Brunhilda (redirected from Brunhilda of Austrasia)

Brunhilda (brənhĭld`ə) or Brunehaut (brünō`), d. 613, Frankish queen, wife of Sigebert I of the East Frankish kingdom of Austrasia; daughter of Athanagild, the Visigothic king of Spain. After the murder (567) of her sister Galswintha, who was the wife of Sigebert's brother Chilperic I of the West Frankish kingdom of Neustria, and Chilperic's marriage to his mistress Fredegunde, Brunhilda was the major instigator in the war against Neustria. The struggle continued between Brunhilda and Fredegunde after the death (575) of Sigebert and the murder (584) of Chilperic. Throughout the reigns of her son, Childebert II, and of two grandsons, Brunhilda was the actual ruler of Austrasia and of Burgundy, when by her design that country was united with Austrasia after the death (592) of King Guntram. She was endowed with the gifts of a great statesman, but her unscrupulousness in the execution of her plans earned her the fierce hatred of the nobles, whom she nonetheless controlled. She was finally betrayed by them to Fredegunde's son, Clotaire II of Neustria. He put her to a horrible death.

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Brunhild

 or Brunhilda or Brynhild

Beautiful Amazon-like heroine of ancient Germanic literature. She is known from Old Norse sources, notably the Edda poems and the Volsunga saga, and from the German Nibelungenlied. She also appears in the operas of Richard Wagner's Ring cycle. She vowed to wed only a man of the most outstanding qualities who could surpass her in strength. She was successfully wooed by King Gunther, who defeated her in a contest in which the deeds were actually performed by Siegfried in cloak of invisibility. When she later discovered that she had been deceived, she exacted vengeance, and Siegfried was killed. Siegfried's widow in turn sought revenge and brought about the destruction of Gunther's people, the Burgundians. In some Norse sources, Brunhild has supernatural qualities and is described as a Valkyrie.

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Brunhilda 

(also Brunichildis). Born c. 534, died Feb. 28, 613, at Renève. French queen, wife of Sigebert I, king of Austrasia.

Brunhilda was the daughter of the king of the Visigoths. She opposed Chilperic I, the king of Neustria, and his mistress Fredegund, who was responsible for the murder of Brunhilda’s sister. In 575, after the death of her husband, who had been killed in an internecine struggle with Chilperic, she became the actual ruler of Austrasia; and from 593 A.D., of Burgundy as well. She tried to reunite the Frankish kingdom. In a bloody struggle against the Austrasian nobles, who had called on King Clotaire of Neustria, son of Fredegund, she was defeated and put to a cruel death.