Nest verch Rhys

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Nest verch Rhys (died after 1136) was a princess of Deheubarth who was renowned for her beauty. She was the daughter of Prince Rhys ap Tewdwr by his wife, Gwladys verch Rhiwallon.

After her father's death in 1093, Deheubarth was conquered by the Normans and King Henry I of England appointed himself her protector. Nest bore him two sons, Robert FitzRoy, Earl of Glouster, and Henry FitzRoy who died in 1156.

In c. 1095 King Henry decided to marry her to one of his knights, Gerald of Windsor, Castellan of Windsor, whom he appointed constable of Pembroke.

Nest and Gerald had five children:

William FitzGerald (died 1173)
Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephen (died September 1, 1177)
David FitzGerald, Archdeacon of Cardigan and Bishop of St. David's
Angharad de Windsor, who married William de Barry
A daughter (? Gledwis), the mother of Milo de Cogan

During Christmas 1109, Nest and her husband were visited by her cousin, Owain ap Cadwgan, son of Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, prince of Powys. Owain was so taken with Nest's beauty that he and fifteen companions attacked the castle of Cenarth Bychan (possibly Cilgerran Castle), seized Nest, and carried her and her children off. The children were later returned to Gerald. This abduction earned her the nickname "Helen of Wales" because it led to civil war on a small scale.

Nest bore to Owain two sons, Llywelyn and Einion, before finally being returned to her husband. After Gerald's death, Nest became the lover of Stephen, constable of Cardigan, by whom she had another son, Robert Fitz-Stephen who died in 1182.

Nest's daughter, Angharad, married Wlliam de Barry and had by him four sons: Robert; Philip, the founder of Ballybeg Abbey at Buttevant in Ireland; Walter; the historian Gerald of Wales. Her sons Philip and Robert campaigned in Ireland with Strongbow; Robert died there in 1182.

Sources

Gerald of Wales
Dictionary of National Biography, p. 228-229
Bartrum, Welsh genealogies: 300-1400

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