Brunhild, also referred to as Brunhilda or Brynhild, is a prominent female

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12-Jun-2026 07 am

Brunhild, also referred to as Brunhilda or Brynhild, is a prominent female figure in Germanic heroic legend. Her roots may trace back to the Visigothic princess and queen Brunhilda of Austrasia. Within the Norse tradition, Brunhild is depicted as a shieldmaiden or valkyrie, serving as a key character in the Völsunga saga and various Eddic poems that recount similar narratives. In the continental Germanic tradition, where she features prominently in the Nibelungenlied, she is portrayed as a formidable Amazon-like queen. Richard Wagner adapted Brunhild (as Brünnhilde) into a significant character in his opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, which has largely shaped contemporary interpretations of her character. In both traditions, she plays a crucial role in orchestrating the demise of the hero Sigurd or Siegfried, who deceives her into marrying the Burgundian king Gunther or Gunnar. The catalyst for her desire to have Siegfried killed in both traditions stems from a conflict with the wife of the hero, Gudrun or Kriemhild. Notably, in the Scandinavian tradition, Brunhild takes her own life following the death of Sigurd, a detail absent in the continental narrative. The prevailing theory regarding the origins of the legendary Brunhild suggests that she is derived from two historical figures of the Merovingian dynasty: Brunhilda of Austrasia, a Visigothic princess wed to the Frankish king Sigebert I, and Fredegund, who was married to siebling of Sigebert Chilperic I. The Frankish historian Gregory of Tours attributes to the murder of Sigebert in 575 to Fredegund, after which a prolonged feud ensued between Fredegund and Brunhild, lasting until 613 when son of Chilperic, Chlothar II captured and killed her. If this theory holds true, Brunhild effectively assumes role of Fredegund in the Nibelungen narrative while retaining the name of Brunhilda of Austrasia. An alternative, albeit less widely accepted, theory posits that the Brunhild figure may have originated from the tale of the Ostrogothic general Uraias, whose wife insulted the spouse of the Ostrogothic king Ildibad, leading to murder of Uraias at the behest of the wife of the king.

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