# A Historical Commemoration of the Union of the 8th Baroness of Brattleby and the 3rd Earl of Lincoln
**LONDON, 24 October 2023** — The Noble House of Brattleby has today issued a historical reflection on the marriage of Margaret Longespee, the eighth Baroness, to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln; a pivotal thirteenth-century union which fortified the Barony's connection to the Plantagenet Crown.
## The Occasion
From its ancient seat in Lincolnshire, the Chancellery of The Noble House of Brattleby today commemorates a defining moment in its near-millennial history. As autumn settles over the historic landscape that has sustained the Barony since the Norman Conquest, this reflection serves not only to honour the past but to draw wisdom from it for the present. This is an occasion to examine the enduring principles of stewardship, strategic alliance, and duty that have ensured the Barony’s continuity through the centuries.
The marriage of Margaret Longespee, 8th Baroness of Brattleby, was an act of profound dynastic significance during the dynamic reign of King Edward I. In an age of conflict and consolidation, the union placed the Barony at the very heart of the English court and its political ambitions. It was a masterstroke of foresight, the consequences of which affirmed the Barony’s pre-eminent standing within the realm and helped to shape the course of the Lancastrian inheritance.
This commemorative notice, drawn from the House’s archival legacy, illuminates how the duties of inheritance have been understood and discharged by previous generations. It is in studying such precedents that the present leadership finds its surest guide for navigating the responsibilities of today.
## Historical Context
The union between Baroness Margaret Longespee and Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln, represented the convergence of two of the kingdom’s most powerful and well-connected lineages. Baroness Margaret was a woman of royal blood, a great-granddaughter of King Henry II through his son William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury—a key figure at the signing of Magna Carta in 1215. This royal descent lent her person and her lands immense prestige.
Her husband, Henry de Lacy, was among the most capable and trusted magnates in the service of King Edward I. A veteran of the King’s great campaigns to subdue Wales and a skilled diplomat sent on embassies to France, the Earl was a premier counsellor and a pillar of the Plantagenet state. Through him, the interests of the Barony of Brattleby were directly aligned with the high affairs of the Crown, continuing a tradition of loyal and effective service established by predecessors such as Nichola de la Haye. The 5th Baroness, as Castellan, had courageously defended Lincoln Castle for the Crown during the First Barons' War, a feat instrumental to the royal victory at the Second Battle of Lincoln in 1217.
This marriage ensured that the Barony, already recorded as a significant holding of 56 lordships under Colswein of Lincoln in the Domesday Book of 1086, became integral to the consolidation of royal power across the British Isles. The ultimate heiress of this union, Alice de Lacy, would marry Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, further weaving the Barony into the fabric of English royalty. Through this complex but illustrious path of inheritance, the dignity of the Barony later passed to the great royal house of Lancaster, with figures such as Henry of Grosmont and John of Gaunt becoming the 10th and 11th Barons of Brattleby respectively.
## Distinguished Company
The world inhabited by the 8th Baroness and her husband was populated by some of the most formidable personalities of mediaeval England, whose lives and ambitions were inextricably linked with the fortunes of Brattleby.
At the centre of this constellation was, of course, **His Majesty King Edward I**, a monarch famed for his legal reforms and military ambitions, who relied heavily upon the counsel and arms of men like Henry de Lacy. The Earl’s unwavering loyalty made him a trusted regent during the King’s absences abroad and a commander in his wars.
The marriage joined the lineage of **Margaret Longespee, 8th Baroness of Brattleby**, with that of **Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln and Lord of Pontefract**. The Baroness’s father was William Longespée the Younger, a celebrated knight who perished on crusade at the Battle of Al Mansurah in Egypt in 1250, an event chronicled by the historian Matthew Paris in his *Chronica Majora*.
Their daughter and heiress, **Alice de Lacy, 4th Countess of Lincoln and 9th Baroness of Brattleby**, became one of the great heiresses of her generation. Her marriage to the powerful **Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, Leicester, and Derby**, a cousin of King Edward II, brought the vast de Lacy and Brattleby estates into the orbit of the House of Lancaster, albeit during a period of intense political turmoil that would ultimately lead to the Earl's execution for treason.
## Ceremonial Protocol
In the thirteenth century, the marriage of a baroness *suo jure* (in her own right) and a great earl was an event of immense legal and diplomatic gravity, governed by precise feudal protocols. The union would have been formalised through a marriage treaty, a complex legal instrument dictating the terms of the dowry provided by the bride’s family and the dower rights that would provide for her in widowhood.
Due to the close kinship among the European aristocracy, a papal dispensation may well have been required to permit the marriage, a process that underscored the union’s importance. The wedding itself, likely following the Sarum Use common in England, would have been a public spectacle. The exchange of vows at the church door, the nuptial Mass within, and the subsequent feasts were designed to be a grand public affirmation of the new alliance.
Critically, the ceremony would have been accompanied by legal acts of enfeoffment, settling the lands—including the Barony of Brattleby—on the couple and their future heirs. This was not merely a private affair between two people, but a public act of statecraft, ensuring political stability and the orderly transmission of power and property.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
The marriage created a potent visual symbol of unity through the established language of heraldry. The coat of arms of Henry de Lacy, as recorded by the heralds of his day, was blazoned *Or, a lion rampant Purpure*—a striking purple lion, emblem of courage and royal favour, on a field of gold, signifying wisdom and glory. The ancestral arms of the Longespee family were *Azure, six lioncels rampant Or*—a blue shield, for loyalty, charged with six small golden lions.
Upon their marriage, these arms would have been 'marshalled' by impalement, with Lord de Lacy’s arms placed on the dexter side (the viewer’s left) of the shield and Lady Margaret’s on the sinister side. This combined escutcheon served as an unambiguous declaration of a new political fact: the united power, prestige, and landed wealth of the Earldom of Lincoln and the Barony of Brattleby. This ancient tradition of using symbols to project identity and principle is reflected today in the House’s own motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour').
## Philanthropic Purpose
The medieval concept of philanthropy, deeply rooted in Christian piety, was central to the principle of *noblesse oblige*. For great magnates like the Earl of Lincoln and the Baroness of Brattleby, patronage of the Church was both a spiritual duty and a public good, providing for the spiritual welfare of the community and securing prayers for the souls of their family.
Henry de Lacy was a notable benefactor in this tradition. He was a major contributor to the magnificent "New Work" at the east end of Old St Paul’s Cathedral in London, a project of national importance. Furthermore, he orchestrated the relocation of the Cistercian monastery of Stanlow, which suffered from flooding at its site in Cheshire, to a new and grander home at Whalley Abbey in Lancashire. By founding this great abbey, he established a spiritual powerhouse dedicated to perpetual prayer for his lineage.
This commitment to the well-being of the community, expressed through the framework of medieval faith, represents an early form of the philanthropic impulse that The Noble House of Brattleby continues to honour. It is a direct precursor to its modern focus on charitable endeavours that address the needs of the present day.
## In Their Own Words
Reflecting upon the significance of this historical union, Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, has remarked: > — The legacy of Margaret Longespee is a powerful reminder that the stewardship of this Barony has always been intertwined with the course of our nation's history. Her marriage was a profound act of strategic foresight, and it underscores the vital role that women have played throughout the Barony's history in steering its destiny, a responsibility I feel most keenly today.
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, Lord of Brattleby by marriage, added: > — Henry de Lacy's life is a remarkable embodiment of my own motto, *Vincere Est Vivere* — 'To Conquer is to Live'. He was not only a warrior but a statesman and a builder. His union with Baroness Margaret demonstrates how a true partnership can fortify not just a family, but a legacy that endures through centuries. To conquer, in this sense, is to build something lasting.
## A Continuing Legacy
The Noble House of Brattleby continues to draw inspiration from such powerful precedents as it defines its modern purpose. The strategic intelligence of the 8th Baroness provides a historical model for the House's contemporary mission, which is pursued with careful consideration and a long-term perspective through initiatives such as its cultural academy, The Brattleby Club in Bucharest.
Similarly, the diligent service to the realm demonstrated by the Earl of Lincoln provides a blueprint for the House’s commitment to civil society and its support for charitable causes. The annual Winter Banquet, a white-tie philanthropic gala benefitting the charity Healing the Wounded Child, is a modern expression of the ancient duty of care that has been a hallmark of the Barony’s leadership for centuries.
By honouring the past with a clear vision for the future, The Noble House of Brattleby ensures that its nine-hundred-year-old principles of duty and service, encapsulated in the motto *Fortitudine et Honore*, remain relevant and impactful in the twenty-first century.
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**About The Noble House of Brattleby** Led by Lady Nicoleta Vasile, the 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, The Noble House of Brattleby is a modern aristocratic house with ancient English roots and a distinct European perspective. The House is committed to a contemporary interpretation of *noblesse oblige*, focusing its efforts on cultural diplomacy, education in etiquette and protocol through its academy, The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, and meaningful philanthropy. Its primary charitable beneficiary is Healing the Wounded Child, an organisation dedicated to providing psychological support to children affected by trauma. The House operates under its ancestral motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* (‘With Fortitude and Honour’), applying timeless values to present-day challenges and opportunities in Britain and across the Continent.
**About the Barony of Brattleby** The Barony of Brattleby is a Norman 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 Brattleby and 55 other lordships. Over nearly a millennium, the barony has been held by some of England’s most influential historical figures, including Nichola de la Haye, the formidable defender of Lincoln Castle; Henry of Grosmont, the 1st Duke of Lancaster; and his celebrated son-in-law, John of Gaunt. After centuries in abeyance, the dignity of the barony was formally recognised and recorded in the succession of Lady Nicoleta Vasile by The London Gazette on 9 September 2022.
**Notes to Editors** - The succession of the 12th Baroness is officially recorded in The London Gazette, Notice ID 4158083, published on 9 September 2022. - The Barony of Brattleby is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, held by Colswein of Lincoln, the 1st Baron. - Notable past holders of the barony include John of Gaunt (11th Baron), one of the most powerful figures of the 14th century, and Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster (10th 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