Hello everyone, Jauffre here. We're going to be covering some lore again.
Today, we have the Skyrim Civil War, a Civil War taking place during the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. So let's get started.
The Skyrim Civil War was already predicted years before it actually took place by the Dragonguard, who invaded Tamriel during the First Era. After Reman Cyrodiil defeated them (or convinced, depending on who you believe) at Pale Pass, they created Sky Haven Temple, where they recorded all they knew about Alduin's return. Part of the prophecy which foretold his return, went as follows:
''When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding''
This part is, for the most part, symbolic, and may need to be translated.
''Snow Tower'', for all terms and purposes, a synonym for the Throat of the World. The Throat of the World, in its own right, being a synonym for Skyrim.
''sundered'', stands for the Skyrim being divided. The four Imperial Holds, Falkreath, the Reach, Hjaalmarch, and Haafingar, oppose the four Stormcloak Holds, Eastmarch, the Rift, Winterhold, and the Pale, and vice-versa. Whiterun Hold remains neutral.
''kingless'', probably the most obvious of the ones described. Kingless refers to the lack of a High King; High King Torygg's death, and no new High King being appointed.
''bleeding'', the Civil War itself. Imperial and Stormcloak soldiers alike kill one another, spilling blood; bleeding the land.
The Civil War itself finds part of its origin in the White-Gold Concordat, the peace treaty between the Empire and the Dominion, signed to save the Empire from defeat. One of the terms of the Concordat was that Talos worship was outlawed. After the Markarth Incident in 4E 176, the Thalmor gained the right to enforce the terms of the Concordat throughout Skyrim, after the Empire proved that they broke the treaty terms. At this point, the Civil War in Skyrim truly started.
Now, history and prophecy aside, let's dig more into what the Fourth Era itself has to say.
Prior to Torygg's death, the Civil War did not get a lot of attention. Some skirmishes were held throughout the province, but nobody really paid much attention to it. When Ulfric killed High King Torygg in 4E 201, that situation changed. General Tullius, a General from Cyrodiil, who often got sent out for dealing with unrest, was sent up to Skyrim by Titus Mede II personally.
General Tullius' experience in dealing with unrest becomes apparent shortly after he became Skyrim's Military Governor. Only a few months after he got in charge, Tullius succesfully planned an ambush at Darkwater Crossing, where he captured Ulfric Stormcloak and some of his top lieutenants. Prior to Tullius taking over, the Legion in Skyrim had attempted to capture Ulfric on various occassions, but failed. Tullius decided to go to the town of Helgen in Falkreath Hold and attempt to get Ulfric and his men executed. Despite the Thalmor attempting to prevent the execution, Tullius oversaw it taking place regardless. Then Alduin appeared, after the first Stormcloak Soldier was executed, and the Last Dragonborn was called for the block. Ulfric, and most of his lieutenants, escaped in the chaos.
Tullius would then continue to wage the war from Castle Dour, in Solitude. Though the Legion in Skyrim primarily consists of locally recruited militia units of scouts and skirmishers, under Tullius' command, the Legionnaires started massacring the Stormcloaks, making Galmar Stone-First worry that the Legion would become too strong if they were allowed to regroup and reform. The Legion additionally attempted to conqeur Winterhold, as it would force Ulfric to keep troops stationed at home, however, they were ultimately not succesful. Tullius had also pocketed men in the Rift, enough forces to make Ulfric assume that Tullius was planning on a battle there. Tullius also sent conscripts from Solitude off to fight in the war, which made Elisif's bodyguard, Bolgeir Bearclaw, afraid that they wouldn't have the forces required to defend Solitude itself if the Stormcloaks were to attack it.
Ulfric's forces, on the other hand, primarily consisted of conscripts. Many guards from the Pale were sent to fight in the war by Skald the Elder, in such large numbers that Jod, Skald's bodyguard, fears that the Pale's borders would be endangered. The forces of Eastmarch itself were so low in forces that even in Windhelm the guards were in barely enough quantity to patrol the city. The Stormcloaks' forces are also less diverse than the Empire's Legion in Skyrim. Where the Legion consists of all the races of Man, the Stormcloaks consist of almost entirely Nords.
Whiterun Hold, as said before, chose to stay neutral in the war. Jarl Balgruuf only wanted to join a side when there was no other option available. The Stormcloaks sent assassins after the man in attempts to have him assassinated, but these were ultimately killed off by Balgruuf's bodyguard, Irileth. Ulfric, however, saw Whiterun's as key. Ulfric made clear that if Balgruuf didn't want to join him, he would invade and conqeur the Hold.
I would like to continue on this, but unfortunately, anything besides this point is determined by the choices of the individual player character, and I don't feel like writing down what someone else's Dragonborn did. I hope this episode of Covering Lore has been sufficient, and if not, let me know. If you know any other topic for me to cover, let me know, and I'll give it some thought!
Sources:
The Rise and Fall of the Blades
The Book of the Dragonborn
Children of the Sky
The Great War
Dialogue with Igmund
Dialogue with Thalmor Justiciars
Dialogue with Solaf
Dialogue with Vulwulf Snow-Shod
Dialogue with Hadvar
Dialogue with General Tullius
Thalmor Dossier: Ulfric Stormcloak
Dialogue with Legate Rikke
Dialogue with Imperial Legates
Dialogue with Beirand
Manual of Armor
Conversations between Galmar Stone-Fist and Ulfric Stormcloak
Dialogue with Ulfric Stormcloak
Conversations between Bolgeir Bearclaw and Elisif the Fair
Conversations between Jod and Skald the Elder
Dialogue with Windhelm Guards
Events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Dialogue with Jarl Balgruuf the Greater
Dialogue with Irileth
(Image: A Land Divided, card art from The Elder Scrolls: Legends)