Narrow Borderlands
Estroit Marche, Narrow March, Strait Marches
A castle and land owned by King Belinant of South Wales. It was invaded by Saxons near the beginning of Arthur’s reign. Its lord, who presumably held his fief from Belinant, was the brother of King Caradoc.
He was attacked frequently by the rulers of North Wales and Cambenic, and by the King with a Hundred Knights. Because of the frequent attacks, the land around the Narrow Borderland was laid waste.
The lord instituted a custom by which any knight who entered the castle had to spend the night and fight in the morning against the castle’s enemies. Arthur’s knight Hector of the Fens arrived when the castle was being attacked by the King with a Hundred Knights’ seneschal, Marganor. Following the custom, Hector fought and defeated Marganor. The lord of the castle wanted Hector to marry his daughter, but Hector left for further adventure.
The Narrow Borderland is also named as the home of Sir Floridas, a knight in Arthur’s service.
Sources
Lancelot do Lac | 1215-1220
Vulgate Lancelot | 1215-1230
Vulgate Merlin | 1220-1235
Le Livre d’Artus | Early 13th century
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470