Nohaut


    1. Nohaut
      Nohalt, Nohant, Norham, Norhan, Norhant, Norhaut

      A duchy in the northern part of Arthur’s Britain, perhaps in Northumberland, named in the Vulgate romances. It was plundered by Saxons, led by King Oriel, in the early days of Arthur’s reign.

      Later, governed under Arthur by the Lady of Nohaut, it was invaded by the King of Northumberland. The Lady traveled to Arthur’s court to find a champion to defend the land, and Arthur gave her the newly-knighted Lancelot. After putting Lancelot through several trials - including one involving the giant knight Antoagais - she accepted him, and he proved victorious in personal combat against Northumberland’s knights. She became infatuated with Lancelot and cared for him when he was wounded, but she gave up when she saw her love was futile.

      In Arthour and Merlin, the city is named as Urien’s capital in Gorre; there may be some confusion with Sorhaut.


    2. Nohaut, Lady of

      She seems to have been a ruler in her own right, as well as a liege of Arthur's.

      When the King of Northumberland besieged her, she sent a messenger to Arthur, asking for a champion. The newly dubbed Lancelot craved to act for her. He made a side trip to rescue a damsel from a big and apparently cruel knight; this, however, turned out to be a test arranged by the Lady of Nohaut - the big knight had wanted to champion and wed her, and she had consented on condition he defeat the champion Arthur sent. (He did not.)

      When Lancelot arrived at Nohaut, the Lady put him to bed for fifteen days to recover from his wounds. Meanwhile, hearing no news of Lancelot at court, Kay requested the errand and was sent to Nohaut in his turn. After a quarrel between Kay and Lancelot, the Lady settled the question of which was to act for her by requesting the King of Northumberland to allow her two champions.

      They fought two knights of Northumberland. Lancelot, after vanquishing his opponent, offered to help Kay; Kay refused the offer and eventually succeeded in mastering his own adversary. Kay returned to court with the Lady's thanks, while Lancelot lingered a while at Nohaut.

      I strongly suspect, because of the name similarity, that the ladies of Nohaut and Noauz should be identified with each other.