Publisher's Synopsis
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is typically featured as King Arthur's greatest companion. He is the lord of the village and castle called Joyous Gard and he is the greatest swordsman and jouster of his age until his adultery with Queen Guinevere is discovered. His infidelity with Guinevere caused a civil war exploited by his half-brother Mordred which brings about the end of Arthur's kingdom. King Arthur is a legendary British King who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defense of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries AD. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians. The development of Arthurian legend and the character of Arthur came to light in Le Morte d'Arthur, Thomas Malory's retelling of the entire legend in a single work in English in the late 15th century. Malory based his book on various previous romance versions, Malory's primary source, in particular was the religious The Noble Tale of the Sangreal in the French Vulgate Cycle's La Queste Del Saint Graal. It appears that Malory attempted to create a comprehensive collection of Arthurian stories with various references to the Sangreal (Holy Grail). According to William Caxton, Sir Thomas Malory's original book titled Le Morte D'Arthur (The Death of Arthur) was finished in the ninth year of Edward IV. It was about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. A knight is usually a large, mighty man that has a huge reputation to live up to. He is granted the title of knighthood by a monarch or other leader for service to the monarch or country, especially in a military capacity. Historically, in Europe, knighthood was conferred upon mounted warriors. During the Medieval era, knighthood was considered to be a class of moderate nobility. The lords trusted the knights, who were skilled in battle on horseback; they needed to be proficient in jousting with a spear and sword. The modern female equivalent in the United Kingdom is Dame although in medieval times it meant noble lady. If the reader wishes to purchase a compendium of all the books in Volumes One and Two they are listed under the title "Life and Death of King Arthur." The intent of his work has been retained while making it easier for the reader to follow the story using modern English and updated spelling. Book XII, Volume Two.
