Holds are the nine administrative divisions of Skyrim, different from each other both in climate and local government.
Each of the nine Holds is governed by a Jarl who resides in the Hold's capital city. The Jarls are largely independent, but swear fealty to Skyrim's High King, who in turn swears fealty to the Emperor upon joining the Septim empire in the late Second Era.
Each Hold also employs their own guards, who can be identified by the color of their uniform and the Hold symbol they bear on their shields.
Given the independent nature of governance, crimes are tracked independently by each Hold, and a criminal who is wanted in one Hold may have no bounty in another.
Old Holds[]
- Main article: Old Holds
Winterhold, Eastmarch, The Rift and The Pale are known collectively as the "Old Holds," and have remained more isolated—not only from a geographic standpoint, but a political one as well, given that they are all initially aligned with the Stormcloaks during the civil war.[1] The Old Holds are bound together in history, as these holds were inhabited by the ancient Nords.
West Skyrim[]
- Main article: West Skyrim
Falkreath, Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, The Reach, and Whiterun are all a part of West Skyrim. The Nords of Western Skyrim are known to be progressive and would see an influence from the Empires of Cyrodiil and other places such as High Rock or Hammerfell. These Holds tend to stick with each other in times of war such as during the Skyrim Civil War and the Alliance War.
The Holds of Skyrim[]
Hold | Capital | Jarl | Allegiance[note 1] | Potential Jarl | Guard Armor Color |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastmarch | Windhelm | Ulfric Stormcloak | Stormcloak [note 3] | Brunwulf Free-Winter | Blue |
Falkreath | Falkreath | Siddgeir | Imperial | Dengeir of Stuhn | Grey Blue |
Haafingar | Solitude | Elisif the Fair | Imperial | - | Red |
Hjaalmarch | Morthal | Idgrod Ravencrone | Imperial | Sorli the Builder | Pale Green |
The Pale | Dawnstar | Skald the Elder | Stormcloak | Brina Merilis | Cream |
The Reach | Markarth | Igmund | Imperial | Thongvor Silver-Blood | Green |
The Rift | Riften | Laila Law-Giver | Stormcloak | Maven Black-Briar | Purple |
Whiterun | Whiterun | Balgruuf the Greater | Neutral, later Imperial | Vignar Gray-Mane | Yellow |
Winterhold | Winterhold | Korir | Stormcloak | Kraldar | White |
Footnotes[]
Trivia[]
- Taking a carriage to a hold that has no stables (Falkreath, Morthal, Dawnstar, and Winterhold) costs 50 , whereas those with stables (Windhelm, Solitude, Markarth, Riften, and Whiterun) costs 20 .
- The carriage drivers posted outside Windhelm, Solitude, Markarth, Riften, and Whiterun can be asked what they know about said capital.