Lore:Stormcloak Rebellion

A battle between the Legion and the Stormcloaks

The Stormcloak Rebellion, also known as the Skyrim Civil War, was a civil war in Skyrim fought between the forces of the Empire, mobilized in western Skyrim, and the Stormcloak rebels of eastern Skyrim, in 4E 201. Many years beforehand, Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak of Windhelm formed the Stormcloaks as his personal army to carry out his agenda. Soon after the young Torygg was appointed High King by the Moot and ascended to the throne of Skyrim, Ulfric traveled to the High King's court in Solitude and challenged Torygg to single combat for Skyrim's throne, in order to secede from the Empire. Ulfric killed Torygg with the Thu'um, after which he stabbed with a sword, and fled the city. He was branded a murderer and traitor by the Empire.

The Imperial Legion under General Tullius moved in to secure Imperial territory as the jarls began picking sides. On the 15th of Last Seed, less than a year after the start of the conflict, Ulfric and his men were ambushed by the Legion outside Darkwater Crossing in southern Eastmarch. After surrendering, they traveled for two days until they arrived in Helgen for execution. In a twist of fate, the village was suddenly attacked by the dragon Alduin, and the rebel leader escaped. Afterwards, the war escalated, with Nords across Skyrim solidifying their allegiance to either the Empire or the Stormcloaks. The victor of the war is unknown.

Notes

• ^	TES V: Skyrim is always hard-set to start on the 17th of Last Seed, 4E 201. After escaping Helgen with Ralof, he will explain to his sister, Gerdur, that the Stormcloaks were ambushed "two days ago".

• ^

  After escaping Helgen with Hadvar, if the player-character asks who the other prisoners were at the beheading, he will say that Ulfric Stormcloak “founded the Stormcloaks years ago” and that he murdered the High King "a few months ago". Several pieces of dialogue with other NPCs will refer to Torygg's death as "recent".

• ^

  Sometime between Torygg's death and the events of Skyrim, Jarl Elisif the Fair has canceled the "Burning of King Olaf" festival, held annually in Solitude, believing it would be in poor taste. This is presumably the first time the festival was to be celebrated since her husband Torygg's death, and since his death, which occurred sometime after the previous festival, marked the start of the rebellion, the rebellion had started less than a year before Ulfric was captured and the events of the game begin (less than a year between both festivals).

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Skyrim article.