Which Trojan prince abducted Helen, sparking the Trojan War? Paris is the answer.
Paris was a son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy, and the younger brother of Hector. His involvement began with the Judgement of Paris, when he awarded Aphrodite a golden prize after she promised him the love of the world’s most beautiful woman: Helen of Sparta.
Helen was already married to Menelaus, king of Sparta. During Paris’s visit to Sparta, he took Helen back to Troy, along with valuable possessions in many versions of the story. Menelaus appealed to the oath sworn by Helen’s former suitors, who had promised to defend her marriage. Their obligations helped bring the Greek kingdoms together for the expedition against Troy.
“Abducted” is the familiar quiz and later literary version, but ancient accounts vary. Homer often presents Helen as having gone with Paris willingly or under Aphrodite’s influence, while other traditions describe the episode more forcefully. Paris is also commonly confused with Hector: Hector was Troy’s leading warrior, whereas Paris’s actions set the war in motion and he later helped kill Achilles.