Atli (Attila)

King of the Huns. Atli was the son of Budli and brother of Brynhild and Bekkhild. In Gudrun's dream or vision, Atli was symbolised as a wolf-cub.

Atli married Gudrun, sister of Gunnar and Hogni. Atli married her because he wanted the treasure of Sigurd and vengeance for his sister's death. He ambushed and captured Gudrun's two brothers. When neither Gunnar nor Hogni would reveal the location of treasure, they were killed.

Seeking to avenge her brother's death, Gudrun killed her own two sons by Atli, Erp and Eitil, and roasted their hearts. While Atli and the other guests were intoxicated with wine mixed with his sons' blood, his wife served his sons' flesh. When Atli asked Gudrun where their sons were, she told him that he had just eaten their hearts. Taking up a sword, Gudrun then killed her husband. She then set Atli's house on fire, killing Atli's drunken guests.

Gudrun tried to kill herself by jumping off a cliff. Gudrun was however rescued by the King Jonakr. Gudrun married Jonakr and had three sons: Hamdir, Sorli, and Erp. When King Jormunrek killed her daughter, she ordered her sons to avenge their half-sister's death. Erp was killed by his brothers, through a misunderstanding. Hamdir and Sorli were stoned to death after they mutilated Jormunrek.

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In the Germanic literature (myth), Atli was identified as Etzel (particularly in the Nibelungenlied). Etzel was king of the Huns and had many vassals – Dietrich, Hildebrand and Rudiger.

In the German account, it was his wife Kriemhild (Gudrun) who killed her own brother Gunther (Gunnar), not Etzel. Disgusted by the murder of Hagen, Etzel ordered his champion Hildebrand to kill Kriemhild.

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Historically, Atli was known by the name Attila the Hun (Attila means Scourge of God), who overran the Roman empire and died in AD 453. Attila ruled with his brother Bleda in 432, but murdered his brother in AD 445. Attila was known for the brutality of his rule and his greed for gold. The Huns were known for their skills in horsemanship and in archery; their lightning attacks swept aside all opposition.

It probably shouldn't be told here, but how Attila died was very interesting. Attila, who had many wives, decided to marry his last German (Visigoth) bride, Hildico or Ildico. On their wedding night, his followers found him dead, apparently from burst blood vessels (must be some wild bed play).