Nest verch Rhys ^{1 2 3}

   Other names for Nest were Nest of Deheubarth and Nest of Wales.

  Research Notes:

From Wikipedia - Nest ferch Rhys :

Nest ferch Rhys (died after 1136 ) was a Welsh princess of Deheubarth who was renowned for her beauty. Nest was the daughter of Prince Rhys ap Tewdwr Mawr by his wife, Gwladys ferch 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 is thought to have borne him a son, Henry FitzRoy (1103-1158).[1]

Around 1095 King Henry decided to marry Nest to one of his followers, Gerald de Windsor , whom he appointed Constable of Pembroke .
Nest and Gerald had five children:
William FitzGerald (died 1173 )
Maurice FitzGerald , Lord of Llansteffan (died 1 September 1177 )
David FitzGerald , Archdeacon of Cardigan and Bishop of St David's
Angharad de Windsor , who married William de Barry
A daughter (possibly Gwladys), 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 . The story goes that Owain was so taken with Nest's beauty that he and fifteen companions attacked the castle of Cenarth Bychan (possibly Cilgerran Castle or Carew Castle , both in Pembrokeshire ), seized Nest, and carried her and her children off.

Tradition also states that Gerald escaped by jumping down the garderobe (i.e. the lavatory chute) to get away. The children were later returned to Gerald. Nest is said to have borne Owain two sons, Llywelyn and Einion, before finally being returned to her husband.

This abduction earned Nest the nickname "Helen of Wales " because it led to civil war on a small scale. Owain ap Cadwgan left the country to avoid retribution, whilst Owain's father, Cadwgan ap Bleddyn , lost his own lands. Gerald waited for Owain to return to Wales, then ambushed and killed him. 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 William 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 .


Robert and Philip were the founders of the family Walsh /Welsh of Kilkenny where they built a Castle known as Castle hale of Kilkenny, Ireland Castle Hale of the Walsh Mountains Kilkenny They conquered Kilkenny. They had become known as the "Welshies" rather than "Hywel" and thus named,they remain to this day; the name Hale being derived from Howell.

Therefore the Welsh and Walsh family of Kilkenny Ireland are also descended from Hywel Dda .

  Noted events in her life were:

• Mistress: of Henry I, 1093-1095.

• Abducted: by Owain ap Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, Dec 1109.

Nest married Gerald de Windsor, son of Walter FitzOther of Stanwell and Gwladys verch Ryall, about 1095. (Gerald de Windsor died before 1136 ⁴.)