NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

Nabon le Noire

Nabon the Black

He was “a great mighty giant”, lord of the Isle of Servage.

One of several giants killed by Tristan. Nabon ruled Glait or Mormonda Castle on the Island of Servage, and he hated all of Arthur’s knights. He had killed several of them, including Mennon the Small, a cousin of Sir Lamorat.

As the result of a shipwreck, Lamorat washed upon Nabon’s island just before a tournament which Nabon had declared in honor of his newly-knighted son, Nathan. In jousting, Nabon had a trick of killing his opponent’s horse. Determined to slay Nabon, Lamorat entered the tournament, but, although he fared best of the visiting knights, Nabon nearly killed him.

Tristan, who had also come to the tournament, stepped in just in time, and killed both Nabon and his son. Tristan awarded Nabon’s island to the noble Sir Seguarades.


Sources
Prose Tristan | 1230-1240
Palamedes | c. 1240
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470