Lancelot facts for kids

Illustration from page 38 of The Boy's King Arthur: "I am Sir Launcelot du Lake, King Ban's son of Benwick, and knight of the Round Table."

Sir Lancelot was a very famous character in the legends of King Arthur. He was one of the bravest and most trusted Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot was known as Lancelot of the Lake because he was raised by the mysterious Lady of the Lake.

Lancelot was an amazing fighter. He was even the only knight known to defeat King Arthur himself in a jousting match! He also became the father of Sir Galahad, who was considered the greatest knight in all of Camelot.

Lancelot's Role in Arthur's Court

Sir Lancelot was a key part of King Arthur's Round Table. The knights of the Round Table were known for their bravery, honesty, and loyalty. Lancelot was one of the best among them. However, his strong feelings for King Arthur's wife, Queen Guinevere, caused many problems for the kingdom. This secret affection eventually led to great trouble and sadness for Arthur and his knights.

The Quest for the Holy Grail

Lancelot was also one of the knights who joined the important quest to find the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail was a legendary cup said to have special powers. Knights like Lancelot, known as Red Cross Knights, dedicated themselves to this search. Although Lancelot was a great knight, it was his son, Sir Galahad, who was destined to find the Holy Grail. Lancelot saw Galahad achieve this great goal.

Related pages

• Courtly love

Images for kids

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  Lancelot slays the dragon of Corbenic in Arthur Rackham's illustration for Tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, abridged from Le Morte d'Arthur by Alfred W. Pollard (1917)

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  James Archer's Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere (1864)

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  Lancelot fighting the two dragons guarding the entrance to Morgan's Val Without Return in an illumination of a 15th-century French Lancelot-Grail manuscript. The arms attributed to him: argent with three bendlets gules

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  The Earthly Paradise (Sir Lancelot at the Chapel of the Holy Grail) by Edward Burne-Jones (1890s)

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  Howard Pyle's illustration for The Story of the Champions of the Round Table (1905): "The Lady Nymue beareth away Launcelot into the Lakes."

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  N. C. Wyeth's illustration for The Boy's King Arthur, abridged from Le Morte d'Arthur by Sidney Lanier (1922): "He rode his way with the Queen unto Joyous Gard."

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  Lancelot Brings Guenevere to Arthur, an illustration for Andrew Lang's The Book of Romance (1902)

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  Morgan, Sebile and two other witch-queens find Lancelot sleeping in William Henry Margetson's illustration for Legends of King Arthur and His Knights, abridged from Le Morte d'Arthur by Janet MacDonald Clark (1914)

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  Lancelot's rescue of Guinevere from the stake in Henry Justice Ford's illustration for Andrew Lang's Tales of the Round Table (1908)

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  A 1962 publicity photo of Robert Goulet as Lancelot and Janet Pavek as Guenevere in the musical Camelot

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  "Sir Mador's spear broke all to pieces, but his spear held."

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  "[Lancelot] ever ran wild wood from place to place"

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  "Launcelot saw her visage, he wept not greatly, but sighed."

See also

In Spanish: Lancelot del Lago para niños