Gunnar

King of Burgundy. Gunnar was the son of Giuki (Gjúki) and Grimhild. He was the brother of Hogni, Guttorm and Gudrun. He succeeded his father at Giuki's death.

Sigurd and Gunnar swore an oath of brotherhood when they met. Sigurd helped Gunnar to win several wars. Sigurd married Gunnar's sister Gudrun. When it was time for him to marry, Gunnar wanted to marry Brynhild, a Valkyrie who slept within a Ring of Fire until a hero would come and wake her up. Gunnar attempted a couple of times to ride through, but he couldn't ride his horse through the fire. (According to the Prose Edda, Gunnar's horse was Goti.) He asked Sigurd to take his place. They exchanged appearances with the help of his mother's magic, Sigurd rode through the fire and won Brynhild's hand for him.

After their short marriage, Brynhild found out who actually rode through the fire to win her. His infuriated wife lied to Gunnar and tricked him into having Sigurd killed. Gunnar could not kill Sigurd because of his oath. His brother Guttorm, however, mortally wounded Sigurd.

At Sigurd's death, Brynhild revealed to him that she had lied. At Sigurd's funeral, Brynhild also revealed that she had never loved anyone but Sigurd, killing herself. Gunnar had no choice but to burn his wife's body on Sigurd's pyre, when Brynhild asked for a last boon from him.

After the death of Sigurd and Brynhild, Gunnar and his brother Hogni kept the treasure of Sigurd for themselves. Later, Gunnar married Glaumvor. Gunnar tried to console his sister, who ran off to stay in the court of Sigurd's stepfather. When Gudrun refused to return home with them, their mother gave Gudrun a potion to make her forget Sigurd. When Brynhild's brother asked for her hand in marriage, he married Gudrun off to Atli.

This marriage would cause his death. Atli, who knew that Gunnar had Sigurd's treasure, ambushed the Giukings (Niflungs) on their visit. He and Hogni were captured. When he would not reveal the location of where they hid the treasure, Atli had him thrown in a pit of venomous snakes. However, Gudrun threw a harp to him. Still bound in chains, Gunnar played the harp with his toes so well that the music caused all but one snake to fall asleep. This last adder killed him.

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In Germanic literature, Gunnar was identified as Gunther, a Nibelung (Burgundy).

Gunnar also appeared as a historical figure, Guntharius (Gundicaricus), son of Gibica. Guntharius was a Burgundian king who established a kingdom with his capital in Worms. Guntharius died in battle against the Huns in AD 437.