Galahad is a later creation and so does not appear in the original historical references. Some scholars identify Galahad with Gwalhafed, a character in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen.
Galahad is the son of Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic, and was conceived when Elaine tricked Lancelot into thinking he was meeting and sleeping with Guinevere. Galahad was portrayed as supreme example of the pious knight. In marked contrast to his father, Galahad is shown to be pure in mind, body, spirit, and intention. Galahad is handsome and brave, but resists the lure of the many women that tempt him, and remains a virgin all his life, while awaiting his detiny with the Grail.
Galahad first appears in the thirteenth-century Vulgate Cycle. Galahad is the knight who achieves the quest for the Holy Grail. He is therefore allowed to sit in the Siege Perilous, the seat at the Round Table that is reserved for the Grail Knight.
Galahad achieves much in his life, and does much good, including healing the wounded Grail King. Eventually he dies in ecstasy after being shown the full mystery and majesty of the Grail.
Galahad remains the Grail Knight in Malory's Morte d'Arthur and in Tennyson's Idylls of the King. A shorter poem by Tennyson, "Sir Galahad," presented the popular image of the perfect knight whose "strength was as the strength of ten" because his "heart is pure."
Full references to more about Sir Galahad at the Rochester site
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