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For other uses, see Alberich (disambiguation).

Alberich was a legendary sorcerer who originated in the mythology or epic sagas of the Frankish Merovingian Dynasty of the 5th to 8th century AD, and whose name means king of the elves (elbe "elves" reix, rex "king"), who possessed the ability to become invisible. He was also known as king of the dwarves.^[1]

In the Nibelungenlied, an epic poem in Middle High German, he is a dwarf, who guards the treasure of the Nibelungen, but is overcome by Siegfried.

In Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, Alberich is chief of the Nibelungen race of dwarfs and the main antagonist driving events.^[2] Wagner's Alberich is a composite character, mostly based on Alberich from the Nibelungenlied, but also on Andvari from Norse mythology.

[edit] Derivative characters

Some scholars propose the following characters evolved in later centuries from the concept of Alberich as king of the elves and dwarves:

Oberon - is the French translation of Alberich (used for the name of the "King of Fairies" in French and English texts).
Elegast/Elbegast/Alegast - elf guest, elf spirit (Dutch, German, and Scandinavian texts, respectively)

[edit] References

^ Guerber 1895:218 and 295.
^ Bulfinch 1843:903.

Bulfinch, Thomas. 1834. Bulfinch's Mythology. Reprinted by New York: Harper & Row, 1970, p. 354–356, 903. ISBN 0-690-57260-3.
Guerber, Helene A.. 1895. Myths of Northern Lands - Index. p. 218, p. 295 index. File retrieved 7/15/2007.

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[0] Guerber 1895:218 and 295.

[1] Bulfinch 1843:903.

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