# Etzel — The Nibelungenlied character guide > Etzel in The Nibelungenlied by Anonymous. **Role:** major **Also known as:** King Etzel, the mighty Etzel **First appearance:** 0021-adventure-xx-how-king-etzel-sent-to-burgundy-after-kriemhilda ## Snapshot The mighty Hun king whose late marriage to Kriemhilda brings her the army and the distance she needs — and whose court becomes the stage for her revenge. ## Who they are Etzel enters the poem as a widower and a great king, powerful enough that his offer of marriage gives Kriemhilda something she could not otherwise obtain: a kingdom of her own, far from Burgundy, with warriors who answer to her. He is not a villain — the poem treats him with a kind of grave dignity — but he is also not the point. He is the instrument Kriemhilda has been waiting for, and the feast he hosts is the trap she has been setting for years. His tragedy is that he loves her honestly and does not understand, until too late, what she has been planning in his halls. ## Relationships ### [Kriemhilda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/characters/kriemhilda) _romantic_ Etzel marries Kriemhilda, providing her with power and resources to pursue her revenge, though he is unaware of her true motives. ### [Hagen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/characters/hagen) _rivalry_ Etzel initially hosts Hagen as a guest, but Hagen's defiance and murder of Etzel's son turn them into bitter enemies. ### [Hagen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/characters/hagen) _rivalry_ Etzel initially hosts Hagen as a guest, but Hagen's defiance and murder of Etzel's son turn them into bitter enemies. ### [Kriemhilda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/characters/kriemhilda) _romantic_ Etzel marries Kriemhilda, providing her with power and resources to pursue her revenge, though he is unaware of her true motives. ### [Kriemhilda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/characters/kriemhilda) _romantic_ Etzel marries Kriemhilda, providing her with power and resources to pursue her revenge, though he is unaware of her true motives. ### [Hagen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/characters/hagen) _rivalry_ Etzel initially hosts Hagen as a guest, but Hagen's defiance and murder of Etzel's son turn them into bitter enemies. ## In the story ### [Adventure XX: How King Etzel Sent to Burgundy After Kriemhilda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xx-how-king-etzel-sent-to-burgundy-after-kriemhilda) King Etzel, after Helka's death, is persuaded to woo Kriemhilda and sends Rüdeger as his envoy. ### [How Kriemhilda Went to the Huns](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxi-how-kriemhilda-went-to-the-huns) King of the Huns, whose sovereignty and court are described as welcoming to all warriors, Christian and heathen. ### [Adventure XXII: How Etzel Espoused Kriemhilda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxii-how-etzel-espoused-kriemhilda) King Etzel woos and marries Kriemhilda, hosting a grand wedding with many guests and festivities. ### [Adventure XXIII: How Kriemhilda Thought to Avenge Her Injury](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxiii-how-kriemhilda-thought-to-avenge-her-injury) King of the Huns, loving husband to Kriemhilda, guilelessly agrees to invite her Burgundian relatives to a midsummer feast. ### [Adventure XXVIII: How the Burgundians Came to Etzel’s Stronghold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxviii-how-the-burgundians-came-to-etzel-s-stronghold) Observes Hagen and inquires about him, recalling their past acquaintance. ### [Adventure XXIX: How He Stood Not Up Before Her](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxix-how-he-stood-not-up-before-her) Welcomes the Burgundian guests warmly, rising from his seat to greet Gunther and his men. ### [Adventure XXXI: How They Went to Church](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxxi-how-they-went-to-church) Questions why the Burgundians are armed, offers to make amends, and is troubled by Hagen's insult to his son Ortlieb, though he remains unaware of Kriemhilda's plot. ### [Adventure XXXII: How Bloedelin Was Slain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxxii-how-bloedelin-was-slain) King Etzel, whose wife Kriemhilda plotted the attack; his knights are informed of Bloedel's death. ### [Adventure XXXIII: How the Burgundians Fought with the Huns](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxxiii-how-the-burgundians-fought-with-the-huns) Leaves the hall with Dietrich, lamenting the destruction caused by Volker. ### [Adventure XXXIV: How They Cast Forth the Dead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxxiv-how-they-cast-forth-the-dead) Grips his shield to join the fight but is restrained by Kriemhild, who warns him of Hagen's danger. ### [Adventure XXXVI: How the Queen Bade That the Hall Be Set on Fire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxxvi-how-the-queen-bade-that-the-hall-be-set-on-fire) Initially considers a truce but is swayed by Kriemhilda; laments the loss of his son and kin. ### [Adventure XXXVII: How the Margrave Rüdeger Was Slain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxxvii-how-the-margrave-r-deger-was-slain) King Etzel, along with Kriemhilda, kneels to beg Rüdeger to fight, offering him lands and castles. He mourns deeply when Rüdeger is killed. ### [Adventure XXXIX: How Gunther and Hagen and Kriemhilda Were Slain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/chapters/adventure-xxxix-how-gunther-and-hagen-and-kriemhilda-were-slain) Witnesses the slaughter, mourns deeply for Hagen and the fallen, and weeps with Dietrich. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/characters/etzel - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_nibelungenlied_se/characters