# How Ludwig and Hartmut Met the Hegelings explained — Gudrun

> Chapter companion for Gudrun by Anonymous.

## What happens

Hartmut identifies the approaching Hegeling banners for his father Ludwig, including those of Wâ-te, Horant, Fru-te, Morunc, Ortwin, Herwic, and Irold. Despite Gerlind's counsel to await a siege, Hartmut and Ludwig sally forth to battle. In the ensuing fight, Ludwig overthrows Herwic, Hartmut wounds Ortwin and Horant, and the Hegelings press the attack under Wâ-te's leadership.

## Themes in this chapter

### Power and Warfare

The chapter centers on the military confrontation between the Hegelings and Normans, with detailed descriptions of banners, battle tactics, and individual combat.

### Family and Kinship

Hartmut and Ludwig fight as father and son; Ortwin seeks vengeance for his slain father; Gudrun's kinship ties drive the Hegeling invasion.

### Honor and Reputation

Hartmut chooses to sally forth rather than hide, valuing honor over safety; Gerlind urges him to guard his honor but also his life.

## Character check-ins

### Hartmut

Identifies the approaching Hegeling banners, rejects his mother's advice to stay besieged, and wounds Ortwin and Horant in battle.

### Ludwig

King of the Normans, arms for battle alongside Hartmut, and overthrows Herwic in the fight.

### Gerlind

Advises Hartmut to remain in the castle and prepare for a siege, but her counsel is rejected.

### Herwic

Leads an attack against King Ludwig and is overthrown by him in battle.

### Ortwin

Fights Hartmut and is wounded by him, bleeding through his armor.

### Horant

Takes up Hilda's banner after Ortwin is wounded, fights Hartmut, and is also wounded.

### Wâ-te

Blows his horn to rally the Hegelings, causing fear among the Normans, and fights fiercely in the battle.

### Gudrun

Mentioned as the object of Hartmut's theft and as a captive forced to wash clothes; she watches the warriors from the roof.

## Key lines

> I see a brown silk pennon, that comes from Karadé; Before that flag is lowered, many will rue the day.

Hartmut identifies a brown silk banner from Karadé, predicting that many will die before it is lowered.

_Hartmut reads the banners to assess the threat._

> Then spake his devilish mother: 'I did it for your sake, Thinking her will to bridle.'

Gerlind claims she forced Gudrun to wash clothes to break her spirit, for Hartmut's benefit.

_Gerlind justifies her cruelty toward Gudrun._

> Before my foes shall find me within my castle hiding, Outside I would die far sooner, in fight with Hilda's men, against me riding.

Hartmut declares he would rather die fighting in the open than be found hiding in the castle.

_Hartmut rejects Gerlind's advice to stay besieged._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/gudrun_se/chapters/tale-xxvii-how-ludwig-and-hartmut-met-the-hegelings
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/gudrun_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/gudrun_se/chapters