Atli’s Family Tree

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Family

• Gudrun(spouse),Eitill(child),Erpr Atlason(child)— Marriage

  Gudrún was married to Atli after her mother Grímhild gave her a potion of forgetfulness. The loveless marriage ended when Gudrún killed their sons Erpr Atlason and Eitill, served their flesh to Atli, and burned his hall.

• Budli(parent),Brynhild(sibling)

  Budli was the father of Brynhild and Atli. Both children played central roles in the Völsung tragedy — Brynhild through her doomed love for Sigurd, and Atli through his greed for the Nibelung gold.

Enemy of

• Gudrun

  Gudrún and Atli were locked in bitter enmity from the moment he lured her brothers Gunnar and Högni to his hall and had them killed for Fáfnir's gold. Gudrún's vengeance was absolute — she slew their sons, served their flesh to Atli, and burned his hall with him inside.

• Gunnar

  Atli invited Gunnar and Högni to his hall with treacherous intent, coveting the hoard of Fáfnir. Despite Gudrún's warning — a ring wound with wolf's hair — Gunnar rode to the feast and was seized. Atli had him thrown into a pit of serpents, where Gunnar played a harp with his toes until the last adder struck his heart.

Slew

• Gunnar

  Atli had Gunnarr thrown into a snake pit after he refused to reveal the hiding place of the Nibelung gold. Gunnarr played a harp with his toes, lulling all the serpents except one adder that struck his heart.

• Hogni

  Atli had Högni's heart cut from his chest to force Gunnarr to reveal the Nibelung gold's hiding place. Högni's heart did not tremble, proving his courage even in death.

Slain by

• Gudrun

  Gudrún killed Atli in his own hall to avenge her brothers Gunnar and Högni, whom he had slain for Fáfnir's gold. She set fire to the hall and burned it with all of Atli's men inside.

  ⚠ Atlakviða describes Gudrún burning the hall; Völsunga saga adds that she first stabbed Atli in bed before setting the fire.

Equivalent to

• Etzel(Germanic)

  Norse Atli and Germanic Etzel both derive from the historical Attila the Hun, refracted through parallel legendary traditions — in the Norse he is a treacherous host who murders for gold, while in the Nibelungenlied Etzel is a noble king whose court becomes the stage for Kriemhild's vengeance.

Associated with

• Andvaranaut

  Atli's greed for Andvaranaut and the Nibelung gold drove him to murder Gunnarr and Högni. The cursed ring destroyed Atli as it had destroyed every previous owner, fulfilling Andvari's prophecy.