Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-4092092-20130801070333/@comment-3573184-20130830083906

DarthOrc wrote: Not according to Night of Tears.

You linked to a disambiguation page..... not an article. Did you mean the article itself, or the book?

Because the book says this

The true motives behind the Night of Tears have been obscured to us by the passage of time, but I believe this was not a simple war of territory, or of control of Skyrim. I believe that what happened was a significant event based around something very particular. The Nords found something when they built their city, buried deep in the ground. They attempted to keep it buried, but the elves learned of it and coveted it for themselves. Thus they assaulted Saarthal, their goal not to drive the Nords out but to secure this power for themselves. ~ Night of Tears

Which is backed up by the "Imperial Report on Sarthaal"

While the eminent scholar Sentius has yet to examine my findings, or indeed show any interest in them, my inclination is to suggest that not only did the elves know the apparent layout of the city, but that their assault was based on a specific directive and perhaps a singular goal. ~ Imperial report on Sarthaal both of which are supported by the College of Winterhold questline where you find the eye of Magnus in Sarthaal.