The second daughter of Gorloïs and Igraine, she was married to King Nentres of Garloth at about the same time her mother was married to Uther Pendragon and her sister Morgawse to King Lot.

Elaine became the mother of Galeshin. She is greatly eclipsed by her sisters Morgan and Morgawse.

Chapman identifies her with "Vivian called Nimue" and makes her the youngest of Igraine's "witchy" daughters. This is ingenious and symmetrical, but I found nothing in Malory or the Vulgate to substantiate it, or even to suggest that the other two sisters shared Morgan's talent for necromancy.