The Quarrel of the Queens (part 3)

How Siegfried Was Murdered

If Siegfried had really been Gunther’s liegeman, this would have lapsed after such a long time of discontinued service. Still Brunhild challenges Gunther to summon Siegfried as a servant at his court. Of course, Gunther cannot do this. As a compromise, he invites Siegfried and his wife Kriemhild to join them for a feast at Worms. At this feast, the two queens get involved in a quarrel. As they watch the joust with Siegfried excelling, Kriemhild starts rhapsodising that he would be a worthy ruler of Worms, too. That goes too far for Brunhild. She insists Kriemhild ranks lower than herself since Siegfried is only Gunther’s liegeman.

The quarrel is continued in broad daylight when they squabble about whose privilege it is to enter the Cathedral first. Brunhild scolds Kriemhild for being a subject maidservant and the wife of a vassal. Kriemhild retorts that Siegfried was the first to sleep with Brunhild. As proof she presents the ring and the girdle. Hagen, Gunther’s kinsman and closest aide vows to take avenge his humilitated mistress—or at least alleges it as a pretext. All he is interested in is the Hoard, and he can only acquire it as soon as Siegfried is dead. He cunningly draws from Kriemhild the only spot on Siegfried’s body that is invulnerable, as a linden leaf has covered this spot when Siegfried was bathing in the dragon’s blood. On a hunting expedition to the Vosges mountains, Hagen murders Siegfried with Gunther consenting, by ramming Siegfried’s own spear between his shoulder blades while he is drinking from a well. Intuiting who has murdered her husband, Kriemhild is left a mourning widow in Worms.

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(source of pictures and text, if not stated otherwise: German Wikipedia)