Dictionary of Welsh Biography

NEST (fl. 1120), princess of Deheubarth (almost in her husband's presence) by her kinsman, Owain ap Cadwgan, in 1109, has earned her notoriety as the 'Helen of Wales.' Her numerous offspring included Robert Fitz-Stephen and Henry ' filius regis ' - her child by king Henry I. The date of her death is unknown, but she lived until well after 1136. There were others of the same name less famous than the subject of this notice: Nest, daughter of
FITZGERALD, MAURICE (d. 1176), one of the conquerors of Ireland Son of Gerald de Windsor, chief follower of Arnulf Montgomery and castellan of Pembroke Castle (1093- post 1116), by his wife Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr. Maurice and WILLIAM, two of the sons of Gerald and Nest, and lords respectively of Llanstephan and Emlyn, came into prominence as leaders of the Anglo-Norman settlers in West Wales against the great revolt of the native princes in 1136. In
MERFYN FRYCH (d. 844), king of Gwynedd in Gwynedd of the line of Cunedda Wledig. He married Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel of Powys. Rhodri Mawr was their son.
ROBERT (fl. 1099-1147), earl of Gloucester Natural son of king Henry I of England; born before his father's accession to the throne. The legend (found in the 'Gwentian Brut,' The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales, ii, 540) that his mother was Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, is one of Iolo Morganwg's fabrications, though Henry did, indeed, have a son by Nest later on. Robert has a great and honourable place in English history (see D.N.B
EINION ap GWALCHMAI (fl. 1203-1223), poet A portion of an awdl by him to Llywelyn ap Iorwerth mentions that prince as fighting against the English, and was therefore probably composed after the turn of the century. He also composed a beautiful elegy to Nest, daughter of Hywel, of Towyn, Meironnydd, and three awdlau to God. In one of these he refers to his intention to go on a pilgrimage over the Alps to the Holy Land. References in his
OWAIN ap CADWGAN (d. 1116), prince of Powys He has earned notoriety because of his abduction of Nest in 1109, and the murder in 1110 of a leading member of the Flemish colony in Dyfed, incidents which gained him the lasting enmity of those injured thereby; indeed he died at the hands of a party of Flemings led by Nest's husband, Gerald of Windsor, when, in 1116, he was campaigning on behalf of the king against a fellow- prince in South
IFOR HAEL, patron of bards before 1384 (Clark, Limbus Patrum, 310), but there is no certainty as to when Ifor or his wife Nest, died; the year 1380 is a suggestion only. In Pughe's edition (1789) of the works of Dafydd ap Gwilym there were printed four cywyddau to Ifor Hael and three awdlau, one of the awdlau being an elegy upon his death and that of Nest. The authorship of this particular awdl is, however, not beyond doubt
IFOR BACH (fl. 1158), lord of Senghenydd dead of night he removed William, earl of Gloucester, Hawise his wife, and Robert their son to his wooded fastnesses, refusing to release them until William had restored the lands filched from him and had bestowed upon him additional territory by way of compensation. He married Nest, sister says ' Brut y Saeson,' to the 'lord' Rhys. He was succeeded (before 1170) by his son Gruffydd.
RHYS NANMOR (fl. 1480-1513), poet His genealogy is found in Peniarth MS 268 (585), and Dwnn, ii, 284; there he is described as a 'penkerdd,' i.e. a member of the highest order of bards, and 'ab Maredudd ab Ieuan ab Dafydd Tudur,' etc. Rhys's mother was Nest, daughter of Owen ap Ierwerth. He is said to have been a pupil of Dafydd Nanmor, but there is no evidence that they were related. He was primarily a 'family poet' to Sir Rhys
RHODRI MAWR (d. 877), king of Gwynedd, Powys, and Deheubarth Son of Merfyn Frych by Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel of Powys. He succeeded his father as king of Gwynedd in 844. In 855, on the death of his uncle, Cyngen, he became king of Powys, and in 872, when Gwgon, king Seisyllwg (Ceredigion and Ystrad Tywi) and brother to his wife, Angharad, died, the southern realm came under his rule. There was thus created for the first time a loose union of at
FITZSTEPHEN, ROBERT (d. c. 1183), one of the conquerors of Ireland Son of Stephen, constable of Cardigan castle in 1136, by Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr. He had lands in Cemais and succeeded his father as constable of Cardigan. When Henry II invaded the realm of Owain Gwynedd in North Wales in 1157, Robert went to his assistance with a fleet. In the fighting he was badly wounded but escaped to the waiting ships. He seems to have successfully defended the
RHYS AP TEWDWR (d. 1093), king of Deheubarth (1078-1093) estates in Herefordshire) in a battle at Llandudoch (St. Dogmaels). His end came during Easter week 1093 when Rhys was attacked and killed by the Norman settlers in Brycheiniog led by Bernard de Neufmarché, who was the husband of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn's granddaughter Nest. Welsh and English chronicles claim that the death of Rhys opened Wales to the advancing Normans. Rhys is also remembered because of

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