Holds

Holds are the nine administrative divisions of Skyrim, different from each other both in climate and local government.
Each of the nine Holds is governed by a Jarl who resides in the Hold's capital city. The Jarls are largely independent, but swear fealty to Skyrim's High King, who in turn swears fealty to the Emperor upon joining the Septim empire in the late Second Era.
Each Hold also employs their own guards, who can be identified by the color of their uniform and the Hold symbol they bear on their shields.
Given the independent nature of governance, crimes are tracked independently by each Hold, and a criminal who is wanted in one Hold may have no bounty in another.
==Old Holds==
Winterhold, Eastmarch, The Rift and The Pale are known collectively as the "Old Holds," and have remained more isolated—not only from a geographic standpoint, but a political one as well, given that they are all initially aligned with the Stormcloaks during the civil war.Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Skyrim The Old Holds are bound together in history, as these holds were inhabited by the ancient Nords.
==West Skyrim==
Falkreath, Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, The Reach, and Whiterun are all a part of West Skyrim. The Nords of Western Skyrim are known to be progressive and would see an influence from the Empires of Cyrodiil and other places such as High Rock or Hammerfell. These Holds tend to stick with each other in times of war such as during the Skyrim Civil War and the Alliance War.
==The Holds of Skyrim==
Hold 	Capital 	Jarl 	AllegianceThese can change if the Dragonborn undertakes the Civil War questline. 	Potential Jarl 	Guard Armor Color
Eastmarch 	Windhelm 	Ulfric Stormcloak
These Jarls claim the title of High King or Queen.	Stormcloak Eastmarch and Haafingar are the "centers" of their respective factions.	Brunwulf Free-Winter 	Blue
Falkreath 	Falkreath 	Siddgeir 	Imperial 	Dengeir of Stuhn 	Grey Blue
Haafingar 	Solitude
Solitude is also the overall capital of Skyrim.	Elisif the Fair 	Imperial 	- 	Red
Hjaalmarch	Morthal 	Idgrod Ravencrone 	Imperial 	Sorli the Builder 	Pale Green
The Pale 	Dawnstar 	Skald the Elder 	Stormcloak 	Brina Merilis 	Cream
The Reach 	Markarth 	Igmund 	Imperial 	Thongvor Silver-Blood	Green
The Rift 	Riften 	Laila Law-Giver 	Stormcloak 	Maven Black-Briar 	Purple
Whiterun 	Whiterun 	Balgruuf the Greater	Neutral, later Imperial 	Vignar Gray-Mane 	Yellow
Winterhold	Winterhold	Korir 	Stormcloak 	Kraldar 	White
==Footnotes==
==Trivia==
*Taking a carriage to a hold that has no stables (Falkreath, Morthal, Dawnstar, and Winterhold) costs 50 , whereas those with stables (Windhelm, Solitude, Markarth, Riften, and Whiterun) costs 20 .
*The carriage drivers posted outside Windhelm, Solitude, Markarth, Riften, and Whiterun can be asked what they know about said capital.
==See also==
*County
==Appearances==
*
==References==
de:Fürstentum (Skyrim)
es:Comarcas (Skyrim)
fr:Châtellerie
it:Feudi (Skyrim)
ja:Holds
nl:Vesting
pl:Włości w Skyrim
ru:Владения
sv:Län
*
Category:Culture of Skyrim
Category:Skyrim: Locations
Category:Lore: Regions