Sigurd nicknamed snake’s eye, was a Viking warrior in the mid-ninth century. According to The Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok, he is one of the sons of the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok from Norse mythology.
1. Sigurd Etymology
The names Sigurd and Siegfried do not share the same etymology. Both have the same first element, Proto-Germanic sigi, meaning victory. However, the second elements of the two names are different: in Siegfried, it is Proto Germanic frio, meaning peace; in Sigurd, it is Proto Germanic forward, meaning protection.
Although they do not share the same second element, it is clear that the surviving Scandinavian written sources considered Siegfried to be the continental version of the name that was called Sigurd.
The normal form of Siegfried in Middle High German is Sivrit or Sifrit, with the sigi element contracted. This form of the name had been common even outside heroic poetry since the 9th century, although the form Sigevrit is also attested, along with Middle Dutch Zegevrijt.
In early modern German , the name becomes Seyfrid or Seufrid. The modern form Siegfried is not frequently attested until the 17th century, after which it becomes more common. In modern scholarship, the form Sigfrid is sometimes used.
2. Origins
Unlike many figures in the Germanic heroic tradition, Sigurd cannot easily be identified with a historical figure. The most popular theory is that Sigurd has its origin in one or more figures of the Merovingian dynasty of the Franks: the Merovingians had several kings whose name began with the element sigi.
In particular, the assassination of Sigebert I, who was married to Brunhilda of Australia, is often cited as a likely inspiration for the figure, a theory first proposed in 1613. Sigibert was murdered by his brother Chilperic I at the instigation of Chilperic’s wife, Queen Fredegunda.
If this theory is correct, then in the legend, Fredegunda and Brunhilda seem to have switched roles, while Chilperic has been replaced by Gunther. However, these parallels are not exact and are not accepted by all scholars. Jens Haustein argues that, while Sigurd’s story seems to have Merovingian resonances, no connection to any particular historical figure or event is convincing.
3. Sigurd’s youth
The slaying of the dragon is attested on the 11th century Ramsund carving from Sweden, and on the runestone from Gok, which appears to be a copy of the carving. Both stones represent identifiable story elements from later Norse myths.
In both the German and Scandinavian versions, Sigurd’s slaying of the dragon invests him with superhuman abilities. In the Norse sources, Sigurd comes to understand the language of birds after tasting the dragon’s blood and then eating its heart.
If we check the German versions, Siegfried bathes in the dragon’s blood, developing a skin that is as tough as steel itself.
In continental sources, Sigurd’s winning of the Nibelungen treasure and the slaying of the dragon are two separate events; the Thidrekssaga does not even mention Sigurd’s acquiring the treasure. In Norse tradition, the two events are combined, and Sigurd’s awakening of Brunhild and his father’s revenge are also mentioned, though not in all sources.
It is likely that the Norse tradition has substantially modified the events of Sigurd’s youth. Sigurd’s deliverance of a virgin woman named Brynhild is only told in Scandinavian sources, but may be an original part of the oral tradition along with the slaying of the dragon, since the Nibelungenlied seems to indicate that Siegfried and Brunhild already knew each other.
The cursed treasure
The origin of the treasure as a cursed ransom paid by the gods is generally considered a late and exclusively Scandinavian development.
Also attested in the Ramsund carving, and thus at an early date, is that Sigurd was raised by a blacksmith.
4. Viking Legendary Myth
With the success of the modern adaptation of both the Viking Age and Norse mythology, the popularity of Viking heroes has become increasingly popular. Among them is the man, Ragnarok Lothbrok, who was a legendary hero of the Vikings.
The historical existence of Ragnar Lothbrok, however, is a debate that has not yielded an adequate answer. Like famous figures such as King Arthur, Ragnar Lothbrok was the legendary hero that scholars believe was the combination of many Viking heroes. And the tales of Ragnar were from pieces of the Viking sagas.
The raider of the ancient chapters
There is a theory that the gods or demigods we know today were actually humans. Stories about them were passed down from generation to generation.
Among the people who passed it down orally, there could have been a change in the stories. The legends were so cool that people told as if they were really gods. Scholars believe this happened with the materials we have about Ragnar.
One group of historians, on the other hand, agrees that Ragnar Lothbrok existed historically. According to them, Ragnar was the first Scandinavian leader to invade Britain. People often saw him in battle in Viking sagas and tales. There, he was so great that he became the mythical figure.
Ragnar seemed to have a plethora of names. “Lothbrok” was not his surname. Rather, it was his nickname and meant “hairy buttocks.” Sometimes, people spelled his name as Regner or Regnar, his nickname as Lodbrok or Lodbrog. The king who unified Denmark and Sweden was Ragnar Sigurdsson.
Life and adventures
The West Anglian kingdoms of France and Paris were the names that Ragnar Lothbrok supposedly sacked.
In addition, some accounts noted that he married three times in his life. His first wife was Lagertha, the legendary and famous Viking shield maiden, the noblewoman Thóra Borgarhjortr and Auslaug the princess.
Ragnar’s historical existence could be attested by historical figures such as his sons. All of them were great warriors according to Viking history. Ubba was one of the commanders of the Great Viking Army that invaded Anglo-Saxon England in the 860s.
The death of Ragnar Lothbrok
After Ragnar’s legendary death under the hand of King Aella of Northumbria, Ragnar’s sons sought revenge for their father.
5. The death of Sigurd
According to legend, Sigurd was killed by his own brother-in-law, Harald Wartooth, who had formed an alliance with other Viking leaders to defeat Sigurd and take his kingdom. Harald Wartooth supposedly invited Sigurd to a banquet and ambushed him there, killing him with a spear.
However, this version of events is largely fictional and is based on epic poetry and Norse sagas, which often exaggerate and distort the story to make it more dramatic or epic. The reality is that there are very few historical records of Sigurd’s life, so his death remains a mystery.
6. Sigurd in popular culture
Sigurd “serpent eyes“, features prominently in the History Channel’s historical drama television series Vikings, starring David Lindstrom.
The Vikings series has enjoyed great success and has numerous spinoffs that continue the story of its protagonists. If you like strong emotions and history, you will surely enjoy it.
