Sir Galahad

A Grail knight. He was the son of Lancelot and Elaine. According to the Grail legend, Galahad was was the descendant of King David of Israel through his father Lancelot. Galahad, through his mother's line, was a descendant of Nascien.

Galahad was compared symbolically to the lion, whereas his father was compared to a leopard. The father and son were compared to one another where the son (lion) would surpass the father (leopard).

As a knight of the Round Table, he was the only knight who could safely sit on the Siege Perilous, being the hero who gained the Grail. He drew the magical sword out of marble that floated to Camelot. Galahad also received the shield of King Mordrain.

Later writers made Galahad the hero of the Grail, instead of Perceval. Galahad succeeded where others failed in the quest, because his chivalry was inspired with spiritual love rather than worldly love of which his father was a champion. Galahad was the pure knight, and was often called simply the Good Knight.

After winning the Grail and healing the Maimed King, he and his companions Perceval and Bors brought the Grail out of Britain at the command of Jesus, to the city of Sarras. Galahad spent a year in prison and a year as king of Sarras. Galahad was allowed to see the last secrets of the Grail revealed before he died, and was taken to heaven. With his death the grail and the lance vanished from the world.

See the Quest of the Holy Grail (Queste del Saint Graal), for the full story.

See also Elaine, in the Arthurian Women section, and Lancelot and Elaine about his conception and birth.

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Note that the name Galahad applied to several different people. The first Galahad was the son of Joseph of Arimathea, and the king of Hosselice (Wales). Lancelot and later his son found the tomb of King Galahad, in an abbey at Gorre. The second Galahad was the baptismal name of Lancelot, but he was more famously known as Lancelot. The third Galahad was the son of Lancelot and Elaine, the hero of the Quest.