Local history links: Nichola de la Haye
Teachers Notes
Nicola de la Haye is an important historical character, both as a powerful woman in her own right
and in the significant part she played in events influencing the course of the British monarchy in her
role as castellan of Lincoln Castle during the Battle of Lincoln in 1217.
Key Stage Two history national curriculum links relating to this subject are:
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study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge
beyond 1066
a study over time tracing how several aspects of national history are reflected in the locality (this
can go beyond 1066)
the changing power of monarchs using case studies such as John, Anne and Victoria
Key Stage Three history national curriculum links are:
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the development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509
the Norman Conquest
Lady Nicola features in several workshops within the Investigate workshop programme, most
significantly in ‘Under attack’ which explains the historically important Battle of Lincoln in 1217,
when the castle was under siege from the French army supporting the rebel barons and Louis, son of
the French King Philip.
Who was Nichola de la Haye?
Nichola was descended from Colswein, thought to be the first constable of Lincoln Castle, who is
mentioned on the Domesday Book of 1086. As an Anglo-Saxon, the appointment of Colswein was
rare within William the Conqueror’s mainly Norman administration. The position as constable of
Lincoln Castle was passed down to Nicola as a hereditary right.
The eldest daughter of a Lincolnshire Lord, Baron de la Haye - Lady Nicola was a highly significant
woman warrior of the 13th century. Unusually for a medieval woman (though Lincoln castle has two)
she was castellan of Lincoln castle for around 30 years. For a brief time in 1216 she was Sheriff of
Lincolnshire. Most notably, Nicola held Lincoln Castle when rebel barons and Louis, son of the
French King Philip besieged it in 1217.
Battle of Lincoln 1217
At the time of the battle in May 1217, the city of Lincoln had been taken by Louis' forces. However,
the castle remained intact. Its garrison led by Nicola, loyal to King Henry II continued to defend the
important fortification from forces loyal to Prince Louis, led by the Count of Perche. Nicola held the
castle until the arrival of supporting royalist troops by the West Gate, led by Sir William Marshal. The
whole battle took around six hours and the French attackers were defeated. In what became known
as the Battle of Lincoln Fair, the city was pillaged by the victorious army, whom they believed to be
in allegiance with Louis.
The Battle of Lincoln was the turning point in the First Barons war. Many of Henry's enemies were
captured at Lincoln. Reinforcements for Louis were then sent across the English Channel However,
the French ships were defeated in the Battle of Dover. This defeat of the French fleet greatly
reduced the French threat to the English crown and so Prince Louis and his remaining forces had to
return to France. Louis was forced to give up his claim to the English throne. Henry’s son, Henry III
became king of England aged nine, with William Marshal as his guardian.
King John Visits Lincoln Castle
King John visited Lincoln castle several times whilst Nichola was castellan, the last visit occurring in
1215, when he personally inspected the castle's defences. Sixty years later, elderly men of Lincoln
told royal commissioners of that visit:
And once it happened that after the war King John came to Lincoln and the said Lady Nichola went
out of the eastern gate of the castle carrying the keys of the castle in her hand and met the king and
offered the keys to him as her lord and said she was a woman of great age and was unable to bear
such fatigue any longer. And he besought her saying, "My beloved Nichola, I will that you keep the
castle as hitherto until I shall order otherwise." And she retained it as long as King John lived and
after his decease she still kept it under King Henry, father of the king that now is.