Robert FitzStephen Robert FitzStephen ( c . 1120 – 1183 ) was a Cambro - Norman soldier , one of the leaders of the Norman invasion of Ireland , for which he was granted extensive lands in Ireland . He was a son of the famous Nest , daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr , the last king of Deheubarth ( South Wales ) . His father was Nest ' s second husband , Stephen , Constable of Cardigan ( ) . Following the death of her first husband , Gerald de Windsor , her sons had married her to Stephen , her husband ' s constable for Cardigan . By Stephen , she had another son , possibly two ; the eldest was Robert , and the younger may have been Hywel . Career . In Wales . Robert succeeded his father in his office ( " Custos Campe Abertivi " ) . He first appears in history in 1157 , when King Henry II of England invaded Gwynedd . While the main royal army faced the forces of Owain Gwynedd east of the River Conwy , a force including Robert and his half - brother Henry Fitzroy ( the illegitimate son of Nest and King Henry I ) attacked Anglesey by sea . However , this force was defeated in a battle in which Robert was seriously wounded and Henry killed . Robert was captured in November 1165 by Rhys ap Gruffydd ( The Lord Rhys ) who was the nephew of his mother Nest . The King of Leinster appealed to Rhys ( in 1167 ) to release Robert for an expedition to Ireland . Rhys did not oblige at the time , but in response to a further appeal in 1168 released Robert from captivity . In Ireland . In 1167 , the King of Leinster , Diarmait Mac Murchada , was deprived of his kingdom by the High King of Ireland . To recover his kingdom , the exiled king fled to Wales and from there to England and Aquitaine in France , in order to have the consent of King Henry II of England to recruit soldiers . On returning to Wales , Fitz - Stephen helped him to organise a mercenary army of Norman and Welsh soldiers , including Richard de Clare , 2nd Earl of Pembroke , alias Strongbow . On 1 May 1169 , Robert led the vanguard of Diarmait Mac Murchada ' s Cambro - Norman auxiliaries to Ireland , thereby precipitating the Norman invasion of Ireland . The main invasion party landed near Bannow strand , County Wexford with a force of 30 knight s , 60 man - at - arms and 300 archers . The next day , Maurice de Prendergast landed at the same bay with ten knights and 60 archers . This force merged with about 500 soldiers commanded by Diarmait . In return for capturing Wexford , MacMurrough granted Fitz - Stephen a share in two cantreds , Bargy and Forth which comprised all the land between Bannow and the town of Wexford . The cantreds were to be held jointly with Maurice FitzGerald , Lord of Lanstephan , his half - brother . The Siege of Wexford lasted only two days . The first attack was repulsed at the loss of 18 Normans and 3 defenders . These are believed to have been the only deaths during the siege . Fitz - Stephen then ordered his men to burn all the ships in the town ' s harbour . The next morning , the attack on Wexford began again . Shortly after , the defenders sent envoys to Diarmait . The defenders agreed to surrender and renew their allegiance to Diarmait . It is claimed that they were persuaded to surrender by two bishops who were in the town at the time . He was accompanied at the siege by Robert de Barry , the eldest son of his half - sister Angharad de Windsor . Nest then , was the mother of Robert , Maurice and Angharad . Taken prisoner by the The MacCarthy Reagh in 1171 , he was by them surrendered to Henry II of England , who appointed him lieutenant of the Justiciar of Ireland , Hugh de Lacy . Robert rendered good service in the troubles of 1173 and was rewarded in 1177 by receiving from the king of England , jointly with Miles de Cogan , a grant of the kingdom of Cork , " from Lismore to the sea " . with the exception of the city of Cork . Cogan was the son of his half - sister Gwladys . The native princes of that province disputed the king ' s right to dispose of the territory on the grounds that they had not resisted king Henry , or committed any act that would have justified the forfeiture of their lands . In consequence , Fitz - Stephen had difficulty in maintaining his position and was nearly overwhelmed by a rising in the Kingdom of Desmond in 1182 . Having no living male heirs , Fitz - Stephen eventually ceded these territories to Philip de Barry , his half - nephew around 1180 : " Robert FitzStephen to all his lords , friends , and dependents , French , English , Welsh , and Irish , greeting . Be it known to you that I have given and granted to my nephew , Philip de Barri , three cantreds in my land of Cork , namely , Olethan , with all its appurtenances , and two other cantreds in the kingdom of Cork , just as they shall come by lot to him , for ten knights ' service , to himself and his heirs , to be held of me and my heirs , for the service aforesaid , in land , in sea , in waters , in ways , etc . , to be held as freely of me as I hold of our lord the King , save to me the service of the aforesaid ten knights . The second son of his half - sister Angharad de Windsor , Philip de Barry came to Ireland in 1183 or 1185 to assist his half - uncle . Together with another relative , Raymond FitzGerald ( also known as Raymond Le Gros ) , they recovered their lands in the modern county of Cork , specifically the baronies of Killede , Olethan and Muscarydonegan . A compromise agreement was reached that allowed the barons to hold seven cantreds near Cork with the remaining twenty - four being retained by the native princes . The date of his death is uncertain .