Galahad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Galahad |
|
|---|---|
| Matter of Britain character | |
.jpg)
Sir Galahad by George Frederic Watts
|
|
| First appearance | Lancelot-Grail |
| Created by | Anonymous |
| Information | |
| Occupation | Knight of the Round Table |
| Title | Sir |
| Family | Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic (parents) |
| Religion | Christian |
| Origin | Corbenic |
| Weapon |
|
Galahad is a famous knight from the legends of King Arthur. He is known for being one of the three knights who found the Holy Grail. Galahad is the son of Sir Lancelot and Lady Elaine of Corbenic. He is celebrated for his bravery and pure heart, making him the most perfect of all knights. When Galahad was born, the wizard Merlin predicted that Galahad would be even braver than his father and would succeed in finding the Holy Grail.
Contents
Who Was Sir Galahad?
The story of Galahad and his search for the Holy Grail was added to the Arthurian legends later on. He first appeared in old French stories from the 1200s. These stories were part of a larger collection called the Vulgate Cycle. His name might come from the Welsh name Gwalchaved, which means "Falcon of Summer."
Galahad's Adventures
Becoming a Knight
Sir Lancelot made Galahad a knight after Galahad defeated him in a duel. This was the only time Lancelot ever lost a fair fight. Galahad then came to King Arthur's court in Camelot during a special holiday called Pentecost. An old knight led Galahad to the Round Table. There was a special, empty chair called the Siege Perilous. This chair was meant only for the knight who would find the Holy Grail. Anyone else who tried to sit there would die immediately.
Galahad sat in the chair and survived! King Arthur was amazed by this new knight. Arthur then took Galahad to a river where a magic sword was stuck in a stone. An inscription on the sword said only the "best knight of the world" could pull it out. (This is similar to how Arthur got his own sword, Excalibur.) Galahad easily pulled out the sword. King Arthur quickly announced that Galahad was the greatest knight ever. Galahad was then invited to join the Knights of the Round Table. Soon after, Arthur's court saw a magical vision of the Grail. The quest to find this holy object began right away.
The Quest for the Holy Grail
All the Knights of the Round Table set out to find the Grail. Galahad was the first to start the search, and the other knights followed him. King Arthur was sad because he knew many knights would not return. He feared this quest might be the beginning of the end for the Round Table.
.jpg)
Galahad was special among the knights because he could perform miracles. He could banish demons and heal sick people. During the Grail Quest, he mostly traveled alone. He defeated enemies, rescued other knights like Percival, and saved maidens in trouble. Eventually, he met up with Bors and Percival. Together, these three pure knights found Percival's sister. She led them to the mystical Ship of Solomon. They used this ship to cross the sea to an island. There, Galahad found King David's sword.
Galahad's Ascension
-y.jpg)
After many adventures, Galahad and his friends arrived at the magical castle of Corbenic. There, Galahad's grandfather and uncle led him to a room where he finally saw the Holy Grail. Galahad was asked to take the Grail to a holy island called Sarras. After seeing the Grail, Galahad asked to die at a time of his own choosing.
While returning to Arthur's court, Galahad was visited by the spirit of Joseph of Arimathea. He felt such a wonderful joy that he asked to die. Galahad said goodbye to Percival and Bors. Then, angels appeared and took him to Heaven. Bors and Percival watched him disappear in a bright light. In some stories, his body is left behind and buried by his friends.
More About Galahad
In Spanish: Galahad para niños
- HMS Sir Galahad – Three ships in the Royal Navy were named after him. One of them was lost in the Falklands War.
Images for kids
-
World War I memorial at Victoria College, Jersey. It shows a statue of Galahad by Alfred Turner. The statue has a quote from Tennyson and lists fallen students. Galahad was often used in British military posters during both world wars.
-
Sir Galahad by Herbert Gustave Schmalz (1881).
-
Statue of Sir Galahad on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. It was built to remember Henry Albert Harper. He tried to save Miss Bessie Blair from the Ottawa River on December 6, 1901, but they both drowned. He was 28 years old.
