Giselher

Also known as: Giselher of Burgundy / Lord Giselher / Sir Giselher · Family: Burgundians · Role: king · First appears: Adventure I

In Adventure I, Giselher is named among the three kings who cared for their sister Kriemhild, alongside Gunther and Gernot. Their mother was Uta, and their father, Dankrat, left them their inheritance. Hagen, Dankwart, Ortwin, Gere, Eckewart, Folker, Sindolt and Hunolt owed allegiance to the kings. In Adventure V, Giselher persuaded Siegfried to abandon his planned departure and stay.

In Adventure XVIII, Kriemhild vowed to stay with Giselher and her kin, and he gave Siegmund’s men safe-conduct from the land. In Adventure XIX, he and Gernot fetched Kriemhild’s hoard and brought it to the Rhine. When she asked him to guard her and her goods, he promised to do so after their return; he and Gernot also condemned Hagen’s seizure of the treasure as wrong. In Adventure XX, Giselher, Gernot and Gunther agreed to let Kriemhild marry Etzel if she wished. He and Gernot escorted her as she departed, and in Adventure XXI he promised to ride to her aid if she needed him before taking leave at Vergen.

In Adventure XXVII, Rudeger welcomed the Burgundians and promised to guard their possessions. He gave his daughter in marriage to Giselher, who became her husband. In Adventure XXXIV, Giselher ordered the dead cast from the hall, and Hagen praised his counsel. During the fighting in Adventures XXXV and XXXVI, Giselher struck down Iring, though Iring lay unwounded; later, he pleaded with Kriemhild for mercy, telling her, “I was aye true to thee; never did I do thee wrong”. She refused, offering to spare her brothers only if they gave Hagen as hostage. Giselher called it “an evil feast,” and Kriemhild and Etzel continued the attack on the Burgundians.

In Adventure XXXVII, Giselher at first rejoiced at Rudeger’s armed approach, but Rudeger declared that their friendship was ended and that he must fight them. Giselher fought on; in Adventure XXXVIII, he bloodied many helmets before he and Wolfhart mortally wounded each other.