Siggeir

Also known as: King Siggeir · Family: Gothland · Role: king · First appears: Chapter III · Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the Branstock

In Chapter III, Volsung gave Signy in marriage to Siggeir, and they were betrothed. At the wedding feast, Sigmund refused Siggeir’s offer to buy the sword he had drawn from the Branstock; Siggeir took the refusal as an insult and secretly planned to repay him. In Chapter IV, Siggeir wedded Signy, then invited her father and brothers to visit him in Gothland.

When Volsung and his sons came, Siggeir attacked them: Volsung and his men were slain, and his ten sons were captured. At Signy’s urging, Siggeir put her brothers in stocks rather than killing them at once. In Chapter VIII, Sigmund and Sinfjotli burned Siggeir’s hall and confronted him, declaring, “all the Volsungs are not yet dead.” Signy revealed that Sinfjotli was her son by Sigmund and that she had brought about Siggeir’s death to avenge Volsung; she then returned to the fire and died with Siggeir.