Le Morte d'Arthur discussion

The stories of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table are among the most celebrated stories in fiction. These stories have been told and retold throughout the centuries by numerous authors, but this has led to a large amount of distortion.

One of the things that people can’t seem to agree on is the symbol that belongs on Lancelot’s shield.

If you search for images of the shield on the internet, there’s a sizable number of images showing the shield just has red and white diagonal stripes on it. In my less than humble opinion, this is far too plain for someone who, for the longest time, is regarded as the greatest of King Arthur’s knights, baring Sir Galahad.

In Howard Pyle’s “The Story of the Champions of the Round Table,” it is said that the symbol on Lacelot’s shield is the likeness of a woman.

I’ve always preferred the image of Lancelot’s shield being three golden lions against a blue background. I can’t quite remember where I saw that image for the first time, but it’s stuck with me since I started reading about the Arthurian Legends in high school.

What do you think is the proper symbol for Lancelot’s shield?