In Greek mythology, Menelaus was the mortal king married to Helen of Sparta during the Trojan War.
Menelaus ruled Sparta and was the younger brother of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. Helen’s departure with Paris of Troy, whether described as abduction or elopement depending on the source, led Menelaus to seek her return and helped trigger the Greek expedition against Troy.
Before Helen’s marriage, her many suitors had sworn to defend the chosen husband if anyone threatened the marriage. This oath, associated with Odysseus’s planning, allowed Menelaus to summon a large alliance. Agamemnon became the expedition’s overall commander, but Menelaus was the husband whose claim formed the immediate personal cause of the war.
Menelaus is sometimes confused with Agamemnon because the brothers held central roles in the conflict. Menelaus fought Paris in single combat, but the duel did not end the war. After Troy fell, he and Helen eventually returned to Sparta.