![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/St.Michael%27s%2C_Swaton%2C_Lincs._-_geograph.org.uk_-_183000.jpg)
Nicola de la Haie (born c. 1150; d. 1230), of
Swaton in
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-we ...
, (also written de la Haye) was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
landowner and administrator who inherited from her father not only lands in both England and Normandy but also the post of hereditary
constable of
Lincoln Castle
Lincoln Castle is a major medieval castle constructed in Lincoln, England, during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes. It is one of only ...
. On her own, she twice defended the castle against prolonged sieges. After the death of her second husband in 1214, she continued to hold the castle until she retired on grounds of old age in 1226.
On 18 October 1216, she was also appointed
sheriff of Lincolnshire by King John.
Life
Born about 1150, she was one of three daughters and coheiresses of Richard de la Haie,
[ a major Lincolnshire landowner whose family had founded the Premonstratensian house of Barlings Priory,][ and his wife Matilda, daughter of William Vernon. Her paternal grandfather Robert de la Haie, of Halnaker in Sussex, had in 1115 been granted the posts of hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and hereditary sheriff of Lincolnshire. When her father died in 1169 she inherited the post of constable, which in practice was filled by her two husbands in succession.][
When King Henry II died in 1189, she and her second husband ]Gerard de Camville
Gerard de Canville (died 1214), often written Camville, was an Anglo-Norman landowner and administrator who was a loyal supporter of King Henry II of England and of his son King John, and through his wife obtained the posts of sheriff of Lincol ...
travelled to Barfleur
Barfleur () is a commune and fishing village in Manche, Normandy, northwestern France.
History
During the Middle Ages, Barfleur was one of the chief ports of embarkation for England.
* 1066: A large medallion fixed to a rock in the harbour ...
in Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
to obtain a charter confirming her rights from the new king Richard I
Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was ...
. Richard then went off to the Holy Land on the Third Crusade
The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was an attempt by three European monarchs of Western Christianity (Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor) to reconquer the Holy Land following the capture of Jerusalem by ...
, leaving authority in England in the hands of William de Longchamp
William de Longchamp (died 1197) was a medieval Lord Chancellor, Chief Justiciar, and Bishop of Ely in England. Born to a humble family in Normandy, he owed his advancement to royal favour. Although contemporary writers accused Longchamp's fa ...
.[ In 1191 Longchamp removed Camville from the ]shrievalty
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
and the castellancy, ordering him to hand over the castle.
When this was refused, Longchamp ordered an armed assault on the castle. While Camville stayed with Prince John at Nottingham
Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...
,[ Nicola held out against a month-long siege by a force of 30 knights, 20 mounted men-at-arms and 300 infantry, together with 40 ]sapper
A sapper, also called a pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing ...
s who attacked the walls of the castle. Having failed to take the castle, Longchamp reached a compromise with Camville and restored him to his two posts, but then had him excommunicated
Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...
. When King Richard returned from crusade and captivity in 1194, he removed Camville from both posts.[
Things improved when King Richard was succeeded by his brother John. Though a difficult man who fell out with most people, both Nicola and her husband remained loyal to him and were fortunate in maintaining a cordial relationship.][ In 1199 he restored the castle and the shrievalty to Camville, who held them until he died shortly before January 1215.][ Nicola then held both posts and, when John came to Lincoln in 1216, she is reported to have gone out to meet him with the keys of the castle in her hand, saying that as she was now a very old widow she was unable to continue in office any longer. He replied: “My dear Nicola, I want you to hold on to the castle as you have so far, until I decide otherwise.” He also confirmed her right to the shrievalty.][ Philip Mark, also sheriff of Nottingham, was co-sheriff.
Lincoln Castle then came under attack by the rebels against John, led by the French prince ]Louis Louis may refer to:
* Louis (coin)
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
Derived or associated terms
* Lewis ( ...
. While besieged there, Nicola was visited by Peter des Roches
Peter des Roches (died 9 June 1238) ( Latinised as ''Peter de Rupibus'' ("Peter from the rocks")) was bishop of Winchester in the reigns of King John of England and his son Henry III. He was not an Englishman, but rather a native of the Tourain ...
, the influential bishop of Winchester, who knew a secret way in and assured her that loyal forces would soon attack the besiegers. Her sturdy defence kept the castle intact until May 1217, when the Second Battle of Lincoln
The Second Battle of Lincoln occurred at Lincoln Castle on Saturday 20 May 1217, during the First Barons' War, between the forces of the future Louis VIII of France and those of King Henry III of England. Louis's forces were attacked by a relie ...
resulted in the defeat of the rebels and their French allies.[ ]
Nicola then had to face a new threat, this time from William II Longespée, son of the Earl of Salisbury
Earl of Salisbury is a title that has been created several times in English and British history. It has a complex history, and is now a subsidiary title to the marquessate of Salisbury.
Background
The title was first created for Patrick de S ...
and husband of her granddaughter Idonea, who tried to evict her. He was required to return both the castle and the role of sheriff to her, but she later lost the sheriffdom.
In 1226, when she must have been over 70 years old, she retired from the castle to her estate at Swaton, where she died on 20 November 1230.[
]
Landholdings
At her death, in addition to Swaton, she held lands at Ashby Ashby may refer to:
People
* Ashby (surname)
* Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron la Zouche of Ashby (1267–1314), governor of Rockingham Castle and steward of Rockingham Forest, England
* Walter Ashby Plecker (1861–1947), American physician and publi ...
, Billingborough, Bullington, Dembleby, Faldingworth, Fillingham, Horbling, Hogsthorpe, Ingham, Ingleby, Kirkby Underwood
Kirkby Underwood is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. The population of the civil parish was 200 at the 2001 census, increasing to 220 at the 2011 census. It is situated north from Bourne an ...
, Marston, Newton, Pickworth, Riseholme
Riseholme is a small village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. The population of the civil parish was 450 at the 2011 census. It is situated approximately north from the city and county town of Lincoln.
...
, Scawby, Spanby, and Willoughby.
Family
Her first husband was William fitz Erneis, who died before 1185. By then she was married to Gerard de Camville, who died shortly before January 1215.[ Her children included:
:Richard, who in 1200 married Eustacia, widow of Thomas Verdon and daughter and heir of Gilbert Basset, but died soon after February 1217,][ leaving a daughter:
::Idonea, who married William II Longespée.][
:Matilda, alive in 1194.][
:Nicola, married Oliver Deincourt,]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haie, Nicola de la
1150s births
1230 deaths
People from Lincolnshire
High Sheriffs of Lincolnshire
Women in medieval European warfare
Women in 13th-century warfare