page_title: Helga Moddansdóttir
section_title: Tale of the poisoned shirt
hierarchical_section_title: Helga Moddansdóttir / Tale of the poisoned shirt
caption_attribution_description: English: Remains of Round Church at the Earl's Bu, Orphir
context_page_description: Helga Moddansdóttir was the mistress of Haakon Paulsson who was Earl of Orkney from 1105–1123.
  The Orkneyinga saga states that she was the daughter of Moddan - described as a rich and well-born farmer - and that she and the earl had three children. She was a member of a powerful dynasty in northern Scotland, sometimes referred to as "Clan Moddan" by modern historians, whose power base was "Dale" possibly near the modern-day Helmsdale in Sutherland. Although little is known about her own activities save a fabulous story about a poisoned shirt that supposedly killed her son Harald it is clear that she, her sister Frakkök and her children had a significant impact on the politics of early 12th century Orkney, Caithness and Sutherland.
context_section_description: As was typically the case with Icelandic language writing of this period, the aims of the Orkneyinga saga were to provide a sense of social continuity through the telling of history combined with an entertaining narrative drive. The tales are thought to have been compiled from a number of sources, combining family pedigrees, praise poetry and oral legends with historical facts. Occasionally however, there are examples of obviously fictional elements such as the effects of the poisoned shirt that killed jarl Harald Haakonsson.
  The saga relates how at Christmas (c. 1130) Frakökk and Helga were staying on Earl Harald's estate at Orphir prior to a Yule feast to which Harald had invited his half-brother Páll. The sisters were sewing a snow-white garment embroidered with gold. This garment was enchanted, and the two sisters had intended it for Earl Páll. Unfortunately for the sisters, Earl Harald noticed the beautiful garment and, despite their protestations, put the garment on. His body gave a great shiver which was followed by a burning pain and soon after he died. The saga states that Earl Páll immediately took control of his deceased half-brother's possessions, and that he was highly suspicious of the two sisters thereafter.
caption: Ruins of the Round Church at the Earl's Bu, Orphir. The Earl's Bu was a great hall,[21] and the location of the death of Harald Haakonsson
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