Nicholas de Moels or Nicholas Molis (born c. 1195 - died 1268 or 1269) of North Cadbury in Somerset, was an AngloNorman royal administrator and household knight of King Henry III. In this capacity he was assigned many and varied offices and duties, often of a temporary nature. He married a wealthy heiress which transformed him into a major landholder and feudal baron. In 1244 whilst serving as Seneschal of Gascony, he inflicted a defeat on the King of Navarre whom he took prisoner in the field. Origins His parentage is unknown. His surname appears to derive from the Norman manor of Meulles in Calvados, southwest of Orbec, in the Diocese of Lisieux. Devonshire historian Tristram Risdon (d. 1640) stated that he "descended of an ancient lineage in this shire" but provided no further detail. One of the many tenants of Devonshire baron Baldwin de Meulles (died 1090), a Domesday Book tenant in chief, was a certain "Roger de Moles", who held from him at least the two manors or estates of Lew Trenchard and Waddlescot / Warson. His successor in 1066 was a Joel de Moels. In 1242, as recorded in the Book of Fees, Lew Trenchard and Waddlescot were held by a certain "John de Molis" from John de Courtenay, feudal baron of Okehampton, who had inherited much of the land formerly held by Baldwin de Meulles. This John de Molis, perhaps a brother of Nicholas, would also hold Lashbrook, Dornaford, Exbourn and Highampton, which had been held by a Roger de Molis in 1086. Nicholas was born about 1195 and appears to have spent some of his early life in the court of King John (11991216), whose son King Henry III (12161272) he would later serve. Career He served as Sheriff of Hampshire (1228–1232), Sheriff of Devon (1234), and Sheriff of Yorkshire (1239–1242); also as Constable of Winchester Castle, Pembroke Castle, Haverfordwest Castle, Cilgerran Castle, Tenby Castle, Rochester Castle (1247), Canterbury Castle (1247) and Corfe Castle. He was also Governor of the Channel Islands. Seneschal of Gascony Matthew Paris wrote as follows concerning events in 1243: Unde cito post contigit quod cum rex a Burdegali recessurus custodemque quem senescallum vocant, ei idoneum, videlicet Nicholaum de Molis, providisset, jam jamque omnia ad custodiam terrae provide pro curasset, et ascensa nave, alta freti velificando versus Angliam jam sulcasset orta excogitati scismatis inter ipsos Wasconienses occasione rex missis galeis festinanter