This be an Art depiction of 'Sir Lancelot du Lac' and a French King at his court in France. He was highly regarded in France.....

According to French sources and Malory, Lancelot was the son of King Ban of Benwick, one of the young King Arthur's staunchest supporters, and his queen, Elaine. King Ban became involved in a war with the neighboring kingdom of King Claudus. Claudus defeated Ban and forced the king and queen to flee. As they were fleeing, Ban looked back and the sight of his home in flames caused him to fall in a swoon from which he never rose. Running to his aid, Elaine left Lancelot beside a lake and the Lady of the Lake stole the child away and raised him in her underwater palace where he was known as Lancelot of the Lake. In Ulrich's account, Lancelot was the son King Pant of Gennewis and his wife, Clarine. Pant was killed in a rebellion and Lancelot was stolen by a fairy and raised in Maidenland.

Morganlafey and three other faery queens find Lancelot vulnerable and sleeping in the forest.

Lancelot du Lac was an established hero in the French versions of the Arthurian tradition. Here he is shown with the king and other knights in a Medieval French illustrated manuscript.

While growing up among the company of women and faery-like mermen of the Lady of the Lake's palace, Lancelot quickly developed his great strength and skill in arms. At the age of eighteen, he met his cousins, Bors and Lional, and his half-brother, Ector, and the four men set out for Camelot. In memory of King Ban's support during his youth, Arthur found great favor with Lancelot and dubbed him a knight on St. John's Day.

In some versions of the legend, one of Lancelot's first tasks as a knight was to fetch Arthur's bride, Guinevere, to Camelot for their wedding. During this journey, Guinevere and Lancelot fell in love. In other stories, Guinevere was already established at court when Lancelot arrived, and he soon became one of the Queen's Knights, a sub-order of the Round Table of which young, aspiring knights belonged before they had fully proven themselves. Lancelot quickly established himself as the greatest knight of all time after successfully completing several quests. Among other adventures, he conquered the dark custom of a castle called Dolorous Gard, which afterwards became his own home renamed Joyous Gard. Soon after, Lancelot returned to Camelot and became a full Knight of the Round Table and Arthur's closest companion and champion.

When Guinevere was abducted by Meliagaunce, the son of King Bagdemagus, Lancelot pursued him in a cart and had to cross a sword bridge to reach the castle. Bagdemagus pleaded with Guinevere to stop the fight so Meliagaunce's life would be spared. Later, Meliagaunce accused Guinevere of having an affair with Sir Kay, and so the battle between him and Lancelot began again. Once again, Bagdemagus pled for his son's life. Eventually, Lancelot slew Meliagaunce in combat at Arthur's court.

Lancelot travels with Elaine and Galahad After joining the ranks of Knights of the Round Table, Lancelot helped Arthur put down the rebellion of Galehaut the Haut Prince, who surrendered to Arthur after observing Lancelot's chivalry and prowess in battle. Afterwards, Galehaut became Lancelot's closest friend and acted as a secret go-between Lancelot and Guinevere. The pair also took refuge in Galehaut's kingdom of Sorelois when Guinevere the False took the queen's place at court. After the deception was discovered, Lancelot restored the queen to Arthur, but by this time Lancelot and Guinevere were irrevocably in love.

Suffering from a guilty conscience, Lancelot pursued quest after quest in order to be away from Guinevere. Lancelot visted King Pelles the Grail Guardian and saved his daughter, Elaine of Corbenic, from a tub of boiling water in which she had been imprisoned by enchantment for several years. Brisen, her nurse, arranged for Lancelot to think Elaine was Guinevere and he slept with her. As a result, Galahad was conceived.

After a time, Lancelot's son Galahad appeared and they began their quest for the Holy Grail. Lancelot had several visions of the Grail and finally found the door to the chapel where the holy vessel was kept. He was prevented from entering by an angelic presence and fell into a trance which lasted for several weeks. During this time, it was made clear to him this quest was at an end and his failure was due to his love for Guinevere, which exceeded his love for God. For a time, Lancelot was determined to renounce his love for her, but once he returned to court their affair continued its course.

When Lancelot and Guinevere were discovered together in her chamber by Mordred, just when they had decided to end their love affair, Lancelot fled and Guinevere was sentenced to burn at the stake. Lancelot returned to rescue her, accidently killing Agravain, and Gawain's brothers, Gaheris and Gareth in the process. War between Lancelot and Arthur ensued, but was broken off when Arthur had to return to Camelot to deal with Mordred's rebellion. Hearing of this, Lancelot returned to aid Arthur but arrived too late to save him from a mortal wound. After the war, Lancelot visited Guinevere one last time in a nunnery at Amesbury and then put aside his weapons and armor to become a hermit, which was how he lived out the rest of his life. He was buried at Joyous Guard, and Sir Hector, the last of the original Knights of the Round Table delivered the following eulogy below.....

"Ah Lancelot, thou are head of all Christians knights, and now I dare say, thou Sir Lancelot, there thou liest, that thou was never matched of earthly knights. And thou were the courteous knight that ever bare shield. And thou were the truest friend to thy lover that ever bestrad horse. And thou were the truest lover of a sinful man that ever loved woman. And thou were the kindest man that ever struck with sword. And thou were the goodliest person that ever came among press of knights. And thou was the meekest man and the gentlest that ever ate in hall among ladies. And thou were the sternest knight to they mortal foe that ever put spear in the rest." Hence, the legend of Sir Lancelot!

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