Tag: Nicholaa de la Haye

Book Review: “King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye” by Sharon Bennett Connolly

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews2 Comments

Nicholaa de la HayeThe year is 1217, and Lincoln Castle is being attacked. King John is dead, and his son Henry III is now king, but chaos still reigns. Noblemen are fighting against each other, and amid this conflict is a woman in her sixties. She is used to the instability of England as she is not only the constable of the castle being besieged, but she has earned the right to be named the first female sheriff of England. She was a daughter, a wife, a mother, a widow, and someone the Plantagenets could depend on. The name of this remarkable woman is Nicholaa de la Haye, and her unbelievable story is told in Sharon Bennett Connolly’s latest book, “King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I remember first hearing the name Nicholaa de la Haye from one of Sharon Bennett Connolly’s other books, “Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England.” I wanted to learn more about this woman, how she gained the trust of King John, and why she was not only a constable of Lincoln Castle but a sheriff for Lincolnshire.

To understand how Nicholaa de la Haye became the constable of Lincoln Castle, we have to explore the origins of the Haye family and their connection to the Plantagenets. Connolly tracks the family back to the Norman Conquest, but the main focus is on the direct family of Richard de la Haye and Matilda de Verdun, Nicholaa’s parents. The Haye family has a legacy and a deep sense of duty to protect the English royal family from invaders or rebels, which passed on to Nicholaa and her sisters as they were their father’s heiresses. With Richard de la Haye’s death, Nicholaa inherited his role as constable of Lincoln Castle.

Nicholaa de la Haye was married twice to William Fitz Erneis and Gerard de Camville, and she had several children. When her husbands were away or had died, Nicholaa could uphold her birthright as a constable. It was not an easy road, but she did have the backing of King John during the First Baron’s War. Connolly takes the time to explore how John became king, his connection with Nicholaa de la Haye, the Magna Carta crisis, and the First Baron’s War. Before his death, King John named Nicholaa the first female sheriff of England in charge of Lincolnshire. Finally, she had to deal with the siege of Lincoln Castle for three months in 1217, which was just a cherry on top of her whole life experience.

A strong, independent woman who lived a thrilling life and was willing to defend her home of Lincoln Castle even at the age of sixty, Nicholaa de la Haye was an unsung heroine of the thirteenth century. Connolly’s passion for telling Nicholaa’s tale of trials and tribulations exudes on every page. “King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye” by Sharon Bennett Connolly is the perfect book for anyone who wants a story about the Plantagenets, King John, and the first female sheriff of England. A true triumph in exploring the life of a more hidden figure from the thirteenth century.

Book Review: “Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England” by Sharon Bennett Connolly

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews1 Comment

Pen & Sword Book Cover / Jacket artworkThe year of 1215 marked a turning point in English history with the sealing of a rather unique document; the Charter of Liberties, or as we know it today, the Magna Carta. It was a charter from the people to a king demanding the rights that they believed that they deserved. Those who sealed it were rebel barons who were tired of the way King John was running the country, yet instead of asking for his removal, they wanted reform. The clauses mostly concerned the problems of the men who made the charter, however, three clauses dealt with women specifically. In her latest book, “Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England”, Sharon Bennett Connolly explores the lives of the women who were directly impacted by this document.

I would like to thank Pen and Sword for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed the last book that I read by Sharon Bennett Connolly and so when I heard that this book was going to be released, I knew I wanted to read it. I did not know much about thirteenth-century English history and the Magna Carta, so I was excited to start this new adventure.

To understand why the Magna Carta was considered an essential document for the time that it was forged, Connolly dives into the life of King John. His life and legacy will touch every woman in this book so it is vital to understand how John ran England while he was king. Although Connolly tends to be slightly repetitive with information about John, it is imperative that we as readers understand the significance of this reign and why it led to the Magna Carta, which radically changed English history forever.

Now, when one thinks about women who lived during thirteenth-century England, we tend to think about women whose marriages and bloodlines would interlace the numerous noble families of the time. Though some of the tales follow this pattern, there were some women and families who went against the norm. Women like Matilda de Braose, whose horrific imprisonment and starvation that led to her death, paved the way for clause 39 of the Magna Carta. There were also extremely strong women, like Nicholaa de la Haye, who was England’s first female sheriff and gained power and prestige by her own merits. These women acted as peacemakers by marrying foreign princes, or they were married to rebels against John. And of course, some women knew John well, like his wife Isabella of Angouleme, who had a very negative reputation because of John.

What I enjoyed about this book is how Connolly shared stories from women of many different walks of life. They were all so different and so unique. Connolly’s meticulous research and her true passion for this time paired with her easy to understand writing style make this book an engaging and insightful read. I found this a delightful read. If you want a fantastic book that introduces you to the world of the Magna Carta and the women who directly affected by this charter, I highly recommend you read, “Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England” by Sharon Bennett Connolly.