In the Trojan War legend, Menelaus was Helen’s husband before she went to Troy.
Menelaus was king of Sparta and the younger brother of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. Helen’s departure with Paris, prince of Troy, led Menelaus to seek her return and became the immediate cause of the Greek expedition against Troy in traditional mythology. The exact nature of Helen’s departure varies: some accounts describe abduction, while others describe her leaving willingly.
Menelaus joined the campaign led by Agamemnon and fought at Troy. In the Iliad, he challenges Paris to single combat, but Aphrodite rescues Paris before Menelaus can kill him. Menelaus eventually regains Helen after the city falls.
The story is often simplified as a war fought only for one woman, but ancient traditions also emphasize oaths, alliances, honor, divine rivalry, and the political power of the Spartan and Trojan royal houses.