NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

Damsel of l’Estroite Marche


For some reason, although other damsels and ladies acted as apparently independent chatelaines, this damsel could not hold her father’s castle in her own right after his death. The Lord of l’Estroite Marche therefore tried to find her a good husband by insisting that each of his knightly guests spend half a day defending the castle.

The damsel fell in love with Ector de Maris, who defeated Sir Marganor during his half-day’s service; Ector hedged by telling her he already had a lady. Then the damsel gave him a ring with a stone that had the power to make the man who recieved it love with ever-increasin force the woman who gave it.