Like so many other Visigoth kings, Athanagild sought to add security to his kingdom by connecting his family by marriage with the house of Clovis.  The consequences were unhappy, as usual; the fate of Athanagild's two daughters is one of the most tragic episodes of Frankish history.  The younger of them, Brunihild, was married to King Sigebert of the East Franks.... The brother of Sigebert, Chilperic, king of the North-west Franks, sought the hand of Athanagild's elder daughter, Geleswintha, and in spite of her tears and entreaties she was compelled by her parents to accept the unwelcome bridegroom.  Both princesses adopted the religion of their husbands.  It was not long before Chilperic's affection was estranged from his queen by the wiles of a woman named Fredegunda, and Geleswintha was put to death by his orders.  Brunihild stirred up her husband to avenge the murder of her sister.  In the war between the two Frankish kingdoms Sigebert died, and Brunihild had a long and stormy reign as queen-mother.  She was a woman of masculine energy and wonderful powers of mind, a great ruler, but tyrannical and unscrupulous, and it was said that ten kings and queens lost their lives in the turmoils which she excited.  At last she fell into the power of her enemy Fredegunda, who caused her to be tied behind a horse and dragged along the ground until she died.  Then her lacerated body was thrown into the flames. (The Story of the Goths, Bradley, 1888)