Their base of operations was the Palace of the Kings in the city of Windhelm, with Galmar Stone-Fist serving as their field commander. Others state the name was created by Ulfric himself to show his lust for power. However, the rebels had defiantly taken the name and made it their own, to honor the common cause of Skyrim's independence they are fighting for. The name 'Stormcloaks' was created by the Empire in an attempt to belittle the uprising, by implying that its supporters are Ulfric's personal lackeys in his bid for power. Some Nords, notably Jarl Laila Law-Giver of Riften, did not entirely trust or support Ulfric but back the Stormcloaks as they share the common goal of independence from the Empire, while others feel the civil war bleeds Skyrim dry and will leave the Thalmor as the sole beneficiaries. The Stormcloak rebellion represented a large enough portion of Skyrim's population to have triggered a civil war. They believed once they had consolidated their control over Skyrim, they could set to reforming the autonomous kingdom into a strong and fearless nation capable of finishing the war with Aldmeri Dominion and not be hindered by the Empire's harmful policies. The Stormcloaks saw the Empire's Thalmor influenced laws as a threat to their Nordic way of life. They considered themselves the 'true sons and daughters of Skyrim' since they were the only force in Skyrim who had not capitulated to the Aldmeri Dominion and openly revolted against their influence. The Stormcloaks claimed to hold fast to old Nord customs and values and recruit from those who share their principles. The rebels' stated goals included lifting the ban on Talos worship across Skyrim, expelling or executing all the Thalmor Justiciars who have been granted the authority by the Empire to enforce the White-Gold Concordat within the province, crown Ulfric Stormcloak the High King of Skyrim, and to independently prepare Skyrim for a future war with the Aldmeri Dominion.īesides stemming from deep discontentment with the ban on Talos worship, a secondary motivation behind the Stormcloak uprising was the belief that the Mede Dynasty and the Empire of Cyrodiil had become a puppet state of the Thalmor in all but name, and no longer has the legitimacy to rule over Skyrim. The Stormcloak uprising was initiated by Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak of Eastmarch after the Markarth Incident, and aimed to remove the Imperial Legion from Skyrim and turn the province into an independent kingdom. After the Markarth Incident, Ulfric refused direct contact with the Thalmor. Following the Imperial acceptance of Ulfric's demands, the Aldmeri Dominion forced Ulfric and his militia to be arrested, and established a presence in Skyrim to oversee enforcement of the ban on Talos worship, which had up until that point been largely ignored. Ulfric held the city and refused to surrender it to the Imperial Legion until they agreed to allow Talos worship once again. The Markarth Incident proved his worth to them, although the Thalmor later forcibly imprisoned him.įollowing the signing of the treaty, Ulfric led a force of militia to retake The Reach, which had declared independence under the Forsworn during the Great War.

After the Great War ended, the Thalmor established contact with Ulfric, believing that he could be a valuable asset. The terms of the treaty included banning Talos worship.

Thalmor sources imply that they kept some degree of contact with Ulfric following his escape.Īt the end of the war in 4E 175, Emperor Titus Mede II signed the White-Gold Concordat. During this interrogation, Ulfric was made to believe that he divulged information which led to the fall of the Imperial City before being allowed to escape. During the Great War against the Aldmeri Dominion, Ulfric was taken captive by the Dominion, and interrogated, after which he was listed as an asset to Elenwen.

Thalmor dossier