century B.C. was the chief city of the German tribe of the
"Vangioni". In the fifth century it was the capital of the
Burgundian kingdom, but was destroyed by the Huns. The
Merovingians rebuilt it, and in the seventh century it
became a bishopric where Charlemagne at times held his
court. It was later noted as the meeting-place of many
imperial diets. It remained a free city till 1801. In the
"Thidreksaga" the name is corrupted into "Wernize".
(9) "Uta" (M.H.G. "Uote"). The name means ancestress, and is
frequently used for the mother of heroes. The modern German
form is "Ute", but in order to insure its being pronounced
with two syllables, the form "Uta" was chosen.
(10) "Dankrat" (M.H.G. "Dancrat") appears as the father only in
the "Nibelungenlied" and poems dependent on it, e.g., the
"Klage" and "Biterolf", elsewhere as "Gibiche" (Norse
"Giuki").
(11) "Hagen of Troneg". Troneg is probably a corruption of the
name of the Latin colony, "colonia Trajana", on the Lower
Rhine, which as early as the fifth century was written as
"Troja", giving rise to the legend that the Franks were
descended from the ancient Trojans. "Troja" was then
further corrupted to "Tronje" and "Tronege". Hagen was
therefore originally a Frank and had no connection with the
Burgundian kings, as the lack of alliteration also goes to
show. Boer thinks that not Siegfried but Hagen originally
lived at Xanten (see note 3 to Adventure II), as this was
often called Troja Francorum. When the Hagen story was
connected with the Burgundians and Hagen became either their
brother or their vassal, his home was transferred to Worms
and Siegfried was located at Xanten, as he had no especial