The Battle of Lincoln 1141 by Rupert Matthews

Author:Rupert Matthews [Matthews, Rupert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bretwalda Books
Published: 2013-03-24T00:00:00+00:00

Lincoln Cathedral seen from the East Gate to the castle. Both Cathedral and Castle stand on the top of Lincoln Hill and were protected by stout stone walls.

The money that could be raised in Lincoln was not restricted to its usual taxes and dues. It was not unknown for royalty to raise “loans” from merchants. Some of these loans were given willingly enough in return for promises of repayment at interest, although usury was officially illegal, or in return for favours and benefits. In an emergency, however, loans could be extracted at swordpoint and the merchants would be lucky to get their money back soon, if at all. Society was changing in the mid-12th century. The old foundation of wealth, farmland producing crops, was still the dominant factor in the ecoonomy, but merchants and trade were starting to become important. No merchant could rival an earl for wealth, but the richer traders were starting to get there. The nobles were contemptuous of wealth built on trade, not on land, and felt their social status to be coming under threat. Merchants were not popular with great magnates. It must be assumed that whatever had made Earl Ranulf of Chester unpopular in Lincoln had been related to disputes between himself and the merchants, probably over taxation or loans.

Given that Lincoln was such an important city to have, it is no wonder that Stephen was determined to secure it. He already had the city for the citizens were firmly on his side, but the upper castle was held by men loyal to Earl Ranulf. At this date the city was one of the most stoutly defended in England. The city was surrounded on three sides by the old Roman walls made of stone and brick, which had been kept in good repair for almost a thousand years. An extension to the city walls had recently been built down the hill towards to river to protect the flourishing market and warehouse areas near the port at Brayford Pool.

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