Paul and Erlend Thorfinnsson

The Orkneyinga Saga fails to mention a campaign in the Irish Sea by Magnus Haraldsson in 1058, (which is the first such event attested in contemporary sources in the British Isles).

Woolf (2007) suggests that Torfinn's death provoked Magnus's expedition, and that this was the occasion on which Paul and Erlend Thorfinnsson submitted to Harald.

Paul and Erlend were with Harald's son Olaf Kyrre, guarding the ships at Riccall, when the battle of Stamford Bridge was fought.

[9] The Norwegian army was heavily defeated and both Harald and Tostig were killed but Olaf and the earls were allowed to leave with the survivors by king Harold Godwinson after giving pledges not to attack England again.

[11] The Orkneyinga saga says that Paul and Erlend (Erland) remained on friendly terms until their children grew to adulthood, after which the disputes between their sons led to a quarrel and open hostility between the brothers.

As the disputes between the descendants of Paul and Erlend loomed large in the affairs of 12th century Orkney, the saga goes into some detail about their family relationships.

[9] Paul and Erlend's father Thorfinn may have visited the Pontiff in Rome and c. 1050 Thorulf, the first Bishop of Orkney was installed at the "Christ Church" in the "city of Blascona".

Thorfinn and Thorulf's Christ Church has been identified with the Romanesque ruins on the tidal island known as Brough of Birsay, but there is also evidence that it was located over in the Mainland next to the Earl's palace.

[20] Haakon knew Magnus was power-hungry and suggested that he take back direct control of Orkney as a base for raiding further afield as his predecessor Harold Fairhair had done.

[25] The saga references to Paul and Erland are relatively brief suggesting that, although there may have been ongoing warfare in the territories annexed by their father Thorfinn, in Orkney at least life was mostly peaceful during their more than thirty year rule.