Ulfric Stormcloak Ulfric Stormcloak is a Nord from Skyrim . He is the son of Hoag , the previous Jarl of Eastmarch . Since 4E 176 Ulfric has been leading a Civil War against the Third Empire , which escalated after he killed High King Torygg in 4E 201 . History . Early life and the Great War . When Ulfric was young , he was chosen by the Greybeards to study with them . He was meant to become a Greybeard himself . After almost 10 years of training , Ulfric had learned the Unrelenting Force and Disarm Shout , then the Great War broke out between the Empire and the Third Aldmeri Dominion . Ulfric decided to take part in the Great War on the side of the Empire , where he fought alongside Legate Rikke and Galmar Stone - Fist . During the war , Ulfric was captured by the Thalmor during their campaign for the White - Gold Tower , and interrogated by Elenwen , who later became the ambassador to Skyrim . Ulfric was led to believe that the information he provided led to the fall of the city , though it had in fact fallen before Ulfric had broken . After the interrogation Ulfric was allowed to escape . The aftermath of the Great War . After the Great War ended , Ulfric was back in Skyrim and had established a millitia . He and the Thalmor had also established direct and cooperative contact , with which he proved his worth as an asset to the Thalmor . Ulfric and the Thalmor staged the so - called Markarth Incident , which was particularly valuable from their point of view regarding Skyrim . Ulfric attacked Markarth and drove out the Reachmen , restoring Markarth to Nordic rule which was particularly valuable to the Thalmor regarding Skyrim , though it resulted in Ulfric becoming uncooperative to direct contact . The Markarth Incident took place as part of the aftermath of the Great War . The Reach was one of the Holds drained of troops . With Markarth in a greatly weakened state , the natives of the Reach , the Reachmen , claimed the city . With the Imperial Legion s still being in Cyrodiil as a result of the Great War , the Jarl of Markarth , Hrolfdir , could not turn to them for aid . As an alternative , he found Ulfric Stormcloak and his millitia . While the Reachmen were making overtures to make peace with the Empire , and be recognised as a legitimate kingdom , Hrolfdir was arranging an agreement with Ulfric . Hrolfdir and Ulfric eventually came to an agreement , Ulfric demanded he and his millitia would be allowed to worship Talos again , and in return the Stormcloaks would take back the city . Hrolfdir promised that Talos worship would be allowed in Markarth , and so the Stormcloaks marched on Markarth . Ulfric and his militia were said to have been relentless when they took over Markarth , with Ulfric saying " You are with us , or you are against Skyrim . " It is said that many of the native Reachmen were killed by Ulfric through executions , though Hrolfdir also played a part in this . After the Legions had returned home from the Great War , they were blocked entrance into Markarth until they too accepted Ulfric ' s term of free Talos worship . With the rumors of deaths rising by the day in the city , the Empire accepted the deal and were permitted entry . The Empire and Markarth ' s Jarl hoped the Thalmor would not find out . When they did find out about it , they demanded Ulfric and his militia be arrested or the Empire risking plunging into a new Great War . The choice was clear , and Ulfric and his entire militia were imprisoned . The Stormcloaks , Skyrim Civil War , and High King Torygg . As a result of the Markarth Incident , the millitia Ulfric had used to conqeur Markarth from the Reachmen were now turned into a rebellious group , known as the Stormcloaks . These Stormcloaks started the Civil War in Skyrim under Ulfric ' s demand . The name " Stormcloak , " according to some , refers to the last name of Ulfric , and was meant as a mockery by the members of the Legion to belittle the Stormcloak ' s cause . Others state that the name was created by the Stormcloaks themselves to show Ulfric ' s ambition for the throne . Regardless of the origins of the name , the Stormcloaks gladly accepted being named after Ulfric , and wear the name with pride . During his time in prison , his father , Hoag died . Ulfric was allowed to leave prison as a result . After this Ulfric made his way back to Windhelm and the people there set him on the throne . One of the deeds that Ulfric did as Jarl was force the Argonian population outside the city walls via a decree , and segregate the Dunmer population to the Gray Quarter . Ulfric also did not act if a group of Argonians , Dunmer refugees , or a Khajiit Caravan is ambushed , only sending aid or investigating when Nords are being threatened . He also continued waging the Skyrim Civil War from Windhelm , originally being rather unsuccesful , and not gaining a lot of support , the Empire did not pay much attention to Ulfric . Some skirmishes were fought between the Stormcloaks and Imperials , even outside Windhelm itself , but the war had not yet fully escalated . The High King at the time , Istlod , had held Skyrim together for 25 years , and following his death the Moot was held . Though Istlod ' s son , Torygg had , by tradition , a justified claim to the throne he still allowed the Moot to meet . Ulfric was at this Moot , and he spoke of Skyrim ' s indepence in terms just shy of treason , for which Torygg greatly respected the man . Torygg was elected as High King by the Jarls of Skyrim , and would rule until his death in 4E 201 . In 4E 201 , Ulfric Stormcloak asked for an audience with the High King and the Court of Solitude . The people thought that , because Ulfric wanted independence , he would ask Torygg to declare independence from the Empire , but instead , Ulfric challenged Torygg to a Traditional Nordic Duel . By Nord tradition , once such a challenge is issued in court , the High King has to accept , or risk another Moot meeting . Torygg died when Ulfric unleashed the Voice during the battle , though Ulfric himself claims it was his sword piercing Torygg ' s heart that killed him . Historically , such duels were vague in whether it was allowed to be fatal or not . Furthermore , Ulfric had also utilized the Thu ' um in the duel , which some considered an unfair advantage and blasphemy of the Way of the Voice . Thus some considered Ulfric a murderer , while others in Skyrim considered it justified and a fair kill . Regardless of whether the kill was murder or not , the death of the High King got the Empire ' s attention , and the Old Holds joined Ulfric ' s cause . As a result of the civil war becoming a big obstacle , General Tullius got sent to Skyrim . Tullius turned things around for the Empire in the short months he had been in Skyrim . Before Tullius ' arrival , Ulfric and his Stormcloaks had always managed to evade capture by the Imperial Legion . But under Tullius ' leadership , the Imperial Legion became more organized and Ulfric got captured at Darkwater Crossing . Originally , Ulfric was meant to be transported back to Cyrodiil , but it was later decided that he would be executed at Helgen . At Helgen , Alduin made his first appearance since the Merethic Era , and in the chaos , Ulfric managed to escape . After the destruction of Helgen , Ulfric made his way back to Windhelm , where he continued to wage the Skyrim Civil War . The Jarls were upset that there was not a High King , and demanded the Moot to meet . But Ulfric did not allow it to meet as he did not want to risk Elisif , the Jarl of Solitude and widow of Torygg , to become High Queen . Season Unending . In 4E 201 , the Last Dragonborn , on his quest to beat the World - Eater , needed to capture a dragon in Dragonsreach , the palace of the Jarl of Whiterun . As Dragonsreach is located in Whiterun , and Whiterun Hold was neutral in the Skyrim Civil War , the Jarl of Whiterun , Balgruuf the Greater , was hesitant to allow the Dragonborn to capture a dragon . The Jarl feared that if he made one wrong move , either the Stormcloaks or Imperials would try to invade his Hold . The Dragonborn and the Jarl made an agreement that if the Dragonborn managed to create a temporary truce between the two factions , the Jarl would help in capturing the dragon . When the Dragonborn asks Ulfric to attend to this council , he is hesitant at first , because not all the Jarls were fully committed to supporting him as High King , and he did not want to risk appearing weak . However , the Dragonborn is eventually able to convince him .