The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is one of the most successful RPGs of all time, giving players a vast world to explore and having consequences for many of the decisions that they make.The Civil War is one storyline in which players can control the outcome and narrative as they decide to side with either the Imperial Legion or the Stormcloak Rebellion. With the decisions that players make in this storyline, many of the Jarls ruling over the various Holds in Skyrim can be overthrown, forcing the Holds to switch their allegiance and progress the narrative of the Civil War.
The Jarls are essentially rulers that are tasked with protecting the people of the Hold they reside in as well as making decisions for the people. As a result, Jarls are often corrupted by greed and power, so when players decide to keep or overthrow a Jarl, the consequences may not be seen in the Hold’s capital city, but its effects are felt during the Civil War storyline, and even during the main questline. Players may want to know which Jarls in Skyrim side with the Stormcloaks on their quest to liberate Skyrim, and which give their allegiance to the Imperials as they attempt to gain complete control of the continent.
Jarls Who Side With The Stormcloaks
At the start of Skyrim, each Hold will have a single Jarl in place that has already shared their allegiance with either the Stormcloaks or the Imperials. So, players will either assist or attack these Holds based on which side of the war they decide to support. At the start of the game, there are four Jarls that side with the Stormcloaks, the most popular of these being Ulfric Stormcloak, the leader of the rebellion and Jarl of Eastmarch, who wishes to liberate Skyrim and her people from the Imperial. The three other Jarls supporting Ulfric at the start of the game are the Jarl of The Pale, Skald; the Jarl of The Rift, Laila Law-Giver; and the Jarl of Winterhold, Korir.
If the players choose to side with the Stormcloaks, they will travel to the other five holds and overthrow the Jarl that is protected by the Imperials. When this happens, the Hold gets a new Jarl that shares an allegiance with the Stormcloaks and brings the rebels a step closer to complete victory. The new Jarls that can be appointed by the Stormcloaks are the Jarl of Falkreath Hold, Dengeir of Stuhn; the Jarl of The Reach, Thongvor Silver-Blood; the Jarl of Hjaalmarch, Sorli the Builder; and the Jarl of Whiterun, Vignar Gray-Mane. The last Jarl is the ruler of Skyrim and the Jarl of Solitude, Elisif the Fair, who eventually changes allegiances after the Stormcloaks emerge victorious.
Jarls Who Side With The Imperials
Like the Stormcloak side, players can choose to side with the Imperial Legion as they attempt to gain total control of all Skyrim. At the start of the game, there are five Jarls that side with the Imperials, the most notable being Elisif the Fair, the Jarl of Solitude, and the only Jarl to keep her place no matter the result of the war. The other initial Jarls that side with the Imperials are the Jarl of Falkreath Hold, Siddgeir; the Jarl of The Reach, Igmund; the Jarl of Hjaalmarch, Idgrod Ravencrone; and the Jarl of Whiterun, Balgruuf the Greater. If the player sides with the Imperial Legion, they will be responsible for protecting the cities where the Jarls reside and attacking enemy cities to overthrow the Jarls that side with the Stormcloaks.
There are four Jarl changes that take place when siding with the Legion during the Civil War storyline in Skyrim. The new Jarls that take over following the liberation of the Stormcloaks from each hold are the Jarl of The Pale, Brina Merilis; the Jarl of The Rift, Maven Black-Briar; the Jarl of Winterhold, Kraldar; and the Jarl of Eastmarch, Brunwulf Free-Winter. The latter of these Jarls takes over at the end of the Civil War when Ulfric Stormcloak’s forces are finally defeated, and the Imperial Legion gains total control over Skyrim and her people.
Skyrim provides players with a sense of freedom but also ensures that the choices they make can be felt throughout the game. With the Civil War playing a vital role in the development of the continent, it has become one of the most popular storylines in the game and is often cited as one of the most enjoyable thanks to the various city raids that need to be completed to capture a Hold. With all the possible changes that can occur depending on what side of the war the player chooses to side with, Skyrim's Civil War storyline introduces a variety of different characters while strengthening the lore of the world and giving Elder Scrolls players insights into the future of Tamriel.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
