Nibelungenlied Characters

Nibelungenlied Character List

Siegfried

Lord of the Netherlands, Norway, and Niebelungland who married Kriemhild, princess of Burgundy. Siegfried assists King Gunther in his pursuit of the Queen Brunhild's hand in marriage and is ultimately taken out by Hagen.

Kriemhild

Princess of Burgundy and loved by Siegfrid. Revenge is taken against Hagen using the sword of Siegfried, but ultimately dies at the hand of Hildebrand.

Gunther

The king of Burgundy who wins the hand of Brunhild with assistance from Siegfrid. Before too long, however, he bears some responsibility for the death of Siegfried and is ordered to be killed by Kriemhild. Before that can happen, however, he and Hagen wipe out a great deal of Huns in Etzel’s Hall.

Brunhild

The queen of Iceland and as strong as she is beautiful and, oh man, is she a hottie! Such a catch is Brunhild that Gunther not only travels all the way to Iceland to win her over, but performs an increasingly difficult series of acts to reveal his own strength. Of course, these displays of majestic power are helped to no small end by having his buddy Siegfrid helping out courtesy of a cloak of invisibility. One of the stranger aspects of this bizarre trio is that Siegfrid and the invisible cloak are also deemed necessary by Gunther to overpower Brunhild sexually.

Hagen

Lord of Troneck, brother of Dancwart, son of Aldrian and chief vassal of the kings of Burgundy. As if that weren’t enough, Hagen is also held hostage at Etzel’s court, is responsible for the death of Siegfried and becomes target of a revenge plot by Kriemhild.

Etzel

King of the Huns. Perhaps better known by another, more familiar name: Attila.

Albric

A dwarf who becomes the former owner of the cloak of invisibility after a run-in with Siegfrid.

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