administrator defender landowner
Nicola de la Haie was born in 1150 in Lincolnshire, England. She was the daughter of Richard de la Haye and his wife, Matilda de Verdun. Richard de la Haye was a minor Lincolnshire lord; in 1166 he was recorded as owning 20 knights’ fees, which had been reduced to 16 by 1172. When he died in 1169, Nichola inherited her father’s land in Lincolnshire and his position as castellan of Lincoln Castle, a position she would hold for over 30 years.
As was customary, Gerard administered his wife's inheritance, including the custodianship of Lincoln Castle and the shrievalty of Lincoln. In the spring of 1191, Gerard did homage to John in defiance of the fact that Lincoln Castle was held by John's brother, King Richard. This prompted William Longchamp to remove Gerard as sheriff and place the castle under siege in June 1191. By that time Gerard was with John, and Nicola defended Lincoln - ''manfully'' according to Richard of Devizes - until Longchamp lifted the siege in July. Later in the same month, Gerard was reinstated as castellan and sheriff. Following his death around 1215, Nicola administered both offices in her own right. At the time it was unusual, though not unheard of, for a woman to hold an office with military responsibilities.
In her fifties Nicola defended Lincoln Castle again in 1216-1217, contributing significantly to the success of the royalist struggle against the rebellious English barons and their French allies. A siege mounted in the summer of 1216 ended when Nicola bought off the besiegers, but by March 1217 the insurgents controlled all of eastern England, with the exception of the fortifications at Lincoln and Dover, and the siege was resumed. Finally, a royalist army came to the aid of the "matron conducting herself so manfully" and defeated the rebels in the decisive Battle of Lincoln on 20 May.
Following these events, Nicola was rewarded with additional properties in Lincolnshire. Unfortunately, John I died in 1216, and his successor Henry III granted the shrievalty, city, and, by implication, the castle of Lincoln to his uncle William Longespee, the earl of Salisbury. Nicola protested to the king and, after a political struggle that lasted till late 1217, managed to regain custody of the castle and city, but not the shrievalty. She apparently spent much of the rest of her career as castellan resisting attempts by the earl to take control of the fortress. She resigned in 1226, probably due to her age, and died a few years later.
For 30 years Nicola de la Haie held the position of a castellan, a rare feat in a time when women wielded their power behind the scenes and were expected as the 'weaker sex' to listen and obey their men.
Nichola was the Sheriff of Lincolnshire, one of only two women (the other being Ela Longespee) ever to be appointed to the role of sheriff. This powerful position gave Nicholaa the chance to increase her influence and wealth.
Nicola de la Haie made grants to various religious houses, including Lincoln Cathedral, and even secured a royal grant for a weekly market on one of her properties.
Nicola's stout resistance on this occasion led her enemies to describe her as a "most ingenious and evil-intentioned and vigorous old woman". Strong, redoubtable and intelligent she stood at the front of the Royalist cause. Equally astonishing her qualities were widely recognized, respected and admired. She even managed to retain the trust and affection of a notoriously fickle and difficult king whose faith in her abilities led him to appoint her as the country’s first female sheriff. Fittingly Lincoln’s link with John continues to this day as the home of one of only four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta.
Nichola was married twice, her first husband, William Fitz Erneis, died in 1178. Before 1185 she married Gerard de Camville, son of Richard de Camville, admiral of Richard I’s crusading fleet during the 3rd Crusade. Although her first marriage was probably childless, Nichola and Gerard had at least 3 children; Richard, Thomas, and Matilda.
