User blog comment:Zippertrain85/Dawnguard Follow up./@comment-17114085-20131216013719/@comment-17114085-20131223101552

Zip, look at this analogy. Skyrim was like the thirteen colonies. As a whole they were colonies of England, all were ruled by different people. Same thing with Skyrim, there were different holds. All were ruled by different people. For all we know Harkon was the ruler of Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, The Reach, Falkreath, The Pale, Winterhold, The Rift. Any of those could have been Harkon's, its obvious he exaggerated his power but he could have ruled any of those in any combination. For example he could have ruled Haafingar and Hjaalmarch, much like who Ysgramor probably ruled both Eastmarch and Whiterun.