Lancelot is known all over the world through movies, fairytales and history. He

was  famous

Knight but what was he famous for?

 

Sir Lancelot is known as both the greatest and the worst of the knights at the court

of King Arthur. Lancelot is known as Lancelot of the Lake (or Lancelot du Lac)

because he was raised by Vivien, the Lady of the Lake. He carries out various good

deeds, including rescuing Queen Guinevere from Meleagant, an unsuccessful

quest for the Holy Grail and therescue of Guinevere after she is condemned to be

burned to death for adultery with him. He was the First Knight of the Round

Table, and he never failed in gentleness, courtesy, or courage.Launcelot was also a

knight who was very willing to serve others. It has been said that Lancelotwas the

greatest fighter and swordsman of all the knights of the Round Table.

 

BIRTH TO CAMELOT

Lancelot was the son of King Ban of Benwick and Queen Elaine. He was christened with

the name Galahad, but was given the confirmation name of Lancelot. His father was driven

from his kingdom, either by a revolt of his subjects, caused by his own harshness, or by the action of his enemy Claudas de la Deserte. The King and queen were forced to flee, carryingtheir child Lancelot with them, and while his mother was tending to his father, who was dyingof a broken heart, the infant is carried off by a friendly water-fay, the Lady of the Lake, who brings the boy up in her mysterious kingdom. When he reaches the age of manhood, the young Lancelot is sent out into the world. His real name and parentage are unknown to him. He rides out in search of what adventure he can find. He is known as Lancelot of the Lake or Lancelot du

Lac because he was raised by the Lady of the Lake.

 

SIR LANCELOT AT CAMELOT

There are many stories about Lancelot at Camelot, and they vary according to the

source. According to some, at the age of eighteen, Lancelot met his cousins, Bors and

Lional, and his half-brother, Ector, and the four men set out for Camelot. Because of

King Ban's support for Arthur in his youth, Lancelot was welcomed to Camelot by

Arthur and Lancelot was

knighted on St. John's Day. In some versions of the legend, one of Lancelot's first tasks

as a knight was to bring Guinevere to Camelot for her wedding to Arthur. During

their journey back to Camelot, Guinevere and Lancelot fell in love. In other stories,

Guinevere was already Queen when Lancelot arrived, and he became one of the Queen's Knights. Lancelot soon became recognised as the greatest of the knights after successfully completing several quests. Among other adventures, he conquered the guardian of the castle called Dolorous Gard, which afterwards became his own home renamed Joyous Gard. Lancelot became a full Knight of the Round Table and Arthur's closest companion.

 

Lancelot helped King Arthur put down the rebellion of Galehaut the Haut Prince, who surrendered to Arthur after being influenced by Lancelot's chivalry in battle. Later Galehaut became Lancelot's close friend and acted as a secret go-between Lancelot and Guinevere.

However lancelot suffered from pangs of conscience over his love for Guinevere and pursued numerous quests in order not to see her. Lancelot visited King Pelles the Grail Guardian and saved his daughter, Elaine of Corbenic, from a vat of boiling water in which she had been imprisoned by a magic spell for several years. Brisen, her nurse, contrived to make Lancelot believe Elaine was Guinevere and he slept with her. This union resulted in Galahad being conceived.

 

Eventually, he meets Elaine of Astolat, whom he brings home to Joyous Gard. But Lancelot is not happy with her either. Elaine later died because of her unrequited love for Lancelot. Lancelot's son Galahad then appears at Camelot and together they began their quest for the Holy Grail. Lancelot had several visions of the Grail and finds the door to the chapel in which the grail was kept. However he is prevented from entering the building and discovers that this is because his love for Guinevere, exceeded his love for God.