Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-6311114-20130719222148/@comment-50.149.81.197-20140301061919

It depends. Lots of social instability and economic hardship, but given time and resources that can be recovered. Will they have that? Well, if Skyrim breaks free then it won't. It will be easy pickings.

Of course, the manpower situation is likely improved over the end of the Great War and it had enough in the tank to send a full legion to Skyrim. So it is still quite banged up and a huge mess, but not without the possibility of recovery.