Brynhildr
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- This article is about the valkyrie Brynhildr. For the asteroid named after her, see 123 Brunhild.
Sigurd_and_Brynhild,_C._Butler_1909.jpg
In Norse mythology, Brynhildr (German: Brünnehilde) was a shieldmaiden and a valkyrie. According to the Volsungasaga, she is the daughter of Budli and brother of Atli (Attila the Hun). She was ordered to decide a fight in between two kings, Hjalmgunnar and Agnar. The valkyrie knew that Odin himself preferred the older king, Hjalmgunnar, yet Brynhild decided the battle for Agnar. For this Odin condemned the valkyrie to live the life of a mortal woman and cursed her to sleep until any man would rescue and marry her. Brynhild was imprisoned in a ring of fire that only the greatest hero could enter. Sigurd (Siegfried), the son of Sigmund, entered that ring after killing the dragon Fafnir and awoke Brynhild. Later Sigurd gave her his ring, Andvarinaut.
Sigurd duly betrayed her and married Gudrun when bewitched by the sorceress Grimhild to forget Brynhild. Gudrun's brother, Gunnar, then sought to court Brynhild but was stopped by the ring of fire that still surrounded her. Sigurd exchanged shapes with him and entered the ring of fire a second time. He then took the ring Andvarinaut from her finger and gave it to Gudrun. Gunnar and Brynhild married, but she realised Sigurd's betrayal when she saw Gudrun wearing the Andvarinaut and then plotted to have him killed. Her brother-in-law Guttorm killed Sigurd, Brynhild herself killed Sigurd's three-year-old son, and then she willed herself to die.
Brynhild bore Sigurd a daughter, Aslaug, who later married Ragnar Lodbrok.
In the Nibelungenlied, Brünnehilde is the queen of Iceland who Gunther marries with the help of Siegfried.
The role of Brynhild in the legendarium seems to have been influenced by Brunhilda, the historical queen of Austrasia. The history of Brunhilda and her husband Sigebert I includes fratricide, a long battle between brothers, and dealings with the Huns.
Other names
- Brunhild
- Brunhilde
- Brunhilt
- Brunnehilde
- Brünnehilde
- Brynhild
- Brynhilt
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