Editing Gudrun (section)

===''Nibelungenlied''===
[[File:Kriemhilds Traum vom Falken Am Fussende des Bettes steht Kriemhilds Mutter Ute Hundeshagenscher Kodex.jpeg|thumb|Kriemhild tells her mother Ute of a dream that predicts her tragic love for Siegfried. Hundeshagenscher Kodex]]
[[File:Siegfrieds Leiche vor Kriemhilds Tuer Hundeshagenscher Kodex.jpeg|thumb|Kriemhild finds Siegfried's corpse in front of her bedroom door. Hundeshagenscher Kodex]]
[[File:Kriemhilds letzter Wortwechsel mit Hagen Handschriftenabteilung Hundeshagenscher Kodex.jpeg|thumb|Kriemhild, holding Gunther's head, prepares to kill Hagen with Siegfried's sword while Hildebrand watches. Hundeshagenscher Kodex]]
Kriemhild is the main character of the ''[[Nibelungenlied]]'' (c. 1200): she is the first character to be introduced and the romance ends with her death.{{sfn|Heinzle|2013|p=1038}} The poem is even called "Kriemhild" in at least one manuscript.{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=91|ps=, "Ditz Puech heysset Chrimhilt." Ambraser Heldenbuch.}} It has even been argued that the epic represents a sort of ''[[Bildungsroman]]'' for Kriemhild, as she develops from a relatively mild-manner courtly lady into a forceful and ferocious avenger of her dead husband.{{sfn|Haymes|Samples|1996|p=152}} Various versions of the text judge her actions differently; in the A and B versions, she is condemned as a ''vâlendinne'' (fiend) for her bloody revenge,{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=53}} but the C version emphasizes her love for her dead husband as her motivation and absolves her of most blame.{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=56}}

In the ''Nibelungenlied'', Kriemhild is the daughter of king Dancrat and queen Ute of Burgundy, a kingdom centered around [[Worms, Germany|Worms]]. Her brothers are Gunther, Gernot, and Giselher, with Gunther being the king. The poem opens when Kriemhild has a dream that she raised a falcon only to see it killed by two eagles. Her mother explains to her that this means she will love a man very much, but he will be killed. One day, Siegfried comes to the Burgundian court, intending to woo Kriemhild. The two do not speak for a year, but once Siegfried has helped the Burgundians in a war the two are allowed to see each other for the first time. They fall deeply in love and see each other daily. Once Siegfried has helped Kriemhild's brother king Gunther acquire [[Brunhild]] as his bride, Kriemhild and Siegfried are also married. The couple then leaves from Siegfried's own kingdom at Xanten.{{sfn|Millet|2008|pp=181–182}}

Some years pass, and Kriemhild and Siegfried have a son whom they name Gunther. One day, Brunhild, who had been convinced that Siegfried was Gunther's vassal rather than an equal king, convinces Gunther to invite his sister and Siegfried to stay with them at Worms. Initially, Brunhild and Kriemhild get along, but in the private while they are watching a tournament, they soon argue over which of them has the highest ranking husband. Brunhild accuses Kriemhild of being married to a vassal. The queens part in anger.{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=40}} Later, the two queens encounter each other before entering the cathedral at Worms for mass. Brunhild and Kriemhild each insist that they should be allowed to enter the church before the other. Brunhild repeats her accusation that Kriemhild is married to a vassal publicly. Kriemhild then declares that Siegfried, and not Gunther, has taken Brunhild's virginity, displaying Brunhild apparent proof. Kriemhild then enters the church before Brunhild.{{sfn|Millet|2008|pp=182-183}}

Siegfried is forced to publicly deny the accusation to Gunther, and beats Kriemhild to punish her. Brunhild is not satisfied, however, and Hagen convinces Gunther to have Siegfried murdered. Under the pretext that he wants to protect Siegfried, Hagen convinces Kriemhild to reveal the only spot where impenetrable Siegfried may be wounded. Once Siegfried is murdered while hunting with Hagen and Gunther, his body is thrown in front of Kriemhild's bedroom door. Kriemhild quickly realizes that Siegfried was murdered by Gunther and Hagen. Kriemhild sees to Siegfried's burial and refuses to return to Xanten with Siegfried's father, instead remaining in Worms near her family and Siegfried's tomb. Eventually, Gunther and his brothers are able to reconcile with Kriemhild, but she refuses to forgive Hagen. Kriemhild has the hoard of the Nibelungen, which she has inherited after Siegfried's death, brought to Worms. She uses the hoard to acquire warriors; Hagen, realizing that she is dangerous, conspires to steal the hoard and sink it in the Rhine.{{sfn|Millet|2008|p=183}}{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=42}}

Thirteen years later, king [[Attila|Etzel]] of the Huns seeks Kriemhild's hand in marriage, and she reluctantly agrees. Thirteen years after her arrival in Etzel's kingdom, she convinces Etzel to invite her brothers to a feast. Gunther agrees and the Burgundians and their vassals arrive at Etzel's court. Kriemhild greets her brothers but mockingly asks Hagen whether he has brought her what he stole at Worms. Later, Kriemhild confronts Hagen with a group of Huns, and Hagen provokes her by bragging that he killed Siegfried. None of the Huns is brave enough to attack, and the Burgundians prevent an attack that Kriemhild had planned for that night. The next day, Kriemhild convinces Etzel's brother Bloedelin to attack the Burgundians' supplies; this occurs while Etzel, Kriemhild, and their son [[Ortlieb (Germanic heroic legend )|Ortlieb]] are seated in the hall with Burgundians. Upon hearing of the attack, Hagen decapitates the Hunnish prince. Fighting erupts, but [[Dietrich von Bern]] arranges for Kriemhild and Etzel to leave the hall. Kriemhild later demands that Gunther surrender Hagen to her, but he refuses: she then has the hall set on fire. Eventually, Dietrich von Bern captures Gunther and Hagen as the last survivors in the hall, handing them over to Kriemhild. Kriemhild separates the two and demands that Hagen give back to her what he has taken from her. Hagen says he cannot tell her where the hoard is as long as his lord Gunther lives; Kriemhild then has Gunther decapitated. Hagen then reveals that the hoard is in the Rhine; Kriemhild takes Siegfried's sword, which Hagen had stolen, and beheads him with it herself. Dietrich's mentor [[Hildebrand]], outraged that a woman has killed a great warrior, then hacks Kriemhild to pieces.{{sfn|Millet|2008|pp=184–185}}