Helga Moddansdóttir

Helga Moddansdóttir was the mistress of Haakon Paulsson who was Earl of Orkney from 1105 to 1123.

The Orkneyinga saga states that she was the daughter of Moddan (Scottish Gaelic: Madadhan) - 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.