Elaine of Corbenic
| Elaine of Corbenic | |
|---|---|
| Matter of Britain character | |
"How at the Castle of Corbin a maiden bare in the Sangreal and foretold the achievements of Galahad" by Arthur Rackham. A 1917 illustration from The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, abridged from Le Morte d'Arthur by Alfred W. Pollard, depicting Lady Elaine carrying the Grail through the halls of King Pelles' palace | |
| First appearance | Vulgate Cycle |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Princess |
| Significant other | Lancelot |
| Children | Galahad |
| Relatives | King Pelles |
| Home | Corbenic, Isle of Joy |
Elaine, also known under many other names and identified as the "Grail Maiden" or the "Grail Bearer", is a character from Arthurian legend. In the Arthurian chivalric romance tradition from the Vulgate Cycle, she is a princess of Corbenic and the mother of Galahad by Lancelot. Due to magical spells, she rapes Lancelot through deception, resulting in the conception of Galahad. Later, she tricks Lancelot into sleeping with her again, making him think that she is Queen Guinevere, Lancelot's true beloved. This leads to Lancelot's descent into madness, until he is eventually cured by her using the Grail and then lives with her for a time being. She should not be confused with Elaine of Astolat, a different woman who too fell in love with Lancelot.