Nest verch Rhys - How young to be wed

8/23/2022 at 4:11 PM

Like so many people on Geni it stands to reason that many wives were not of today's legal age to bear children but they can and did. One of these is One of the most famous stories associated with Carew is the life of Nest.
Nest who was born in 1080 was the daughter of the King of Deheubarth, Rhys ap Tewdwr. (Tudor)
After the death of her father, at the hands of the Normans in 1093, Nest was taken hostage by William Rufus. At only 15 years of age she became the mistress of Henry, William’s younger brother and gave birth to his son at the age of 17 years old.
As Henry was due to marry Matilda arrangements were made for Nest to return to South Wales to marry Gerald de Windsor constable of Pembroke Castle, and she was to leave her son to Earl Hugh of Chester for him to look after.
Over the years, Nest had fallen in love with Gerald, and they had many children, including Angharad, who became the mother of Gerald of Wales.

Joaquim Telêmaco Carneiro, [de Mello]

8/25/2022 at 9:57 AM

Nest verch Rhys is my 22nd great grandfather's partner

Tina Marie Flores PRO

8/25/2022 at 11:28 AM

Nest verch Rhys is my 25th great grandmother. My lineage with her goes through Maurice FitzGerald, one of her sons with Gerald FitzWalter.

I remember when I was a girl myself and first learned how young girls were in the past to be marrying and bearing children. I was so shocked by it. There's been so much written in why this was the case and it's not so simple to just say it was because they had shorter life spans then or that it was a matter of protection for women. The case of Nest is a perfect example of that. They were political pawns. They were a commodity to be traded. And they were often objects of lust. Very little of these things had to do with any kind of choice on the part of the young women.

For me, digging into the past is so fascinating and it's wonderful to find those connections .. a sense of belonging. But it can be hard to process too because none of it was fairytale life. Reading between the lines to the facts that aren't spelled out contains a lot of heavy truth.

Nest verch Rhys - How young to be wed

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