Alessian Slave Rebellion The Alessian Slave Rebellion was a widespread and organized slave revolt that occurred within the Ayleid land of Cyrod , now Cyrodiil . Led by the Slave - Queen Alessia , the Nedes revolted against the Ayleids in a massive uprising . The rebellion began in the year 1E 242 and ended a year later in 1E 243 with the fall of the White - Gold Tower and the establishment of the Alessian Empire with Alessia becoming the first Empress . Though it was not the first victory of Men over Mer , it is often considered to be the most influential turning point in the Man - Mer power struggle , marking the point in which Man began to rise to dominance over Tamriel . The Alessian Slave Rebellion , is often used as a symbol of the power of men and the consequences of trafficking with Daedra . History . Prelude . During the early years of the First Era , the land that made up present day Cyrodiil was owned by a powerful race of Elves known as the Ayleids . When coming across the scattered Nedic tribes of Tamriel the Ayleids would occasionally enslaved them , but in time , when certain Ayleids began pursuing the creation of an empire , the Nedic people began to be systematically enslaved in large numbers . Though the Nedes would often fight back , their efforts were ultimately futile to stop their widespread enslavement . The Ayleids enslaved every human they came across , most notably those of Nibenay , and many of the Ayleids , being Daedra worshipers , were horribly cruel to their slaves . Most slaves were used for lifting stones , draining fields , and repairing temples and roads , but other less fortunate slaves were subject to brutal " art - tortures " to please their sadistic masters . Some Ayleid holds became known for the cruel ways they would display their torture victims , such as wailing wheels of Vindasel and the gut - gardens of Sercen . One particularly cruel monarch , known as the Fire - King Hadhuul , was known to force slaves to beget psychedelic drugs which gave the user unbearably tormenting visions , as well as set children aflame for sport . The Ayleid ' s cruel treatment of their slaves undoubtedly played a large role in sparking the subsequent rebellion . Some believe that the Ayleids worship of Daedra created cultural weaknesses within their societies which played a large part in their eventual downfall . A noticeable decline in Ayleid unity occurred during the Narfinsel schism , in which the Barsaebic Ayleids were driven out of Cyrodiil by Daedra worshipers The Rebellion Begins . A young Nedic slave named Alessia from an unknown tribe near Sardavar Leed , received divine inspiration to rebel against her Ayleid masters while atop the hill in which the city of Sancre Tor would later be founded . While praying to the gods , Kyne sent the demi - god , Morihaus , and the Shezarrine , Pelinal Whitestrake , to aid Alessia in her plans to free the slaves of Cyrod , and these three individuals would lead the rebellion which would officially begin in the year 1E 242 . Nord ic victories against the Mer of the North inspired many slaves to join Alessia in her rebellion , and large numbers of mercenaries from Skyrim , and the then Direnni Hegemony joined the rebellion with promises of rich lands and trade concessions . One of Alessia ' s most influential allies were the Ayleid lords from lands where the Aedra were worshiped , rather than the Daedra . Alessia ' s slave rebellion grew to large numbers , but it wasn ' t able to effectively defeat the Ayleid ' s military might until the armies of the Nordic Empire of Skyrim intervened . Legend tells , that the Ayleids reliance on hordes of summoned Daedra and undead , was denied to them once Alessia had made her covenant with Akatosh . According to some , the Ayleids dealings with Daedra created bickering and infighting amongst their people which created exploitable cracks in their societies that the rebellion would take advantage of . The Song of Pelinal . The rebellion ' s strategy for defeating the Ayleids was rather simple , while Morihaus ' and Alessia ' s armies fought the Ayleid armies in the fields of battle , Pelinal would kill their sorcerer - kings in single combat . One by one , Pelinal slayed the Ayleid lords in their holdings . First he killed Haromir of Copper and Tea and screamed praise to the future Emperor Reman , a man who no one knew yet . He would later slay Gordhaur the Shaper at Ninendava and the Fire - King Hadhuul at Ceyatatar . In his first spout of madness , which was caused by the death of his friend Huna , Pelinal wrought complete destruction all the way from Narlemae to Celediil . In their fear of Pelinal , the Ayleid Kings turned to Meridia for help and appointed the demi - god Umaril the Unfeathered as their champion . Pelinal drove the Ayleid armies past the Niben and claimed the eastern lands for the Alessian Rebellion . It is even said that Pelinal ' s advance was so swift , that he accidentally found himself in Elsweyr , slaying a profuse amount of Khajiit before realizing that they were not actually elves . After their losses at Vahtache , and the Bridge of Heldon , as well as the First Pogrom , the Ayleids began retreating back to the White - Gold Tower . While the armies of Alessia , Morihaus , and the Nords were wary of an attack on the Tower , Pelinal thought them cowards and went to conquer the citadel alone . When he entered the Tower , Pelinal killed every Ayleid he came across and challenged Umaril to a duel , defeating him . However , after Pelinal taunted Umaril and the remaining Ayleid Kings , the kings were driven into a frenzy and cut him into eights . The next day , Morihaus stormed the White - Gold Tower and hunted down the surviving Ayleid Kings who remained . Morihaus found the head of Pelinal which was left by the sorcerer - kings to prove that they had killed him , the two spoke until Pelinal died . Aftermath . After the White - Gold Tower was captured in 1E 243 , Alessia declared herself the first Empress of Cyrodiil and the Alessian Empire was formed . The last lands to be liberated by the Alessian Army were in the southern territories of Cyrodiil , most notably the lands in which the city of Bravil would later be founded . Many Ayleids , fearing the rule of men , fled Cyrodiil and settled in Valenwood . However , contrary to the belief of some , Alessia and her heirs did not punish the remaining Ayleids in any harsh way . The Ayleid lords were still allowed to hold their lands as long as they swore fealty to the Empire and submitted to its laws . Slavery and Daedra worship was outlawed throughout the Empire , and all Ayleids were forced to adopt the new Eight Divines religion . While many Ayleids felt humiliated by the changes in their way of life , and the lack of slaves hurt their economy , they were not oppressed in any severe manner . It wouldn ' t be until the Alessian Order gained control of Cyrodiil in 1E 361 that Ayleids would begin to be abused by the Empire .