Sigurd

In the Norse legends, Sigurd was the son of Sigmund and Hjordis, who was the daughter of Eylimi. He was the half-brother of Sinfjotli, Helgi and Hamund.

Note that in the Thiðrekssaga (Norwegian saga), Sigurd's mother was Sisibe, daughter of Nidung, the King of Spain. In the Nibelungenlied (German epic) he was named Siegfried, and his parents were King Siegmund of the Netherlands and Sieglind.

Sigurd was the wielder of his father's reforged magic sword called Gram (Fafnir's Bane or in German Balmung). Odin helped the young hero to choose his loyal and fearless horse named Grani, offspring of Sleipnir, Odin's magical horse. After killing the dragon Fafnir and his foster father Regin, Sigurd possessed the treasure and cursed ring of Andvari, called Andvaranaut. The treasure and ring became one of the factors of Sigurd's downfall. He also could understand the language of the animals (birds) and had invincible strength and courage after eating Fafnir's heart.

Sigurd fell in love with the Valkyrie Brynhild, riding to Hindarfell where he woke Brynhild and sought her counsel. Sigurd promised to marry her. By Brynhild, he was the father of a daughter named Aslaug. However, Sigurd fell under the spell of Grimhild, mother of King Gunnar of Burgundy. Sigurd forgot about Brynhild and married Gunnar's sister, Gudrun. Gudrun bore the hero a daughter named Svanhild (Swanhild) and a son named Sigmund (Sigmund Sigurdarson), named after Sigurd's father. Sigurd became the blood brother of Gunnar and Hogni, and helped the king win many of his wars.

Sigurd helped his brother-in-law to win Brynhild by riding through the Ring of Fire, guised through Grimhild's sorcery as Gunnar. Sigurd only recognised Brynhild when she was already married to Gunnar. When Brynhild discovered that Sigurd and Gunnar had deceived her into marrying Gunnar, she plotted the hero's death. She convinced her husband Gunnar with lies that Sigurd had dishonoured his oath to him and had taken advantage of her during their travel to Burgundy.

Guttorm, the brother of Gudrun and Gunnar, mortally wounded Sigurd. Gunnar and Hogni also had Sigmund, Sigurd's son, killed at Brynhild's order. At his death, Brynhild revealed the truth to Gunnar that she had lied about Sigurd's honour, before she killed herself. Sigurd and Brynhild were cremated together on a single pyre.

According to the Volsungasaga and Thidrekssaga, he carried a shield with red-gold inlaid, and a dragon depicted dark brown on top but light red on the bottom. His equipment (helmet, standard and surcoat) had the same colour and markings.