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. Events Completion of the Saint Denis Basilica in Paris Peter Abelard writes the Historia Calamitatum, detailing his relationship with Heloise Births William of Newburgh, British historian and author of the Historia rerum Anglicarum Deaths November 15 - Leopold III of Austria, Patron saint of Austria Categories: 1136 ... Deheubarth was a south-western kingdom or principality of medieval Wales. ... Rhys ap Tewdwr (997-1093) was a prince of southern Wales. ...

After her father died in 1093, Deheubarth was conquerored by the Normans and King Henry I of England appointed himself her protector. Nest bore him a son, Henry FitzRoy. In 1100 King Henry decided to marry her to one of his knights, Gerald of Windsor, whom he appointed castellan of Pembroke. Nest and Gerald had four children: Henry I (c. ...

1. William FitzGerald (died 1173)
2. Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephen (died September 1, 1177)
3. David FitzGerald, Archdeacon of Cardigan and Bishop of St. David's
4. Angharad de Windsor

During Christmas 1109, Nest and her husband were visited by her cousin, Owain ap Cadwgan. Owain was so taken with Nest's beauty that he and fifteen companions attacked Cenarth Bychan, seized Nest, and carried her off. 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 FitzStephen. Events Canonization of Saint Thomas a Becket, buried at Canterbury August 9th - Construction starts on the Leaning tower of Pisa Castle at Abergavenny was seized by the Welsh. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... Events November 25 - Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Raynald of Chatillon defeat Saladin at the Battle of Montgisard. ...

Nest's daughter, Angharad, was the mother of historian Gerald of Wales. Her sons Maurice and Robert campaigned in Ireland with Strongbow; Robert died there in 1182. Giraldus Cambrensis (c. ... The term Strongbow may refer to two different affairs: Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, a Norman earl also known by the nickname Strongbow Strongbow Cider, a brand of cider Beleg Cúthalion (meaning, literally, Strongbow), a companion of Túrin Turambar in JRR Tolkiens Quenta Silmarillion. ...

Sources

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