Kriemhild's Revenge
Wooing of Kriemhild
Thirteen years after Siegfried's death, Etzel (Atli or Attila), the king of the Huns or of Hungary, became a widower, when his beautiful wife Helche (Erka) died. His vassals and friends advised that the king should take a new wife. They thought that Kriemhild was the most suitable wife for Etzel.
Kriemhild was still the most beautiful woman in the world. Etzel knew of the reputation of Kriemhild's late husband's prowess as a warrior. At first, he was reluctant because he was a heathen while Kriemhild was a Christian, but he finally agreed to at least try to win her.
Etzel decided to send Rüdiger (Rudiger), the Margrave of Pochlarn (in Austria), as his ambassador. Rudiger was living in exile and became a vassal of Etzel. Rudiger lived in Pochlarn with his wife Gotelind and his daughter, who was unnamed in the story. Rudiger also knew of Kriemhild and her family, including Hagen. He had visited the Rhineland when he was younger.
The Burgundian kings welcomed Etzel's envoy. When they heard of Rudiger's request, the three princes approved of the arrangement. Only Hagen opposed the marriage proposal to Kriemhild. With Etzel as her husband, Hagen warned them that Kriemhild would be powerful enough to destroy him and the Burgundian house.
Kriemhild also opposed the marriage arrangement, because she still mourned over Siegfried's death. She was also reluctant to marry a heathen. After a few days of consideration, she saw that marrying would allow her to avenge Siegfried's death.
When Kriemhild extracted an oath from Rudiger that he would avenge any wrongdoing, she finally agreed to marriage to Etzel. Rudiger assumed legal guardianship over Kriemhild.
Arrangements were quickly made for her travel to Hungary. Eckewart, a Burgundian margrave who had followed her to the Netherlands, accompanied her to Hungary. A hundred ladies travelled with her. Kriemhild was escorted into Etzel's empire by 500 of Rudiger's warriors.
Although Hagen had sunk most of Kriemhild's treasure, the poet remarked that she still had more than a hundred packhorses could carry. Hagen still wanted to steal the rest of the treasure from Kriemhild, which upset her and her brothers.
First, they stopped at the town called Pochlarn, Rudiger's own land. Kriemhild met the Margrave's wife (Gotelind) and daughter (unnamed). Kriemhild showered Rudiger with gifts: twelve gold bracelets and fine cloth.
Kriemhild went through many towns before she met Etzel in Tulln, in Austria. Among the vassals of Etzel who met Kriemhild was Dietrich von Bern.
On Rudiger's advice, Kriemhild greeted Etzel with a chaste kiss. When she took off her wimple, she revealed to all those present that she was lovelier than Etzel's late beloved queen, Helche, was.
Then Etzel and his vassals escorted Kriemhild to Vienna, in Austria. They were wedded in Vienna, on Whitsuntide, and the festivities lasted 17 days. During that time she won many supporters through her generosity. She showered the public with her gifts. The other vassals of Etzel also followed her suit, and generously gave gifts to people.
On the eighteenth day, they left Vienna and travelled to Etzelnburg, Etzel's capital in Hungary.
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Invitation to a Festival
Seven years after the marriage to Etzel, Kriemhild bore a son named Ortlieb (Aldrian in the Thriðreks saga).
It had now been 13 years since she had married Etzel, yet Kriemhild continued to mourn over Siegfried's death. During those years, she won the people over to her, including many powerful vassals of her husband. She decided it was time for her take her revenge upon Hagen and her eldest brother, Gunther.
She persuaded Etzel to send an invitation to her brothers for the midsummer festival. She knew that Hagen would be reluctant to meet her in Hungary, she also knew that her enemy would follow Gunther despite the danger. Etzel was unaware of her intention, and sent his two minstrels or fiddlers named Werbel and Swemmel as envoys to Burgundy.
As predicted, Hagen opposed the Burgundian princes visiting their sister in Hungary. All of his arguments that Kriemhild would bring about their downfall, fell on deaf ears. Kriemhild's brothers were determined to see her.
Hagen managed to persuade Gunther to at least take a well-armed escort of a thousand men. Ever loyal to Gunther, Hagen decided to go with the kings to Hungary. Gunther left Rumold, the Lord of the Kitchen, as regent of Burgundy during his absence.
It should be noted at this point of time, when the three brothers decided to undertake this journey to Hungary, that the poet began to call the Burgundians, Nibelungs. Originally, the Nibelungs were people who came from the mythical land of Nibelungland, and became vassals of Siegfried when he killed the two kings and acquired their fabled wealth. In this half of the poem, the Burgundians and the Nibelungs became indistinguishable. Either the Nibelungs were another name for the Burgundians, or it was the name of the dynasty in Burgundy.
On the day of their departure, their mother (Uote) tried to persuade her sons to remain home, since she had a vision of their deaths and the destruction of the dynasty. But this time, Hagen was determined to go to Hungary and face Kriemhild's wrath, mainly because Gernot had taunted him for his cowardice.
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The Nibelungs in Pochlarn
In the journey to Hungary, Hagen set out to find a ferry at the Danube River, and he met a group of nixies. One water sprite warned them to turn back, because they were all doomed to die. Only the chaplain would survive this journey. But he did not believe them, so they directed them to the ferryman. The nixie told Hagen to treat the ferryman with respect.
However, the ferryman refused them passage and attacked Hagen. Hagen used his sword and severed the ferryman's head. Then Hagen himself used the ferry to bring Gunther and his warriors across the river. When Hagen saw the chaplain, Hagen became angry at the fairy's prophecy that only the priest would survive. Hagen tried to drown the chaplain by throwing him overboard. The chaplain, realising that Hagen was trying to kill him, swam back to shore and returned home. The kings and warriors were shocked and outraged at Hagen's attack upon the priest.
Hagen explained to the kings why he tried to drown the chaplain, kill the ferryman, and of the prophecy of their doom in Hungary. This upset the Nibelung warriors. Yet they continued on their journey, and then they were attacked by two margraves. The margraves were angry at the attack on their vassal (the ferryman). In the fighting, Hagen's brother Dancwart killed one of the margraves named Gelpfrat, while the other fled.
The Nibelungs arrived safely in Pochlarn, where the Margrave Rudiger entertained them. Here, Giselher met Rudiger's daughter and asked for her hand in marriage. They were promptly married, before Rudiger departed with the Burgundian kings to Hungary.
Gotelind, Rudiger's wife, gave each guest a parting gift. When she was going to give a gift to Hagen, he refused to accept any except the beautiful shield that hanged on the wall. The shield belonged to a warrior named Nuodung (Nauðung), who had been killed in the war by Witege. This war was fought between Ermanaric and the hero Dietrich, in the Battle of Ravenna. This is only one of the few allusions to Dietrich's exile and war against his uncle. A complete tale about Dietrich is given in the Thidrekssaga, where the hero was called Thidrek. This brought tears to the Margravine, because Nuodung was a kinsman of Gotelind.
Hagen was now going to Hungary, equipped with the invincible sword of Siegfried (Balmung) and the fabulous shield of Nuodung.
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Battle in the Hall
The Nibelungs arrived in their shiny armour at Gran, Etzel's capital. Dietrich was unhappy at the arrival of the Nibelungs, because he knew that Kriemhild was set in her plan to turn Etzel's vassals against the Nibelung guests. Dietrich, greeted the princes and Hagen; he warned the latter of Kriemhild's plot.
She only greeted her youngest brother Giselher with a kiss. On the first day, Kriemhild failed to set her subjects against Hagen. Kriemhild and Hagen were rude towards one another. Hagen refused to pay any sort of respect to her, while Kriemhild accused him of murdering Siegfried and stealing her treasure. Hagen did not deny his guilt, but he told her bluntly that she should love her current husband (Etzel) rather than continuing to mourn Siegfried, who had been dead for the last 26 years.
At night, Volker and Hagen kept watch, while the Nibelung kings and their followers slept. Her warriors failed to attack them when they found Hagen and the Fiddler standing guard.
The first death occurred the next day, in a bohort (sort of like a jousting tournament). Either Volker purposefully or accidentally killed a Hun. Etzel prevented further fighting between the outraged Hunnish horsemen and his guests.
Although Kriemhild pleaded with Dietrich to back her cause for vengeance, Dietrich refused to aid her, so she turned to Bloedelin, brother of Etzel, promising land formerly owned by Nuodung.
When Etzel asked the Rhenish princes to raise his son Ortlieb as a warrior in Burgundy, Hagen impetuously told the Hunnish king that he would not serve Ortlieb, and that the prince's life was short-lived. Hagen's words hurt Etzel, and Etzel's powerful vassals were offended by the slight.
Meanwhile, Bloedelin brought armed men to the guests' quarters. Bloedelin confronted Dancwart and accused Gunther and Hagen of treachery against the queen's first husband. When Dancwart could not dissuade Bloedelin (Bloedel), the Burgundian marshal struck first, decapitating Bloedelin with his sword. Fighting immediately broke out. All the Rhenish squires except Dancwart were killed in the quarters. Dancwart managed to fight his way to where Etzel was entertaining his guests.
Hagen, hearing how Bloedelin's men killed all the squires in their quarters, Hagen decapitated Ortlieb so that his head fell on to Kriemhild's lap. The Hunnish warriors were stunned by the attack on their prince. Hagen then killed Ortlieb's tutor and severed the ambassador's hand (Werbel's). Fighting broke out in the hall. Volker joined Hagen in slaying Hunnish warriors. Gunther and his brothers tried to stop the fighting, but soon realised that they couldn't stand to one side.
Gunther allowed Dietrich to leave the hall. Dietrich took Kriemhild and Etzel out of the hall. Giselher gave his father-in-law (Rudiger) safe conduct to leave. Dietrich and Rudiger took their retainers with them. The three Burgundian kings, however, refused to allow Hunnish warriors to leave. All the remaining Hunnish knights within the hall were killed.
Upon Giselher's advice the corpses of the dead Huns were thrown out of the hall, because they knew the fighting would not end. Hagen foolishly taunted Etzel. Battle was renewed when Hagen killed Margrave Iring of Denmark. The Danes attacked the Burgundians, but were slaughtered in the hall.
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The Nibelungs' Last Stand
With the death of his son Ortlieb and many of his warriors in the hall, Etzel refused to give truce to the Nibelung brothers. Kriemhild would allow her brothers leave Hungary in peace, if they would give her Hagen as her prisoner. Her brothers refused to give up Hagen, so the fighting began once again. During the battle, Kriemhild had the hall set on fire to drive out the Burgundians, but many Hunnish knights were killed.
Kriemhild then called upon Rudiger's oath to her, when he persuaded her to marry Etzel. Rudiger, who had guaranteed safe escort for the Nibelungs into Etzel's court, had offered them gifts and his daughter to Giselher, Rudiger wanted to remain neutral from the fighting. However, Etzel and Kriemhild urged him to fight.
Gunther and his brothers tried to dissuade Rudiger from battle, but he told them he was constrained by his oath of fealty to the king and his promise to avenge Kriemhild. In the fighting, Gernot and Rudiger killed one another. Gernot had killed the margrave with the sword Rudiger had given him.
Both sides lamented Rudiger's death. When Dietrich heard about Rudiger's death, he was upset and sent Hildebrand to find the truth of the news from the Nibelungs. Hildebrand and other followers lamented over Rudiger's death. Hildebrand wanted to recover Rudiger's body for proper burial, but Volker taunted and provoked the men of Verona, particularly Wolfhart, Hildebrand's nephew.
Fierce fighting broke out between the Nibelungs and the knights of Verona. When Volker killed Sigestap, nephew of Dietrich, Hildebrand avenged Sigestap's death by a downward blow to Volker's head. Helpfrich killed Dancwart, while Wolfhart and Giselher killed one another. Only Gunther, Hagen and Hildebrand still survived.
Hagen attacked Hildebrand, hoping to avenge Volker's death. Hagen only managed to wound the old warrior with Balmung (Siegfried's sword), who fled to Dietrich, with news of the decimated Amelungs.
Dietrich lamented Rudiger's death, but he was dealt a further shock when he realised that Hildebrand was the only surviving warrior of his. Dietrich armed himself to confront Gunther and Hagen.
Dietrich asked Gunther to surrender to him as prisoner. Dietrich promised safe conduct out of Hungary if they surrendered to him, escorting Gunther and Hagen back to their own country. As a warrior and a knight, Hagen angrily refused the offer. To surrender was to bring disgrace to his valour and skills as a warrior, and be forever branded as a coward.
So, Hagen attacked Dietrich. Although Hagen was armed with Siegfried's sword, Dietrich managed to wound his opponent. Dietrich then proceeded to bind Hagen and deliver his opponent to the latter's mortal enemy, Queen Kriemhild. Kriemhild was happy with Hagen's capture, but Dietrich asked the queen to spare his life.
Then Dietrich confronted Kriemhild's brother, and Gunther was similarly overcome and bound as a prisoner to his sister. Kriemhild kept her brother and her enemy in separate prison cells.
Kriemhild confronted Hagen, demanding the return of Siegfried's treasure in return for freedom to return to Burgundy. Hagen mocked her, saying he would never disclose the treasure as long as one of Nibelung kings was alive. So she had her brother beheaded.
Kriemhild brought Gunther's head to Hagen. Since the last of his brothers were dead, she demanded that he disclose the treasure's whereabouts.
Hagen told her that he would still not tell her where he had sunk the treasure. Kriemhild took up her husband's sword, Balmung. With Hagen bound and helpless, Kriemhild struck off Hagen's head with Balmung.
Etzel and Dietrich, finding Gunther and Hagen dead, lamented that a woman had killed Hagen. Hildebrand immediately retaliated by executing the queen.
So ended the "Nibelungs' last stand".
By Jimmy Joe
