Fourth Era

*"That day, the Aldmeri Dominion declared war on the Empire, and I knew that day truly was the beginning of the end."*
―Esbern[src]
The **Fourth Era**, also called the **Fourth Age**, is a period of time on Nirn. The Fourth Era starts with the death of the last emperor and heir to the Septim bloodline, Martin Septim. It ended when Empress Marcella Varian defeated Alduin and made peace with the Third Aldmeri Dominion and she beginning the Fifth Era. This era is the shortest age of Tamriel, and was only shown to the player in the events of *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim*.

## First Century

**4E 0 — End of the Oblivion Crisis.**

* The banishing of Mehrunes Dagon from Tamriel by the Hero of Kvatch, Martin Septim, and the avatar of Akatosh ends the Oblivion Crisis. The Varian bloodline ends and the Amulet of Kings is destroyed. The Third Era ends, marking the beginning of the Fourth.
* The Fourth Era begins with no Emperor on the throne of Tamriel. High Chancellor Ocato, the Elder Council, and the Blades try to maintain order. The provinces start to take advantage of the Empire's weakened state.
* After the destruction of the Crystal Tower during the Oblivion Crisis, the Thalmor begin to rise to political power, having claimed credit for driving back the Daedra. They begin to purge opposition from government.
* Black Marsh secedes from the Empire during the aftermath of the Oblivion Crisis.

**4E c.5-6 — Red Mountain erupts, destroying Vvardenfell.**

* In Vivec's absence, the Ministry of Truth becomes unstable. Vuhon creates an Ingenium that uses souls to stabilize itself. In an effort to free one of the captives used to power it, the Ingenium is destroyed and the rock crashes into the city of Vivec with all the energy it originally had. The impact causes Red Mountain to erupt and destroys the entire island of Vvardenfell, as well as causing massive destruction to the rest of the province.

**4E 06 — The Argonians invade southern Morrowind after the eruption of Red Mountain.**

* Some claim it was incited by the Thalmor, others claim it was a result of the slavery that Morrowind had in the past. In an event known as the Argonian Invasion, a group of Argonians invades and sacks the city of Mournhold, resulting in the deaths of thousands, causing several refugees to flee across Tamriel, most notably Skyrim. Afterwards, the official capital of Morrowind moves west to the city of Blacklight.

**4E 10 — Gratian Caerellius dies deep inside an underground mine in Raven Rock.**

* After receiving a letter from the East Empire Company, Gratian Caerellius and his assistant Millius set sail for Raven Rock, off the coast of Solestheim. Once they arrive, they enter the mine to examine whatever the miners uncovered. They reveal that the miners uncovered an ancient Nordic barrow, belonging to something called the Bloodskal Clan. Then, they encounter a weapon called the Bloodskal Blade and remove it from its pedestal, only to immediately be attacked by Draugr. Despite them successfully killing the Draugr, both men die of wounds, but not before coming across a strange door with unusual markings on it. Unfortunately, their bodies were never found, and the mine was shut down shortly afterwards, damaging Raven Rock's reputation.

**4E c. 15-22 — Ocato, Imperial Potentate since the Elder Council made an unsuccessful bid to select a new Emperor, is assassinated.**

* The Stormcrown Interregnum ensues, fracturing the Elder Council and leading to civil war as pretenders attempt to claim the Ruby Throne.

**4E 16 - The High King of Skyrim gives the island of Solstheim to Morrowind to help the refugees from the province after the eruption of Red Mountain.**
**4E 22 — The Thalmor seize control of Summerset Isle and rename it Alinor.**

* Taking advantage of Imperial confusion stemming from the Stormcrown Interregnum, the Thalmor overthrow the existing Altmer monarchy, purging non-Altmer as well as dissidents.

**4E c. 22-29 — Titus Mede is crowned Emperor after taking the Imperial City.**. This source tells us that Titus Mede ends the Stormcrown Interregnum after 7 years. It is likely, however, that he was crowned before 4E 29, as the Thalmor would have needed time to engineer a coup in Valenwood, which likely required knowledge of the Emperor.

* Seven years after the assassination of Potentate Ocato, the Colovian warlord Titus Mede takes the Imperial City by force with only 1,000 men, becoming the new Emperor.

**4E 29 — The Aldmeri Dominion is recreated after Alinor and Valenwood proclaim a union, and all contact is severed with the Empire for 70 years.**

* The union came about after a Thalmor-backed coup overthrew Valenwood's government. The Empire and its Bosmeri allies are caught off-guard and defeated by Altmer forces that invaded Valenwood supported by Bosmeri soldiers following the coup.

**4E 42 — The Night of Green Fire occurs in Sentinel's refugee district.**

* A group of Altmer dissidents fleeing persecution from oppression of the Aldmeri Dominion, take refuge in Sentinel in Hammerfell. However, a team of Thalmor agents attacks that night, resulting in both sides fighting with magical attacks. The Imperial Legion arrives shortly afterwards, only to find out that the entire district was destroyed and that all the dissidents were killed.

**4E 49 — Umbriel, a floating city, appears on the coast of Black Marsh, heading toward Morrowind.**

* The city of Lilmoth, Black Marsh, the home of Annaïg Hoïnart, is destroyed in the process.

**4E 98 — The two moons of Nirn, Masser and Secunda, vanish for two years in what becomes known as the Void Nights.**

## Second Century

**4E 100 — The Void Nights end, with the Thalmor taking credit for the return of Nirn's moons.**

* The Khajiit credit the Thalmor as their saviors and Imperial influence in Elsweyr begins to wane dramatically.

**4E 115 — The Elsweyr Confederacy dissolves due to coup into the two kingdoms of Anequina and Pelletine, which the Aldmeri Dominion accepts as client states.**

**4E 122 — The Great Collapse of Winterhold occurs but the College of Winterhold remained untouched.** The Sea of Ghosts batters the shore, causing several districts of the city of Winterhold to disappear overnight, devastating it and causing massive damage. In a shocking twist, the College remains unharmed. This led to several controversies, where some people believe that the College caused it themselves, where others believe the College knew about it and chose not to tell or warn anyone. Other people however, believe that the collapse may have been caused by the explosion of Red Mountain, claiming that there were many far-reaching consequences, which could only be felt several years later. Unfortunately, Winterhold never recovered, and the College's reputation was ruined for good.

**4E 125 — Varian Ruby Rebellion begins between Antonius Mede and Reman Varian.**

**4E 128 — Varian Ruby Rebellion ends after the Battle of the Imperial City and suddenly disappearance or death of Antonius Mede.**

**4E 129 — Reman Varian ascends to the throne and founding of the Varian Dynasty.**

**4E 160 — Emperor Reman Varian died and Emperor Caius Varian ascends to the throne.**

* The Empire is now a shadow of its former glory. Valenwood and Elsweyr had been ceded to the Thalmor, Black Marsh had been lost to Imperial rule since the Oblivion Crisis, Morrowind had yet to fully recover from the eruption of Red Mountain, and Hammerfell was plagued by infighting between the Crown and Forbear factions. Only High Rock, Cyrodiil, and Skyrim remained prosperous and peaceful.

**4E 168 — The birth of Tulvia Varian.**

**4E 171 — The Great War begins with armies from the Third Aldmeri Dominion invading the Imperial provinces of Hammerfell and Cyrodiil.**

* The **Third Aldmeri Dominion's** invasion force overwhelms Imperial defenses.
* After Caius Varian rejects an ultimatum to make massive concessions to the Thalmor, Aldmeri armies invade. An army led by Thalmor general Lord Naarifin emerges from hidden camps in northern Elsweyr and assaults southern Cyrodiil, flanking Imperial defenses along the Valenwood border. Leyawiin falls to the invaders, and Bravil is surrounded and besieged. Simultaneously, an army under Lord Arannelya crosses western Cyrodiil, bypassing Anvil and Kvatch and entering Hammerfell. This army is joined by smaller forces landing on Hammerfell's coast. Imperial troops are forced into retreat across the Alik'r Desert.

**4E 173 — The birth of Marcella Varian.**

**4E 174 — The Imperial City is sacked by Aldmeri forces.**

* Caius Varian flees north from the city, smashing through the surrounding Aldmeri forces with his main army and linking up with reinforcements heading south from Skyrim under General Jonna. The Imperial City falls to the invaders. The Imperial Palace is burned, White-Gold Tower is looted, and the Aldmeri commit many atrocities against the defenseless populace.
* The Reachmen manage to overthrow the Nords in the Reach and take control of the Hold, due to the Legion garrison being called back to Cyrodiil.

**4E 175 — The Battle of the Red Ring results in the complete destruction of the Aldmeri army in Cyrodiil, a victory for the Empire precipitating the end of the Great War.**

* A combined Cyrodilic-Skyrim army led by Caius Varian is assembled at Bruma. The army then assaults the Imperial City.
* The Imperial City is retaken and Caius Varian's decision to withdraw from it the previous year is vindicated. Despite this resounding victory, however, the Empire is exhausted and unable to continue the war. Realizing this, Titus II seeks to negotiate with the Aldmeri Dominion to end the war.

**4E 175 — The Great War ends with the White-Gold Concordat.**

* The Concordat is a peace treaty between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion. The terms of treaty gave the Thalmor free reign to stamp out the worship of Talos throughout the Empire, and ceded a large section of southern Hammerfell. Critics note that these terms are almost identical to the ultimatum that Titus II rejected at the start of the war.

**4E 175 — Hammerfell leaves the Empire after rejecting the White-Gold Concordat.**

* Titus II renounces Hammerfell as a province of the Empire to preserve the treaty after the Redguards oppose ceding their lands. The Redguards see this as a betrayal, and a lasting bitterness between Hammerfell and the Empire is sown to the delight of the Thalmor. Hammerfell continues to war with the Aldmeri Dominion for the next five years.

**4E 176 — The Markarth Incident takes place.**
**4E 180 — The Second Treaty of Stros M'kai is signed.**

* Having been fought to a standstill by the Redguards, the Aldmeri Dominion completely withdraws from Hammerfell. The Aldmeri Dominion lost nearly a third of its invasion force during the process. The Imperial lands are left in further ruin and there is political instability. The Aldmeri Dominion further overpower the Imperium in terms of military and economy.
* The Great Reconstruction begins in Cyrodiil, Hammerfell, Valenwood, and Morrowind.

**4E 184 — Caius Varian and his wife Brelyna was killed at the Battle of Grimpen Ward. His brother, Flavius I succeeded to the throne as Flavius Varian I.**

**4E 198 — The War of the Red Dragon begins.**

**4E 199 — Flavius Varian I dies. His niece, Marcella Varian inherited the throne.**

## Third Century

**4E 200 – Empress Marcella Varian introduce her popular institution laws.**

* Marcella reorganized of The Synod, supported the same-sex marriage, and rebuilding relationship with the Elder Council.

**4E 201 – The High King of Skyrim is killed by Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm.**

* Ulfric kills the High King Torygg with the Thu'um and proclaims right to the throne, following ancient Nordic custom.

**4E 201 – The Nords of Skyrim engage in a Civil War.**

* Ulfric begins the Stormcloak rebellion in an attempt to take the throne of the High King and secede from the Empire.
* Ulfric is captured and sent to Helgen to be executed along with other rebels and two unrelated prisoners after a surprise ambush led by Imperial General Tullius.
* Marcella Varian involved during the civil war, managed to allied herself with the Imperial-allied Jarls in Skyrim.

**4E 201 – The Dragon Crisis begins and the War of the Red Dragon ends.**

* Before Ulfric was to be executed, the first dragon seen in centuries attacks and destroys the small keep of Helgen, killing mostly everyone defending the keep outside, but leaving a small number of survivors in his wake: Imperial soldiers, Stormcloaks, and an unknown prisoner.
* Ulfric Stormcloak escapes the execution, and returns to Windhelm.

**4E 201 – The Rebellion crushed.**

* Empress Marcella Varian led her legions to takeover the Stormcloaks forts, and with General Tullius and Legate Rikke sieged Windhelm, which led to deaths of Ulfric Stormcloak and Galmar Stone-Fist, and ended the rebellion
* Brunwulf Free-Winter becomes the new Jarl of Windhelm.

**4E 201 — The Third Aldmeri Dominion declares war on the Fourth Empire.**

* The war erupted over Empress Marcella Varian's Talos's worship.
* Both of the Aldmeri and the Empire's caravans and travelers, who carried supplies are both severely destroyed or damaged with their ecompanies crippled.
* Both the Empire and the Third Dominion signed the Second White-Gold Concordat that lasted over three-hundred years.
* Marcella Varian made peace with Tamriel and Cyrodiil.

## References

1. ↑ *The Oblivion Crisis*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 *Rising Threat*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 *Lymdrenn Telvanni's Journal*
4. ↑  Template:Crescius Caerellius
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 *The Great War*
6. ↑ Template:Legate Fasendil
7. ↑ *An Elder Scrolls Novel: The Infernal City*
8. ↑ *The Keepers of the Razor*
9. ↑ *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim*
10. ↑  Dialogue with Hold Guards
11. ↑  Dialogue with Ulfric Stormcloak in *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim*
12. ↑ Events of "Unbound" in *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim*