Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England, most recently in 1572. The title was borne by the Dukes of Newcastle-under-Lyne from 1768 to 1988, until the dukedom became extinct.
Earls of Lincoln, first creation (1141) William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Lincoln and 1st Earl of Arundel ( 1109–1176)
The Earldom was created for the first time probably around 1141 as William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel, is mentioned as Earl of Lincoln in 1143 in two charters for the Abbey of Affligem, representing his wife Adeliza of Louvain, former wife of King Henry I.
Earls of Lincoln, second creation (after 1143) William de Roumare, Earl of Lincoln (1096–1155) (reverted to Crown)
The Earldom was created for the second time by King Stephen sometime after 1143 for William de Roumare. However, in 1149 or 1150, as William had gone over to the side of Empress Matilda, King Stephen took the earldom from him and elevated Gilbert de Gant as Earl of Lincoln.
Earls of Lincoln, third creation (about 1149) Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln (1120–1156) (reverted to crown)
The Earldom was created for the third time by King Stephen in 1149 or 1150 for Gilbert de Gant, but on his death in 1156 it reverted to the Crown.
Earls of Lincoln, fourth creation (1217) The Earldom was created for the fourth time in 1217 during the reign of Henry III (1207-1272) for Ranulph de Blondeville. He had no issue. In April 1231, with the consent of the King, before his death, he passed the Earldom to his sister Hawise of Chester, and she was formally invested by King Henry III in October 1232. Royal consent was needed for this because the Earldom would otherwise have reverted to the crown in the absence of a legitimate male heir. She in turn passed the Earldom, again with the consent of the King, jointly to her daughter Margaret de Quincy (d.1266), who thereby became suo jure 2nd Countess of Lincoln, and to the latter's husband (Hawise's son-in-law) John de Lacy (c. 1192-1240) 8th Baron of Halton, 8th Hereditary Constable of Chester and feudal baron of Pontefract. They were formally invested by Henry III in November 1232. There is doubt as to whether their son Edmund de Lacy (1230-1258) became Earl of Lincoln, as he predeceased his mother, but not his father. The Complete Peerage gives him as the 3rd Earl, but notes that "he does not appear to have been formally invested with the earldom, presumably because his mother outlived him". Edmund's son Henry de Lacy, 4th Earl of Lincoln, married Margaret Longespée. Their daughter Alice de Lacy, 5th Countess inherited the earldom and married Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster. She had no children, and thus, on Alice's death in 1348 the earldom became extinct. 1217–1231 Ranulf de Blondeville, 1st Earl of Lincoln (1172–1232) 1231–1232 Hawise of Chester, suo jure 1st Countess of Lincoln (1180–c. 1242) (received as inter vivos gift April 1231) 1232–1266 Margaret de Quincy, suo jure 2nd Countess of Lincoln ( 1206–1266) (received 23 Nov 1232 as inter vivos gift from her mother Hawise of Chester) 1232–1240 John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln (1192–1240) (held jointly with his wife) Edmund de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract (1230-1258), son, never "formally invested with the earldom, presumably because his mother outlived him". 1272–1311 Henry de Lacy, 4th Earl of Lincoln (1251–1311), son, during whose wardship the earldom was administered by his mother Alice of Saluzzo from 1266 to 1272. 1311–1348 Alice de Lacy, suo jure 5th Countess of Lincoln (1281–1348), on whose death without issue the title became extinct.
The above list does not contain the men who became Earl of Lincoln by right of their wives who were Countess of Lincoln suo jure, except for John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln. He is included in the above list because he was created Earl of Lincoln by Royal Charter (together with his wife Margaret de Quincy, Countess of Lincoln). The other men who became Earl of Lincoln by right of their wives were: Walter Marshal, 5th Earl of Pembroke, married Margaret de Quincy in January 1242, died November 1245 Thomas of Lancaster, husband of Alice de Lacy, became Earl of Lincoln on the death of his father-in-law in February 1311, died March 1322 Sir Eubulus le Strange, married Alice de Lacy before November 1324, died September 1335 Hugh de Freyne, married Alice de Lacy before March 1336, died January 1337
As Earl of Lincoln, these husbands had immense power, with the right to control the estates of their wives.
The above list also does not include Margaret Longespée, who was Countess of Salisbury in her own right, but Countess of Lincoln only by right of her husband Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln.