Nest Verch Rhys
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Nest ferch Rhys (c. 1085 – c. 1136) was the daughter of
Rhys ap Tewdwr Rhys ap Tewdwr (c. 1040 – 1093) was a king of Deheubarth in Wales and member of the Dinefwr dynasty, a branch descended from Rhodri the Great. Following the Norman Conquest, he had to pay William the Conqueror to keep his kingdom, which lasted ...
, last King of
Deheubarth Deheubarth (; , thus 'the South') was a regional name for the Welsh kingdoms, realms of south Wales, particularly as opposed to kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd (Latin: ''Venedotia''). It is now used as a shorthand for the various realms united under ...
in
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
, by his wife, Gwladys ferch
Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn () was an 11th-century Welsh King and co-ruler of the kingdoms of Gwynedd and Powys from 1063 to 1070.Pierce, T. J., (1959). RHIWALLON ap CYNFYN (died 1070), king of Powys. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 23 Aug 2020, ...
of
Powys Powys ( , ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It borders Gwynedd, Denbighshire, and Wrexham County Borough, Wrexham to the north; the English Ceremonial counties of England, ceremo ...
. Her family is of the
House of Dinefwr The Royal House of Dinefwr, also known as the House of Deheubarth, was a cadet branch of the Royal House of Gwynedd, founded by King Cadell ap Rhodri (reign 872–909), son of Rhodri the Great.
. Nest was the wife of
Gerald de Windsor Gerald de Windsor (1075 – 1135), ''alias'' Gerald FitzWalter, was an Cymro-Norman lord who was the first Castellan of Pembroke Castle in Pembrokeshire (formerly part of the Kingdom of Deheubarth). Son of the first Norman-French Constable o ...
(c. 1075 – 1135), Constable of
Pembroke Castle Pembroke Castle () is a medieval castle in the centre of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in Wales. The castle was the original family seat of the Earl of Pembroke, Earldom of Pembroke. A Grade I listed building since 1951, it underwent major restoratio ...
and son of the
Constable of Windsor Castle The Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle is in charge of Windsor Castle in England on behalf of the sovereign. The day-to-day operations are under the Superintendent, who is an officer of the Master of the Household's Department of the Roya ...
in Berkshire, by whom she was the ancestress of the
FitzGerald dynasty The FitzGerald dynasty is a Hiberno-Norman noble and aristocratic dynasty, originally of Cambro-Normans, Cambro-Norman and Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman origin. They have been Peerage of Ireland, peers of Ireland since at least the 13th centur ...
. Nest had two younger brothers,
Gruffydd ap Rhys Gruffydd ap Rhys (c. 1090 – 1137) was Prince of Deheubarth, in Wales. His sister was the Princess Nest ferch Rhys. He was the father of Rhys ap Gruffydd, known as 'The Lord Rhys', who was one of the most successful rulers of Deheubarth during ...
and Hywel, and, possibly, an older sister named Marared, as well as several older illegitimate half-brothers and half-sisters. After their father's death in battle in 1093, "the Kingdom of the Britons fell" and was overrun by
Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
. Nest's younger brother Gruffydd was spirited into
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
for safety; their brother Hywel may have been captured by
Arnulf de Montgomery Arnulf de Montgomery (born 1066; died 1118/1122) was an Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman magnate. He was a younger son of Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery and Mabel de Bellême. Arnulf's father was a leading magnate ...
, along with their mother, unless, as appears likelier, their mother was captured with Nest; their fate is unknown. Two older brothers, illegitimate sons of Rhys, one of them named Goronwy, were captured and executed.


First marriage and issue

Nest was brought as a prized hostage to the court of
William II of England William II (; – 2 August 1100) was List of English monarchs, King of England from 26 September 1087 until his death in 1100, with powers over Duchy of Normandy, Normandy and influence in Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland. He was less successfu ...
, where she came to the attention of his younger brother Henry Beauclerc (the future King
Henry I of England Henry I ( – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in 1087, Henr ...
), to whom she may have borne one of his illegitimate children, Henry FitzHenry (c. 1103–1158).Gerald of Wales, '' The Journey Through Wales'' and '' The Description of Wales'' tr.
Lewis Thorpe Lewis Guy Melville Thorpe (5 November 1913 – 10 October 1977)''UK and Ireland, Obituary Index, 2004-2018'' was a British philologist and translator. He was married to the Italian scholar and lexicographer Barbara Reynolds. After service in I ...
. Harmondsworth: Penguin (1978)
Some time after the rebellions of Robert of Normandy and Robert of Belesme, head of the powerful Montgomery family of Normandy and England, the King married Nest to Gerald FitzWalter of Windsor,
Arnulf de Montgomery Arnulf de Montgomery (born 1066; died 1118/1122) was an Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman magnate. He was a younger son of Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery and Mabel de Bellême. Arnulf's father was a leading magnate ...
's former lieutenant and constable for
Pembroke Castle Pembroke Castle () is a medieval castle in the centre of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in Wales. The castle was the original family seat of the Earl of Pembroke, Earldom of Pembroke. A Grade I listed building since 1951, it underwent major restoratio ...
. In 1102, for siding with the Montgomerys against the King, Gerald had been removed from control of Pembroke, and one Saher, a knight loyal to Henry, installed in his place. When Saher proved untenable in his new position, the King restored Gerald to Pembroke in 1105, along with Nest as his wife. By Gerald, Nest is the maternal progenitor of the
FitzGerald dynasty The FitzGerald dynasty is a Hiberno-Norman noble and aristocratic dynasty, originally of Cambro-Normans, Cambro-Norman and Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman origin. They have been Peerage of Ireland, peers of Ireland since at least the 13th centur ...
, a prominent
Cambro-Norman Cambro-Normans (; "Wales", ; ) were Normans who settled in southern Wales and the Welsh Marches after the Norman invasion of Wales. Cambro-Norman knights were also the leading force in the Cambro-Norman invasion of Ireland, led by Richard de ...
noble family. Nest bore Gerald at least five children, three sons and two daughters. * William FitzGerald, Lord of Carew and Emlyn (died c. 1173). William's children included
Raymond FitzGerald Raymond (or Redmond) Fitz William Fitz Gerald (died 1185–1198), nicknamed ''Le Gros'' ("the Large"), was a Cambro-Norman commander during the Norman invasion of Ireland. Raymond was among the first of a small band of Norman knights who l ...
le Gros. *
Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Llanstephan Maurice FitzGerald ( 1105 – c. September 1176) was Lord of Maynooth, Naas and Llanstephan. He was a medieval Anglo-Norman baron and a major figure in the Norman invasion of Ireland. Cokayne 1890 Wars in Wales and Ireland A Welsh Marcher L ...
,
Naas Naas ( ; or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In 2022, it had a population of 26,180, making it the largest town in County Kildare (ahead of Newbridge, County Kildare, Newbridge) and the List of urban ar ...
and
Maynooth Maynooth (; ) is a university town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to Maynooth University (part of the National University of Ireland and also known as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth) and St Patrick's College, Maynoo ...
, (died 1 September 1177). His children included
Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly Gerald FitzMaurice, jure uxoris 1st Lord of Offaly ( – 15 January 1204) was a Cambro-Norman nobleman who took part with his father, Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Llanstephan, in the Norman Invasion of Ireland (1169–71). Together with his fi ...
. *
David FitzGerald David FitzGerald (sometimes David Fitz Gerald or David fitz Gerald; 1106 – 8 May 1176) was a medieval Bishop of St David's in Wales. Early life FitzGerald was the son of Gerald of Windsor and Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, and was pr ...
,
Archdeacon of Cardigan This is a list of archdeacons of Cardigan. The Archdeacon of Cardigan is the priest in charge of the archdeaconry of Cardigan, an administrative division of the Church in Wales Diocese of St Davids. The archdeaconry comprises the five deaneries o ...
and
Bishop of St David's The Bishop of St Davids is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St Davids. The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the city of St Davids in ...
. * Angharad, who married William Fitz Odo
de Barry The de Barry family (de Barra/Barri) is a noble Cambro-Norman family which held extensive land holdings in Wales and Ireland. The founder of the de Barry family was a Norman knight, Odo, who assisted in the Norman Conquest of England and south- ...
, by whom she was the mother of
Robert de Barry The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...
,
Philip de Barry Philip de Barry (fl. 1183) was a Cambro-Norman warrior from Manorbier in Pembrokeshire who participated in the colonisation of Kingdom of Desmond following the Norman invasion of Ireland. He was the founder of the Barry or De Barry family in Cou ...
, founder of Ballybeg Abbey at
Buttevant Buttevant (; ) is a medieval market town in County Cork, Ireland. The town was incorporated by charter of Edward III in the 14th century. While there are reasons to suggest that the town may occupy the site of an earlier settlement of the Do ...
in Ireland, and of Gerald de Barry, better known as
Gerald of Wales Gerald of Wales (; ; ; ) was a Cambro-Norman priest and historian. As a royal clerk to the king and two archbishops, he travelled widely and wrote extensively. He studied and taught in France and visited Rome several times, meeting the Pope. He ...
. * Gwladys, mother of Milo de Cogan


Second marriage and issue

After Gerald's death, Nest's sons married her to Stephen, her husband's constable of Cardigan, by whom she had another son,
Robert Fitz-Stephen Robert FitzStephen (died 1183) was a Cambro-Norman soldier, one of the leaders of the Norman invasion of Ireland, for which he was granted extensive lands in Ireland. He was a son of the famous Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, the last king of ...
(d. 1182), one of the Norman conquerors of Ireland.


Rape and abduction

The details of this most famous episode of Nest's life, thought to have occurred in 1106 or 1109, are obscure and differ from one account to another. The most common alternative narratives are: *Nest and Gerald were present at an
eisteddfod In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, a ...
given, during a truce, by
Cadwgan ap Bleddyn Cadwgan ap Bleddyn (1051–1111) was a prince of the Kingdom of Powys () in north eastern Wales. He (possibly born 1060) was the second son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn who was king of both Kingdom of Powys and Gwynedd. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle stated: ...
, prince of
Powys Powys ( , ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It borders Gwynedd, Denbighshire, and Wrexham County Borough, Wrexham to the north; the English Ceremonial counties of England, ceremo ...
*Nest and her husband were "visited" by her second cousin
Owain ap Cadwgan Owain ap Cadwgan (died 1116) was a prince of Powys in eastern Wales. He is best known for his abduction of Nest, wife of Gerald of Windsor. Owain was the eldest son of Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, prince of part of Powys. He is first recorded in 1106, w ...
, one of Cadwgan's sons, at
Carew Castle Carew Castle () is a castle in the civil parish of Carew in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The Carew family take their name from this site and have owned the castle for more than 900 years. It is leased to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for admi ...
, Gerald escaping down the latrine shaft. *The castle of Cenarth Bychan (possibly modern
Cilgerran Castle Cilgerran Castle () is a 13th-century ruined castle located in Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire, Wales, near Cardigan, Ceredigion, Cardigan. The first castle on the site was thought to have been built by Gerald of Windsor around 1110–1115, and it c ...
), home of Nest and her husband, was attacked by Owain ap Cadwgan and his menBrut y tywysogion: Or, The chronicle of the princes A.D. 681–1282 (Great Britain. Public Record Office. Kraus Reprints: 1965, ASIN: B0007JD67I The earliest account, that of Caradoc of Llancarfan, relates that "At the instigation of the Devil, he
wain A wagon (or waggon) is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draft animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people. Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...
was moved by passion and love for the woman, and with a small company with him...he made for the castle by night." The story that takes place at Carew Castle says Nest urged her husband to escape via a lavatory chute, while she stayed to face Owain. Owain took Nest and her children to a hunting lodge by the
Eglwyseg The Eglwyseg valley is an area to the north east of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales; it is within the boundaries of Llantysilio Community. The name also refers to a widely scattered hamlet in the valley. Formerly the old township of Eglwysegl ...
Rocks north of the Vale of
Llangollen Llangollen () is a town and community (Wales), community, situated on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, in Denbighshire, Wales. Its riverside location forms the edge of the Berwyn range, and the Dee Valley section of the Clwydian Range and Dee Val ...
. The abduction of Nest, whether or not it was with her consent, aroused the wrath of the Normans, as well as of the Welsh. The Norman lords, the Justiciar of Salop, and at least one bishop, bribed Owain's Welsh enemies to attack him and his father, which they promptly did.Johnson, Ben. "Princess Nest", History UK
/ref> Owain's father tried to persuade him to return Nest, but to no avail. According to Caradoc, Nest told Owain, "If you would have me stay with you and be faithful to you, then send my children home to their father." She secured the return of the children. Owain and his father were driven to seek exile in Ireland. Nest was returned to her husband. In recent years, Nest has been given two specious children by her rapist, Llywelyn and Einion. In fact, Owain had a brother, but not a son, named Einion, and Welsh genealogies do not name the mother of Owain's son Llywelyn. The omission of the name of a mother with the highborn status of Nest is startling, if it were true. In the 19th century, this "abduction", as well as the fighting which followed, earned Nest the nickname "Helen of Wales". She was depicted at having connived with Owain at her rape and abduction, given more children than she had borne, along with more lovers than she had had. In 1112, her brother Gruffydd returned from Ireland, spending most of his time with Gerald and Nest. When he was denied his inheritance from his father, and accused by the King of conspiring against him, he allied with the prince of Gwynedd, and war broke out. Owain ap Cadwgan had, by now, been pardoned by the King, and was prince of Powys; in 1111, his father had been assassinated by Owain's cousin and former comrade-in-arms, Madog ap Rhiryd, whom Owain captured, castrated, and blinded. Being then on the King's good side, Owain was ordered to rendezvous with a Norman force to proceed against Gruffydd. En route, he and his force chanced to run into none other than Gerald FitzWalter. Despite Owain being a royal ally, Gerald chose to avenge his wife's rape, and killed Owain.


Ancestry


Notes


References


Additional sources

*Clark, Geo. Thomas. ''The Earls, Earldom, and Castle of Pembroke'' (Tenby, R. Mason: 1880) *
Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
, p. 228–229 *Bartrum, Peter. ''Welsh Genealogies: 300–1400,'' 941 pages, University of Wales Press (December 1976) *''Brut y tywysogion: or, The chronicle of the princes A.D. 681–1282'' (Great Britain. Public Record Office. Kraus Reprints: 1965, ASIN: B0007JD67I *Davies, John. ''A History of Wales'', p. 110, 123, 128; Penguin: 2007, *Lloyd, John Edward. ''A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest, II'' (2nd ed.) London: Longmans, Green, & Co (1912), pp 417–8, 423, 442, 539, 555, 767 (family tree) *Maund, Kari. ''Princess Nest of Wales: Seductress of the English'', Stroud: Tempus 2007, *_____________. ''The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords, and Princes'', Tempus: 2005 (3rd ed.), ,


External links


The Normans in South Wales, 1070–1171
By Lynn H. Nelson. (Austin and London: University of Texas Press, 1966)
Great Castles--Legends--Ghosts of Carew Castle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nest Ferch Rhys 1080s births 1130s deaths 11th-century Welsh women 12th-century Welsh women 12th-century Welsh nobility FitzGerald dynasty De Barry family People from Pembrokeshire People from Windsor, Berkshire Year of birth uncertain Mistresses of Henry I of England House of Dinefwr Rape in Wales Welsh princesses Daughters of kings