Balgruuf the Greater Balgruuf the Greater is the Nord Jarl of Whiterun Hold , residing in his great hall , Dragonsreach . He is a major character in the main quest of . Appearance . Jarl Balgruuf wears noble clothes , fur - lined boots , and a gold and ruby circlet for a crown . The Jarl ' s weapon is a unique war axe ( which can only be acquired through Pickpocket ) that carries his name — Balgruuf ' s War Axe . If the Dragonborn fights Balgruuf in " Battle for Whiterun , " he will equip Steel Plate Armor , minus the helmet . Family . He has a brother named Hrongar , and three children , Frothar , Dagny and Nelkir . No one ever mentions the Jarl ' s spouse , but one can speculate that she died at least some time before the beginning of the Dragon Crisis . Nelkir mentions how he does not have the same mother as Dagny and Frothar , suggesting either that the Jarl has been married twice and both his spouses died , or that he was married once and either cheated on his spouse or , after her death , had Nelkir with another woman or is adopted . Personality . While eventually becoming loyal to the Empire , he puts Whiterun ' s interests first , many times denying the Imperial Legion permission to garrison soldiers in his city so as not to portray martial law ― if he is asked what side he is on in the war , he will say that he is " on the side of Whiterun , " showing a great sense of loyalty towards Whiterun . In his neutral stance , he remarks that he may well be obligated to support one or both sides ; the Empire as a province , the Stormcloaks out of loyalty to Skyrim . Indeed , he will only express open hatred of the Stormcloak Rebellion after the Dragonborn chooses a side in the Civil War , slandering them if they seize Whiterun with the Stormcloak army ; according to Gerdur , Balgruuf and Ulfric had been at odds for years and fears Balgruuf will side with the Empire out of spite . Balgruuf ' s distaste for the Stormcloaks may stem from the fact that he had refused to declare for either side , but Ulfric attacked Whiterun anyway by deeming anyone who didn ' t support him as an enemy . He is generally more interested in dragons than the Civil War in which he is involved . Since Whiterun ' s provisions were terribly diminished during the Skyrim Civil War and Ulfric ' s uprising had doubled the costs of goods , Balgruuf ultimately sided with the Empire in order to preserve the more lucrative trade agreements with the Empire . According to his son Nelkir , he still worships Talos and hates the Thalmor as much as Ulfric and the other Nords do , if not more . If encountered at the party at the Thalmor Embassy , he will make this view very clear and will also be more than happy to disrupt the proceedings on behalf of the Dragonborn . Balgruuf has strong bonds with his friend and Housecarl , Irileth , whom he fought alongside with during his time in the Legion . As such , she rarely lets him out of her sight and berates him for a lack of concern for his personal safety . In the Official Game Guide , Balgruuf is viewed by many as the embodiment of a true Nord and his allegiance with the Empire as having actually convinced many would - be Stormcloaks that the Empire may actually be the answer to Skyrim ' s problems . Interactions . Dragon Rising and The Way of the Voice . After the Dragonborn appears before the Jarl to tell him of the dragon attack on Helgen , the Dragonborn learns that another dragon , Mirmulnir , is attacking the Western Watchtower . Together with Irileth and several Whiterun Guard s , the Dragonborn defeats the dragon and returns to the Jarl . Jarl Balgruuf then dubs the Dragonborn Thane of Whiterun ( therefore the Dragonborn recieves Lydia as their Housecarl ) and advises that they visit the Greybeards at High Hrothgar for instruction on how to learn the Thu ' um . Battle for Whiterun . At first , Balgruuf will remain neutral in the Civil War . But once the Dragonborn chooses a side , Balgruuf will eventually decide to help the Imperial Legion , regardless of which side the Dragonborn chose . If the Dragonborn sided with the Legion , Balgruuf will give a speech at the end of the battle . Alternatively , siding with the Stormcloaks means the Dragonborn must fight Balgruuf , Irileth , and several of the Whiterun Guards during the assault . If Vignar Gray - Mane becomes Jarl of Whiterun , Balgruuf , along with Irileth and Proventus , travel to the Blue Palace in Solitude , seeking refuge with Imperial sympathizer Elisif the Fair . Glory of the Dead . He is seen at Kodlak Whitemane ' s funeral if he is the Jarl of Whiterun . Gifts . Once the Dragonborn is recognized as a Thane of Whiterun , they are given a housecarl named Lydia , who can serve as their follower . Additionally , he grants the Dragonborn permission to purchase Breezehome , a house in Whiterun , for 5000 . He also presents the leveled Axe of Whiterun to the Dragonborn , a status symbol of the Thanes of Whiterun . A sword , rather than an axe , may be received .