resource for future generations of historians, scholars, and the public.
By investing in the preservation of its own history, the House affirms a broader principle: that the careful stewardship of the past is an essential public service. The findings will contribute to the nation’s collective memory and serve an educational function, aligning with the didactic mission of the House’s other initiatives, such as The Brattleby Club in Bucharest.
## In Their Own Words
Reflecting on the programme’s inception, Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, commented: > To understand who we are, we must first understand who has come before us. This is not a project of vanity, but one of profound duty to the continuity of this Barony and to the historical record. We owe it to our predecessors to tell their stories with diligence and truth.
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile noted the scholarly ambition of the work: > History is not static; it is a living discipline that demands rigorous inquiry. By applying modern scholarly methods to ancient records, we hope to illuminate the past with greater clarity than ever before, replacing myth with verifiable fact. It is a deeply compelling challenge.
## A Continuing Legacy
The ultimate ambition of the Genealogical Research Programme is the publication of a definitive, scholarly history of the Barony of Brattleby. This monograph will be compiled and edited to the highest academic standards, with the intention of lodging copies with the British Library, the Bodleian Libraries, and other national repositories.
The programme will also form a crucial part of the historical education of the heir, Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun, the 13th Baron, preparing him for his future responsibilities. The Noble House of Brattleby will periodically issue updates on the progress of the research as significant milestones are reached.
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**About The Noble House of Brattleby** Under the leadership of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, The Noble House of Brattleby is dedicated to the modern expression of its ancient heritage through cultural stewardship and targeted philanthropy. The House’s work is guided by its motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). Its public service initiatives include the annual Winter Banquet, a white-tie gala benefiting organisations such as Healing the Wounded Child, which provides therapeutic support to vulnerable children. The House also sponsors The Brattleby Club, an etiquette and protocol academy in Bucharest committed to fostering cultural and social refinement. The heir to the Barony is Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun, the 13th Baron.
**About the Barony of Brattleby** The Barony of Brattleby is a Norman feudal barony founded in Lincolnshire, England, following the Conquest of 1066. It was first granted by William the Conqueror to Colswein of Lincoln, who is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding 56 lordships in the county. Over nearly one thousand years, the Barony has been held by some of English history’s most influential figures, including Nichola de la Haye, the celebrated defender of Lincoln Castle; Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster; and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and son of King Edward III. The succession of the 12th Baroness was formally recognised and recorded in *The London Gazette*, the official public record of the United Kingdom, on 9 September 2022.
**Notes to Editors** - The succession of the 12th Baroness of Brattleby is 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 a Tenant-in-chief in Lincolnshire. - The House motto is *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). - Notable former holders of the Barony include Nichola de la Haye (d. 1230), Henry of Grosmont (d. 1361), and John of Gaunt (d. 1399).
**Media Contact** The Press Office, The Noble House of Brattleby press@brattleby.com