In the Nibelungenlied, the gentle princess courted by Siegfried. Her grief at Siegfried's death transforms her into a “she-devil”; she exacts revenge by marrying Attila the Hun and killing her brother (who ordered Siegfried's death). She herself is also killed. In Norse legend, as Gudrun, she appears in tales of revenge. Kriemhild's story may have originated in confusion over events in the life of the historical Attila.

Learn more about Kriemhild with a free trial on Britannica.com.