Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-24587225-20150902024621/@comment-7064521-20151018232636

The Thalmor wanted to keep the Skyrim Civil War ongoing. As long as it kept going on, the pointy-eared bastards could replenish their troops, get more resources, and arm themselves better uninterrupted. The Empire would be distracted by the Civil War (and a whole Legion would be up in the northern province fighting the rebels). The Thalmor would rather have a Nord victory than an Imperial one to show the Empire is growing weak and to cause heavy Imperial losses (the one Caesar-looking guy and the entire Fourth Legion).