Was it just her beauty that made Princess Nest legendary?
Princess Nest, the subject of much historical fiction, is a lady whose life is shrouded in mystery and intrigue. She was born in the 11th century in Wales and was a woman whose life was marked by political alliances, love affairs, scandal, a kidnapping but yet her lasting legacy was not just the tales of her outstanding beauty but her place as matriarch of a most powerful family.
Nest was born around 1085 during a tumultuous period in Welsh history. She was the only legitimate daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, the ruler of the Kingdom of Deheubarth, one of the major kingdoms in Wales in the Middle Ages. Her lineage placed her at the heart of Welsh aristocracy and the expectation would have been that she would one day marry to form a strong alliance with a powerful ally. Nest’s own mother Gwladus had been from the royal line of Powys and her marriage to Rhys had been intended to tie powerful kin groups together. Nest would have known, even as a young girl, that one day a match would be chosen for her.
Deheubarth’s fertile lands meant that the llys or court Nest grew up in was a wealthy one. Nest would have been used to fine things, beautiful surroundings, feasts and plenty. The Norman neighbours saw the wealth of Dehuebarth and at Easter, April 1093 saw an opportunity to kill Rhys ap Tewdwr when he took his army to Brycheiniog where the Normans has started building a castle. Nest’s life was about to change course. We are told that within two months the Normans had taken control of her father’s lands.
While Nest’s oldest brother Gruffydd ap Rhys, fled to Ireland, Nest’s young brother Hywel was taken captive and Nest was taken away from her mother and placed with a Norman family. There is no certainty about where Nest was placed but as a virgin and in Norman eyes a Welsh heiress, she was valuable. It is most likely she was taken to England and given a Norman education. Her beauty attracted the Norman Prince Henry and Nest became one of his lovers bearing him a child. There were many beautiful women at court and to have been singled out tells us much about Nest. She was also intelligent enough to know that being Henry’s lover gave her status and a certain element of protection.
Henry became King Henry and Nest was married to Gerald of Windsor, a Norman lord who had been appointed to govern parts of South Wales which had been part of Nest’s family’s kingdom. It was hoped that a Welsh royal bride would help to solidify Norman control over Welsh territories. She and Gerald had a number of children together and Nest was an asset to the Norman cause while still respected by the Welsh.
Nest’s life took a dramatic turn in 1109 when she caught the eye of Owain ap Cadwgan, a Welsh prince who was a rival to the Normans. Owain was either trying to make a political point or besotted by Nest but in any event kidnapped Nest and her children including King Henry’s son. The event sparked an outcry and although Nest and her children were eventually returned to Gerald of Windsor it had stirred up a hornet’s nest. Owain was eventually killed by Gerald’s men in 1116.
Straddling two different worlds must have been difficult for Nest and at times it would have taken all her intelligence to avoid her downfall. Her brother fought against the Normans and it is thought that at times she managed to support him in his endeavours even though her husband, Gerald, was instructed to hunt him down. It would have been very difficult for her.
Nest was a survivor in a difficult world. Her descendants went on to have a significant impact on Welsh history and became the famous Anglo-Norman FitzGerald family in Ireland. She managed to navigate situations that can only leave one wondering about her courage and resilience. She is the stuff of legend but her beauty was only part of what fired the imagination!
If you are interested in things Welsh and enjoy historical fiction you might like Arianwen Nunn’s ‘The Welsh Traitor’s Daughter ‘ and its sequel, ‘The Welsh Warrior’s Inheritance’.