Summary
One of the major storylines inThe Elder Scrolls: Skyrimis the Civil War arc, which intersects with the main storyline of the return of the dragons. As one of the events in the prophecy that foretells Alduin’s return, Skyrim’s Civil War is something that may have felt inevitable to some, especially in the wake of the White-Gold Concordant.
But the Civil War might not have happened at all if one small event hadn’t happened in Markarth, a city on Skyrim’s far eastern border. While the Civil War arc inSkyrimmay have its faults, the causes of the war are multifaceted and reflect the causes of war in real life, which are triggered not by one but by many events, even when one singular moment seems to light the spark. The Markarth Incident left Ulfric’s faith in the Empire shattered, and inspired his own rebellion against the Empire.
Timeline of events
Markarth’s History
Markarth lies on the border of Skyrim and High Rock, the homeland of the Bretons. Thenative people of the Reachare the Breton Reachmen, who want independence from Skyrim. The Reachmen come into conflict with the Nords who rule over them. As a result, Markarth has had a particularly bloody history thanks to numerous Reachmen uprisings and rebellions, with some Nords being sympathetic to their cause.
The Uprising of the Reachmen
The Reachmen took their chance during theEmpire’s Great War with the Aldmeri Dominion, when the Jarl and his army left Markarth to fight in the war. With Markarth emptied, the Reachmen took over the Reach in 4E174 and declared it independent of Skyrim. Upon the end of the war, the Jarl of Markarth petitioned Jarl Ulfric to assist him in retaking the Reach, with the promise that he’d reinstate Talos worship.
The Talos Problem
Jarl Ulfric agreed to their terms, and defeated the Reachmen, who fled into the mountains and renamed themselves the Forsworn. Ulfric, however, was left with a Hold that was now obligated touphold a promise to reinstate Talos worship, something that was a direct violation of the White-Gold Concordat. Additionally, Ulfric was particularly violent in his retribution for the uprising, executing every able Nord who hadn’t raised arms against the Reachmen.
The Aftermath of The Markarth Incident
Ulfric’s Violent Rule
The Empirearrived to find a violent system in place in Markarth, with the Forsworn rebels either dead, exiled, or in Cidhna mine. Talos was also openly worshiped. If the Aldmeri Dominion had discovered this, it would compromise the fragile peace the Empire had just attained. They allowed the Talos worship for a short time, but eventually banned it, with the Jarl of the Reach turning on Ulfric despite their deal. Ulfric and his militia were thrown out of Markarth.
The Empire’s Actions
The Markarth Incident happened just as the Great War ended, and was something of a test for the new and fragile peacetime the Empire had created. As such, it ended without any real resolution, and the Reach became one of the most unstable regions of Skyrim thanks to the Forsworn. The Markarth Incident alsoleft Ulfric feeling bitter towards the Empireand the Nords loyal to it. It’s believed that the Markarth Incident is what sparked the idea for Ulric’s Stormcloak Rebellion, the act which would drag Skyrim into a civil war with the Nords loyal to the Empire.
Skyrim
WHERE TO PLAY
Skyrim is a beloved game for a reason. There is so much to do in the game, and with the new anniversary updates, even veteran players will have a fresh experience if they haven’t played it in a few years. The modding community around the game is beyond active with some fans even using Skyrim’s foundations to rebuild previous entries into the Elder Scrolls series.Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition brings the epic fantasy to life in stunning detail. The Special Edition includes the critically acclaimed game and add-ons with all-new features like remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections, and more.Skyrim Special Edition also brings the power of Bethesda Game Studios Creations to PC and consoles. New quests, environments, characters, dialogue, armor, weapons and more – with Creations, there are no limits to what you can experience.
