With Merlin sealed in a cavern by Nyneve and Morgan le Fay hiding in the land of Gorre, the young King Arthur was hoping for a quieter time in his court, with his one hundred and fifty Knights of the Round Table.

Malory tells a series of tales of their quests and adventures, including those of Sir Gawain, Uwain and Marhalt. Then, shortly after Sir Lancelot du Lake and Sir Tristram came to Arthur’s court, the King faced a challenge from the Roman Emperor Lucius, who demanded that duties were paid to Rome as he claimed they had been in the past. After consulting with his knights, Arthur responded by telling the emperor that he would come with those knights to Rome to make clear his refusal.

Arthur, his knights and their army sailed from Sandwich in Kent to Barfleur in France, fought their way across the country, and successfully delivered the King’s refusal to Rome. After further battles, Arthur was crowned King of Rome and France, then returned to England, where Queen Guenevere met him in London.

Once they were back in England, the knights of the Round Table held many jousts and tournaments, where the young Sir Lancelot stood out as the champion, and became the favourite of Queen Guenevere.

One morning when he was out riding, Lancelot fell asleep under an apple tree, with his head resting on his helmet.

In the middle of the day, four queens, riding on white mules with four knights escorting them, came across the sleeping Lancelot. When they recognised him, each of the queens said that they would be happy to take his as their lover. One was Morgan le Fay, who cast a spell on him to ensure he would remain asleep for seven hours, so she could have him taken to her castle for the queens to chose who would take him. This is shown here in William Frank Calderon’s How Four Queens Found Sir Lancelot Sleeping from 1908.

The following morning, the ladies, including the Queens of North Wales, the Eastlands, and the Outer Isles in addition to Morgan le Fay, told their prisoner to choose from among them. Lancelot refused them all, telling them that he would rather die in prison, and asserted that Queen Guenevere was the truest lady of all. The knight managed to escape with the help of the maid who brought him meals, and went on to his next adventures.

N. C. Wyeth’s illustration from 1922 is accompanied by the text “I am Sir Launcelot du Lake, King Ban’s son of Benwick, and knight of the Round Table.”

Herbert James Draper’s painting of Lancelot and Guinevere from the 1890s is a romantic take on their relationship, that carefully avoids the slightest hint of adultery.

Eugénie Servières’ Guenièvre and Lancelot visit the tombs of Isolde and Tristan from about 1814 is an interesting crossover into the not unrelated legend of Tristan and Isolde (to follow shortly), also centring on the adulterous affair of the queen.

For much of Malory’s account, Guenevere appears faithful to Arthur until quite late, but other variants put the start of the affair with Sir Lancelot much earlier, when he had just arrived from the continent and was admitted to the Round Table. They also tell of Arthur’s infidelity: while Guenevere and Lancelot were sleeping their first night together, Arthur was apparently in bed with a beautiful Saxon princess, Camille, who turned out to be as evil as Morgan le Fay.

Malory’s next stories detail the adventures of Sir Kay, Sir Beaumains and the siege of Castle Perilous, and Sir Gareth of Orkney. He then introduces Sir Tristram de Lyones, whose relationship with his uncle King Mark of Cornwall and his queen La Beale Isode is better known in the legends of Tristan and Isolde, where I start the next article.

Reference

Dorsey Armstrong (translator and editor) & Sir Thomas Malory (2009) Morte Darthur, a new modern English translation, Parlor Press. ISBN 978 1 60235 103 5. (A superb translation based on the Winchester manuscript.)