Lady of the Lake

The Lady of the Lake is a significant title in Arthurian legend, held by several enchantresses throughout medieval literature. These mysterious figures, who exist somewhere between human sorceresses and fairy beings, appear throughout the Matter of Britain - the collected mythology surrounding King Arthur. The title appears across multiple languages and cultures, including French (Dame du Lac, Demoiselle du Lac), Welsh (Arglwyddes y Llyn), Cornish (Arlodhes an Lynn), Breton (Itron al Lenn), Italian (Dama del Lago), and Vietnamese (Hồ trung yêu nữ).

These enchantresses play pivotal roles in Arthurian tales: one presents Arthur with his legendary sword Excalibur, another brings about Merlin's downfall, while a third becomes foster mother to Lancelot after his father's death. When Arthur lies mortally wounded after his last battle, it is a Lady of the Lake who helps transport him to Avalon. Starting with the Post-Vulgate Cycle and later works like Le Morte d'Arthur, multiple Ladies of the Lake appear simultaneously as distinct characters, portrayed as members of an organized order. In some versions of the legend, either Morgan or her sister also bears this title.