Lady of Tintagel
Lancelot, seeking to prove his worthiness as a knight, came across the Lady of the Castle who had been besieged by two giants. Lancelot defeated the giants and the lady, grateful for his assistance, gave him the keys to the castle. This allowed Lancelot to enter the castle and have an affair with the lady, who was later revealed to be King Arthur’s wife, Queen Guinevere.
The story of Lancelot and the Lady of the Castle is a popular episode in the Arthurian legends, and has been retold in many different versions and adaptions over the years. It is a significant moment in Lancelot’s story, as it marks the beginning of his affair with the Queen, which leads to the downfall of the Round Table.
The lady who gave Lancelot the keys to Tintagel Castle is sometimes referred to the Lady of Malehaut, her name and title can vary depending on the version of the story. Malehaut, also spelled Malehout or Maleagant, is sometimes used as the name of the castle where the lady is imprisoned, rather than as her own name or title.
In some versions of the story, the lady is simply referred to as the Lady of the Castle, or the Lady of Tintagel. In other versions, she is given a specific name or title, such as the Lady of Astolat, or the Queen of Northgalis. The name or title used for the lady can vary depending on the retelling of the story, and there is no definitive version that applies to all Arthurian romances.
That being said, the name “Lady of Malehaut” is sometimes used in modern adaptions of the Arthurian legends, particularly in works of fiction that draw on the medieval romances as a source. However, it should be noted that this specific name is not present in all versions of the Lancelot and the Lady of the Castle story, and it may not be historically accurate to the original sources.
Sources
Vulgate Lancelot | 1215-1230
Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin | 1230-1240