Volsunga

Volsunga (old Norse: Völsungar) refers to a legendary dynasty in Norse mythology. The name is associated with the hero Sigmund and his son Sigurd, and with the broader lineage known as the Volsungar. The family figures prominently in Norse legendary history and in the Völsunga saga, a medieval Icelandic narrative preserving earlier Germanic legends.

The Völsunga saga, probably composed in Iceland in the 13th century, recounts the origins and deeds of the Volsung line. Central episodes include the forging and possession of a cursed gold hoard created by the dwarf Andvari, the slaying of the dragon Fafnir by Sigurd, and Sigurd's acquisition of the treasure. The narrative weaves themes of valor, treachery, fate, and tragic love, notably Sigurd's bond with Brynhildr and the later betrayals that lead to the downfall of the Volsung kin.

Some of the same material appears in the Poetic Edda in poems such as Sigurðarkviða and Reginsmál, and Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda offers a prose outline of the saga. The Volsunga saga has influenced later literature, including modern retellings and motifs in the Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner, which adapted several elements of the Norse legend.