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Elder Scrolls

The Fourth Era, also called the Fourth Age,[1] is a period of time on Nirn. The Fourth Era starts with the death of the last emperor and heir to the Septim bloodline, Martin Septim. The events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and The Elder Scrolls: Legends occur during this era.

First Century[]

4E 0 – End of the Oblivion Crisis.

4E c.5–6Red Mountain erupts, destroying Vvardenfell.[3]

  • In Vivec's absence, the Ministry of Truth becomes unstable. Vuhon creates an Ingenium that uses souls to stabilize itself. In an effort to free one of the captives used to power it, the Ingenium is destroyed and the rock crashes into the city of Vivec with all the energy it originally had. The impact causes Red Mountain to erupt and destroys the entire island of Vvardenfell, as well as causing massive destruction to the rest of the province.

4E 06 – The Argonians invade southern Morrowind after the eruption of Red Mountain.[3]

  • Some claim it was incited by the Thalmor,[2] others claim it was a result of the slavery that Morrowind had in the past.[3] In an event known as the Argonian Invasion, a group of Argonians invades and sacks the city of Mournhold, resulting in the deaths of thousands, causing several refugees to flee across Tamriel, most notably Skyrim. Afterwards, the official capital of Morrowind moves west to the city of Blacklight.

4E 10Gratian Caerellius dies deep inside an underground mine in Raven Rock.[4]

  • After receiving a letter from the East Empire Company, Gratian Caerellius and his assistant Millius set sail for Raven Rock, off the coast of Solestheim. Once they arrive, they enter the mine to examine whatever the miners uncovered. They reveal that the miners uncovered an ancient Nordic barrow, belonging to something called the Bloodskal Clan. Then, they encounter a weapon called the Bloodskal Blade and remove it from its pedestal, only to immediately be attacked by Draugr. Despite them successfully killing the Draugr, both men die of wounds, but not before coming across a strange door with unusual markings on it. Unfortunately, their bodies were never found, and the mine was shut down shortly afterwards, damaging Raven Rock's reputation. In addition, the East Empire Company claimed that both men died in a tunnel accident, only complicating matters even further.

4E c. 15–22Ocato, Imperial Potentate since the Elder Council made an unsuccessful bid to select a new Emperor, is assassinated.[2]

4E 16 – The High King of Skyrim gives the island of Solstheim to Morrowind to help the refugees from the province after the eruption of Red Mountain.

4E 22 – The Thalmor seize control of Summerset Isle and rename it Alinor.[5]

  • Taking advantage of Imperial confusion stemming from the Stormcrown Interregnum, the Thalmor overthrow the existing Altmer monarchy, purging non-Altmer as well as dissidents.[2]

4E c. 22–29Titus Mede is crowned Emperor after taking the Imperial City.[2]. This source tells us that Titus Mede ends the Stormcrown Interregnum after 7 years. It is likely, however, that he was crowned before 4E 29, as the Thalmor would have needed time to engineer a coup in Valenwood, which likely required knowledge of the Emperor.

  • Seven years after the assassination of Potentate Ocato,[2] the Colovian warlord Titus Mede takes the Imperial City by force with only 1,000 men, becoming the new Emperor.

4E 29 – The Aldmeri Dominion is recreated after Alinor and Valenwood proclaim a union, and all contact is severed with the Empire for 70 years.[5]

  • The union came about after a Thalmor-backed coup overthrew Valenwood's government. The Empire and its Bosmeri allies are caught off-guard and defeated by Altmer forces that invaded Valenwood supported by Bosmeri soldiers following the coup.[2]

4E 42 – The Night of Green Fire occurs in Sentinel's refugee district.[6]

  • A group of Altmer dissidents fleeing persecution from oppression of the Aldmeri Dominion, take refuge in Sentinel in Hammerfell. However, a team of Thalmor agents attacks that night, resulting in both sides fighting with magical attacks. The Imperial Legion arrives shortly afterwards, only to find out that the entire district was destroyed and that all the dissidents were killed.

4E 49Umbriel, a floating city, appears on the coast of Black Marsh, heading toward Morrowind.[7]

4E 98 – The two moons of Nirn, Masser and Secunda, vanish for two years in what becomes known as the Void Nights.[8]

Second Century[]

4E 100 – The Void Nights end, with the Thalmor taking credit for the return of Nirn's moons.[5]

  • The Khajiit credit the Thalmor as their saviors and Imperial influence in Elsweyr begins to wane dramatically.

4E 101 — The Isle of Artaeum mysteriously disappears, taking the Psijic Order along with it.[9] In a shocking twist, the Psijic Order retreats back to the Isle of Artaeum, only to completely disappear yet again. However, approximately 100 years later, an apprentice from the College of Winterhold begins seeing visions from members of the Psijic Order, warning them about unavoidable danger ahead.

4E 115 – The Elsweyr Confederacy dissolves due to coup into the two kingdoms of Anequina and Pelletine, which the Aldmeri Dominion accepts as client states.[5]

4E 122The Great Collapse of Winterhold occurs but the College of Winterhold remained untouched.[10] The Sea of Ghosts batters the shore, causing several districts of the city of Winterhold to disappear overnight, devastating it and causing massive damage. In a shocking twist, the College remains unharmed. This led to several controversies, where some people believe that the College caused it themselves, where others believe the College knew about it and chose not to tell or warn anyone. Other people however, believe that the collapse may have been caused by the explosion of Red Mountain, claiming that there were many far-reaching consequences, which could only be felt several years later. Unfortunately, Winterhold never recovered, and the College's reputation was ruined for good.

4E 168Emperor Titus Mede II ascends to the throne.

4E 171 – The Great War begins with armies from the Aldmeri Dominion invading the Imperial provinces of Hammerfell and Cyrodiil.

  • The Aldmeri Dominion's invasion force overwhelms Imperial defenses.
  • After Titus II rejects an ultimatum to make massive concessions to the Thalmor, Aldmeri armies invade. An army led by Thalmor general Lord Naarifin emerges from hidden camps in northern Elsweyr and assaults southern Cyrodiil, flanking Imperial defenses along the Valenwood border. Leyawiin falls to the invaders, and Bravil is surrounded and besieged. Simultaneously, an army under Lord Arannelya crosses western Cyrodiil, bypassing Anvil and Kvatch and entering Hammerfell. This army is joined by smaller forces landing on Hammerfell's coast. Imperial troops are forced into retreat across the Alik'r Desert.

4E 174 – The Imperial City is sacked by Aldmeri forces.

  • Titus II flees north from the city, smashing through the surrounding Aldmeri forces with his main army and linking up with reinforcements heading south from Skyrim under General Jonna. The Imperial City falls to the invaders. The Imperial Palace is burned, White-Gold Tower is looted, and the Aldmeri commit many atrocities against the defenseless populace.
  • The Reachmen manage to overthrow the Nords in the Reach and take control of the Hold, due to the Legion garrison being called back to Cyrodiil.

4E 175 – The Battle of the Red Ring results in the complete destruction of the Aldmeri army in Cyrodiil, a victory for the Empire precipitating the end of the Great War.

  • A combined Cyrodilic-Skyrim army led by Titus II is assembled at Bruma. The army then assaults the Imperial City.
  • The Imperial City is retaken and Titus II's decision to withdraw from it the previous year is vindicated. Despite this resounding victory, however, the Empire is exhausted and unable to continue the war. Realizing this, Titus II seeks to negotiate with the Aldmeri Dominion to end the war.

4E 175 – The Great War ends with the White-Gold Concordat.[5]

  • The Concordat is a peace treaty between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion. The terms of treaty outlawed the worship of Talos throughout the Empire, and ceded a large section of southern Hammerfell. Critics note that these terms are almost identical to the ultimatum that Titus II rejected at the start of the war.[5]

4E 175Hammerfell leaves the Empire after rejecting the White-Gold Concordat.[5]

  • Titus II renounces Hammerfell as a province of the Empire to preserve the treaty after the Redguards oppose ceding their lands.[5] The Redguards see this as a betrayal, and a lasting bitterness between Hammerfell and the Empire is sown to the delight of the Thalmor. Hammerfell continues to war with the Aldmeri Dominion for the next five years.

4E 180 – The Second Treaty of Stros M'kai is signed.[5]

  • Having been fought to a standstill by the Redguards, the Aldmeri Dominion completely withdraws from Hammerfell. The Imperial lands are left in further ruin and there is political instability. The Aldmeri Dominion further overpower the Imperium in terms of military and economy.

4E 180 – The Markarth Incident takes place.[11][12][13]

  • Ulfric Stormcloak retakes the Reach from the native Reachmen.[14]
  • Many Reachmen are either executed, or flee into the hills.[12]
  • The King of the Reachmen, Madanach is spared execution, and thrown into Cidhna Mine instead.[11]
  • The Imperial Legion returns from Cyrodiil, and accepts Ulfric Stormcloak's demand of free Talos worship.[15][16]
  • The Thalmor learn of the events at Markarth, and demand Ulfric's arrest.[16][17]
  • Emperor Titus Mede II is forced to crack down on Talos worship, and allow the Thalmor Justiciars to enforce the Concordat within Imperial land.[18]

Third Century[]

4E 201 – The High King of Skyrim is killed by Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm.

  • Ulfric kills the High King Torygg with the Thu'um and proclaims right to the throne, following ancient Nordic custom.[19][20]

4E 201 – The Nords of Skyrim engage in a Civil War.

  • Ulfric begins the Stormcloak rebellion in an attempt to take the throne of the High King and secede from the Empire.
  • Ulfric is captured and sent to Helgen to be executed along with other rebels and two unrelated prisoners after a surprise ambush led by Imperial General Tullius.

4E 201 – The Dragon Crisis begins.

  • Before Ulfric was to be executed, the first dragon seen in centuries attacks and destroys the small keep of Helgen, killing mostly everyone defending the keep outside, but leaving a small number of survivors in his wake: Imperial soldiers, Stormcloaks, and an unknown prisoner.[21]
  • Ulfric Stormcloak escapes the execution, and returns to Windhelm.
  • The Last Dragonborn discovers their power.

References[]

Eras
Third Era 4E 1 – Present Fifth Era
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