High King

The High King or High QueenSome female holders of this role are referred to as High Kings, such as Roleke, who ruled in the late First Era, according to Scandals of Solitude's Royalty. is a monarch who is typically responsible for governing the province, although in places with High Kings or Queens, the holds, regions, or provinces usually have more autonomy than in other places.
==Skyrim==
In Skyrim, the High King or Queen typically inherits the throne by birth and rules for life or until abdication. In the event that no direct heir to the throne exists, High Kings are selected by a moot, or vote, conducted by the current Jarls of each of the nine Holds.Skyrim's Rule High Kings are traditionally either related to the previous High King,Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Skyrim or a Jarl of one of the Holds. Votes occur most commonly when the previous High King dies. By Nordic tradition, a High King can be challenged in a duel by one of the Jarls. If they refuse, the challenger has grounds to call for a moot to elect a new High King.Dialogue with Sybille Stentor
The High King swears fealty to the Emperor, and as such Solitude is the city most directly influenced by Imperial culture and politics; thus the Jarl of Solitude has served as High King for generations. According to some source the Moot is, therefore, more formality and theater than anything else. Other sources state that the Moot always meets to select a new High King.Loading Screens (Skyrim) Originally, the High King was based in Windhelm, as it was the first capital city established by Ysgramor in the Merethic Era. The Capital had also shifted to Winterhold sometime in the First Era, but as of the Fourth Era, the High King reigns from Solitude.
===History===
====Second Era====
As a result of the Reman Empire's fall in 2E 431, High King Logrolf was assassinated. When Jarl Svartr claimed his daughter Freydis was illegitimate, a partial moot in Windhelm convened Freydis was High Queen, while a partial moot in Solitude convened Svartr was High king. As a result, the province was split into the West and East kingdoms, ruled separately by each High Kings of the capitals.The Crown of Freydis In 2E 582, High King Svargrim ruled the West Kingdom until his death in in that year,Events of while High King Jorunn the Skald-King ruled the East Kingdom.Events of 
====Fourth Era====
In the Fourth Era, upon the death of High King Torygg, the Jarls could not agree on the next High King. Torygg's widow, Elisif the Fair, the Jarl of Solitude, had a legitimate claim to the throne.Dialogue with Ulfric Stormcloak However, according to Ulfric Stormcloak, the Jarl of Windhelm, ancient Nord tradition dictates that when the High King is bested in battle, the winner can call a Moot to have a new High King chosen. Ulfric believed this gave him a stronger claim to the throne. This resulted in Civil War because the Empire considered the duel unfair and an act of murder, due to Ulfric's use of the Thu'um. It is strongly implied that Ulfric initiated the challenge, plotting to intimidate the other Jarls into naming him High King,Dialogue with Elisif the Fair though Ulfric and his supporters maintained it was a lawful challenge to prove Torygg's weakness as a leader and Skyrim's wretched condition.Dialogue with Gerdur However, if the city of Solitude is taken by the Stormcloaks and the war resolved in their favor, Ulfric's earlier statement is proven true; saying he supports the decision of the Moot, whether he is crowned King or not. However, he still asks Elisif to swear fealty to him, and all Jarls who fought against him are replaced.Conclusions of hold battles in the Skyrim Civil War
===Previous rulers===
Listed below are the previous High Kings and High Queens of Skyrim followed by their respective reigns:
*High King Harald of Windhelm, Founder of the Kingdom of Skyrim (1E 143–1E 221)Plaque outside of the Palace of the KingsFrontier, Conquest
*High King Hjalmer of Windhelm – (1E 221–1E 222)
*High King Vrage of Windhelm – (1E 222–1E 2?)King Edward, Book X
*High King Gellir – (1E 2?–1E ?)The Aetherium Wars
*High King Borgas of Winterhold, last of the Ysgramor Dynasty (1E ?–1E 369)A History of Daggerfall
*High King Olaf One-Eye of Whiterun (1E 420–1E 452)
*High King Kjoric the White (1E 4?–1E 478)Rislav the Righteous
*High King Hoag Merkiller (1E 478–1E 480)The Five Songs of Wulfharth
*High King Wulfharth (1E 480–1E 533)
*High King Erling of Solitude (1E or early-mid 2E)Walking the World, Vol XIScandals of Solitude's Royalty
*High King Roleke (late 1E)
*High King Irthvyd the Impassive (late 1E, ruled for "decades")
*High King Temylda (late 1E, ruled for up to 40 years)
*High King Alldimar the Ghostmaker (late 1E, ruled for 2 years)
*High King Logrolf of Windhelm (2E ?–2E 431)The Crown of Freydis
*High Queen Freydis of Windhelm – disputed, only controlled Eastern Skyrim – (2E ?–2E ?)Dialogue with Oengul War-Anvil
*High King Svartr of Solitude – disputed, only controlled Western Skyrim – (2E ?–2E ?)
*High Queen Mabjaarn Flame-Hair of Windhelm – disputed only controlled Eastern Skyrim – (2E ?–2E 572)
*High King Svargrim of Solitude – disputed, only controlled Western Skyrim (2E 561–2E 582)
*High Queen Nurnhilde of Windhelm – disputed, only controlled Eastern Skyrim - (2E 572 - 2E 572) The Brothers' War 
*High King Jorunn the Skald-King of Windhelm – disputed, only controlled Eastern Skyrim – (2E 572–2E ?) and the Ebonheart Pact (2E 582 -2E ?)Great Moot atop Skuldafn in Online
*High King Istlod of Solitude, the father of Torygg (4E ?–4E ?)
*High King Torygg of Solitude (4E ?–4E 201) Nords Arise!
====The Jagged Crown====
The Jagged Crown is the crown of the High King of Skyrim and was used to symbolizes the power over Skyrim. It is made from the teeth and bones of dragons. It is believed to date back to the time of King Harald and is said to contain a portion of the power of every king or queen who wore it since.Dialogue with Galmar Stone-Fist
The last monarch to wear the crown was King Borgas, but it was believed lost when he was killed in the Wild Hunt of 1E 369. Legend holds that his body was secretly returned to Skyrim and buried with the crown, but the exact whereabouts were lost in the following War of Succession. During the Civil War questline, the Dragonborn can help recover the crown for either the Imperial Legion or the Stormcloaks, providing a great symbolic victory to the side in question.
====The Crown of Verity====
The Crown of Verity was an alternative to the Jagged Crown created when the Jagged Crown was lost in the Wild Hunt of 1E 369. It infamously rejected Asurn Ice-Breaker as High King in the fifth century of the First Era, cementing its authority deep into Skyrim's politics.
==High Rock==
In High Rock there has only ever been one High King, Emeric of Cumberland. A master warrior, brilliant politician, well-rounded in trading, speechcraft, and a brilliant strategist, he was also the King of Wayrest, High King of High Rock, the founder and Leader of the Daggerfall Covenant, and the founder of the Cumberland Dynasty.
==Hammerfell==
*High King Ja-FrThe Worthy Ar-Azal, His Deeds 
*High King Ar-Azal
*High King Fahara'jadThe (Improved) Emperor's Guide to Tamriel: Hammerfell
*High King Thassad II, the last Na-Totambu High King of HammerfellPocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Hammerfell
**Prince A'Tor, Thassad II Son and heir, mortally wounded during the Battle of Hunding BayIntro of 
*High Queen Iszara, Queen-Regent of HammerfellKurt Kuhlmann: Decrypting The Elder Scrolls - Game Informer
==Nedic civilization==
*High King DuracSaradin's Diary
==Summerset Isles==
*Unnamed High King of Alinor (c. Merethic Era)Before the Ages of Man
*Unnamed High King of Alinor (c. Middle Dawn)Where were you when the Dragon Broke?
*Tamlien
*Hidellith
*High Queen Ayrenn Arana Aldmeri.The Rise of Queen Ayrenn
*Unnamed High King of Alinor (c. 2E 830)
==Valenwood==
Hailing from Reaper’s March, members of the Vinedusk Rangers specialize in using an assassin’s techniques to keep the peace for the High King of Valenwood.Vinedusk Assassin Armor Pack
*Aeradan
==Other nobility==
*Emperor
*King
*Jarl
*Count
*Councilor
==Trivia==
*In ancient and medieval Germanic Europe (on which Skyrim and the Nords are largely based), authority was usually bestowed upon a high king or emperor, who held the title but had varying levels of authority, depending on the country (in England and Germany, very little; in Scandinavia a fair amount). This system was developed out of ancient Germanic tribal tradition, where their rulers were elected by the freemen of the tribe (and in turn, higher rulers were elected from these representatives of the tribes).
==Appearances==
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==Notes==
==References==
de:Großkönig
es:Rey supremo
fr:Haut-Roi
it:Re dei Re
pl:Najwyższy Król
ru:Верховный король
uk:Верховний Король Скайріму
 
Category:Titles
Category:Royalty
Category:Lore: Kings
Category:Culture of Skyrim
Category:Culture of Hammerfell
Category:Government Figures
Category:Nobility