Content Notice: Violence, brief discussion of Suicide
This article is part of a series about five different Arthurian legends that have some connection to the production of Spamalot. The piece of folklore deals with the great battle of Lancelot and Meleagant from Chrétien de Troyes’ Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, written during the 12th century.
One notable aspect of Chrétien de Troyes’ writing was that he was the first poet to bring Lancelot and more specifically, the duality of his knighthood and his love for Guinevere into Arthurian legends (Bridgwood 480). Lancelot is one of King Arthur’s bravest and strongest knight. He is also known for his ruthlessness and violent acts, which we will dicuss later one. This story of Lancelot follows him rescuing Queen Guinevere after being abducted by King Meleagant. Lancelot recklessly jumps to find Guinevere due to his love for the Queen, riding his poor horse to exhaustion (Troyes, 36-7).
He even rides on a cart, which is considered beneath him since carts were chiefly used for transporting criminals. It would be similar to seeing a decorated army general hitch a ride in the back of a police car.
Image: Lancelot, in chainmail on a cart Image source: Lancelot-Graal cycle Manuscript
Once he finally reaches our damsel in distress, he is so overwhelmed by the distress of this damsel that Lancelot “wanted to throw himself from the window and shatter his body on the ground below” (Troyes, 38-9). Which is a pretty intense reaction but understandable, considering the love of his life is in peril. Guinevere is freed, and they all live happily ever after, until Meleagant goes to Arthur’s court to challenge Lancelot to a duel.
Lancelot agrees to challenge this menace and before the duel begins, he taunts Meleagant stating "Take your stand, I defy you! And take my word, this time you shall not be spared" (Troyes, 81). But the kidnapper stands his ground. They draw their horses back and dash toward one another, where they cause some damage to their armor “but neither one is wounded, nor is the flesh touched in this first assault” (Troyes, 81). However, these brave men are not ready to give up.
They dash at one another again, but they completely miss. Then, they smash into one another for a third time, causing them to fall off their horses. Even the horses appear to despise one another as Troyes states “The horses run riderless over hill and dale, but they kick and bite each other, thus showing their mortal hatred (Troyes, 81).” Tragically, we never learn which horse wins in their battle.
Image: Battle of Lancelot and Meleagant
Horseless, the brave knight and Meleagant immediately bounce back and confront one another man-to-man. They fight for some time until “Lancelot presses him hard and gives him a mighty blow upon his right arm…severing it with one clean stroke” (Troyes, 81). However, despite losing a rather vital limb, Meleagant only says that his arm “should be dearly sold” (Troyes, 82) and refuses to give up.
He tries to rush at Lancelot, but he is thwarted and the knight manages to smash “his nose-guard against his teeth, breaking three of them in his mouth” (Troyes, 82). Despite the loss of a limb and multiple teeth, Meleagant refuses to accept defeat, because his “rage is such that he cannot speak or say a word; nor does he deign to cry for mercy, for his foolish heart holds tight in such constraint that even now it deludes him still” (Troyes, 82). Lancelot beheads the knight and they all live happily ever after.
This battle between Meleagant and Lancelot was used as inspiration for the battle of King Arthur and the Black Knight. The Black Knight gets both of his arms and legs chopped off seamlessly by King Arthur, yet he never admits defeat.