User blog comment:Madman97/Blog Critic: Why the Stormcloaks are right/@comment-3524435-20131205201549/@comment-9062114-20131206010931

Skyrim is not a republic. He couldn't become High King on popularity alone, and even if he did, Torygg most likely would've just been killed anyway with the rebellion that would be created, along with thousands of soldiers. Ulfric thought that if he just killed Torygg in a duel he would be able to have the throne and be done with it.