The Imperial Library

4E 1

The Fourth Era starts with no Emperor on the throne of Tamriel. The Elder Council is unable to choose a successor, and Ocato reluctantly becomes Potentate. The outlying provinces take advantage of the Empire's weakness.

Source: Rising Threat vol. 3

After 4E 1

The Empire collapses. Most of the provinces secede from the Imperial rule.

In Elsweyr, the Mane is assassinated. A war breaks out in southern Elsweyr. Although the Imperial force still exists in the northern Elsweyr, they cannot keep the order. The Khajiit realm is in chaos. Due to the rule of a Potentate, Rimmen is relatively stable.

During Oblivion Crisis, the Hist called all the Argonian to march back to Black Marsh to defend the realm from the Daedra. After the Oblivion Crisis, as the Imperial is weakening, Black Marsh rebels and currently led by the An-Xileel and the Organism.

Mages Guild dissolves, in its role now there are two Imperial magic guilds: College of Whispers and Synod.

Source: The Infernal City.

4E 6

After the disappearance of Vivec, the power that holds the Ministry of Truth in place starts to diminish. A pair of Dunmer mages, Vuhon and Sul, among others, build the ingenium, a machine to hold the Ministry of Truth in place. During a fight between Sul and Vuhon over the soul of Sul's lover, the Ingenium explodes, catapulting them both into Oblivion. The Ministry of Truth crashes into Vivec City, creating a huge crater that immediately fills with water from the Inner Sea. The crater becomes known as theScathing Bay. The impact of the Ministry of Truth also causes the eruption of the Red Mountain. This chain of events kills thousands and remembered as the Red Year.

In Second Seed, shortly after the cataclysmic eruption of Red Mountain, the crippled Morrowind is invaded by an army of Argonians urged on by the Hist. The nation of Morrowind colapses, and the survivors of the cataclysm and the war flee to the island of Solstheim. The Argonian invasion reaches at least as far north as Red Mountain. Once they hold the province, they make no effort to colonize or rule.

Source: Lymdrenn Tenvanni's Journal, The Infernal City, Lord of Souls

4E 10

Potentate Ocato is assassinated, presumably by Thalmor agents, beginning the Stormcrown Interregnum.

The Elder Council fractures, and many try to claim the Imperial throne, either by force of arms or by some blood claim. These include Eddar Olin and Thules the Gibbering. Violent storms ravage the Imperial City, each one with its eye at the White-Gold Tower.

The Thalmor use this discord as an opportunity to overthrow the rulets of Summurset and install themselves in their place. They purge any discidents and anyone "not of the blood of the Altmer."

Source: Rising Threat vol. 4, The Infernal City

4E 17

Titus Mede, a Colovian warlord, takes control of the Imperial City and the Empire. Skyrim endorses his ascension.

Source: Rising Threat vol. 4, The Infernal City

4E 18

The son of Titus Mede, Attrebus Mede is born.

4E 22

The Thalmor takes full control of Summurset Isle, breaking away from the Empire. The nation is renamed Alinor.

Source: The Great War

4E 23

Annaïg Hoïnart is born.

4E 29

The government of Valenwood is overthrown by the Thalmor, who take control of the province. The Aldmeri Dominion of old is "reborn."

Shortly after, all contact with the outside world is severed.

Source: The Great War

Circa 4E 38

The Dunmer mage Sul managed to escape from Oblivion by jumping from one daedric realm to another. He eventually arrived in Tamriel after thirty-eight years.

Circa 4E 43

The floating city known as Umbriel arrives in Tamriel. First it destroys Lilmoth in Black Marsh by drawing the souls of the inhabitants, and then it continues north. The slain inhabitants of Lilmoth arise as undead and follows Umbriel north toward Morrowind. A Breton girl Annaïg Hoïnart, an Argonian Mere-Glim, along with Prince Attrebus and the Dunmer mage Sul are stranded on the top of Umbriel.
Source: The Infernal City.

4E 57

The alchemist Sinderion recieves a sample of a red nirnroot from an adventurer who claims to have found it in the Blackreach of Skyrim.

Source: Sinderion's Field Journal

4E 58

Sinderion arrives in Skyrim and begins his research on the crimson nirnroots.

Source: Sinderion's Field Journal

4E 98

The moons vanish from the night sky, bringing about the Void Nights. Although all lands view this with "trepidation and fear," the Khajiit have it the worst due to their reliance on the moon's cycles.

Source: The Great War

4E 99

The Aldmeri Dominion resumes contact with the Empire.

Source: The Great War

4E 100

The return of the moons. The Thalmor claim that they used "previously unknown Dawn Magics" to bring them back, though the it is unclear whether they did so or merely knew that the moons would return and capitalized on the situation. Elsweyr heralds the Thalmor as their saviors, and Thalmor power within the province grows while Imperial power diminishes.

Source: The Great War

4E 115

The Elsweyr Confederacy is dissolved and the states of Anequina and Pelletine are reestablished as client states to the Aldmeri Dominion.

Source: The Great War

4E 168

Titus Mede II ascends to the throne.

The Empire is greatly reduced, holding only High Rock, Cyrodiil, Skyrim, Hammerfell, and, nominally, Morrowind. Hammerfell is plagued by fighting between Crown and Forbear, and Morrowind had never recovered from the eruption of Red Mountain.

Source: The Great War

4E 171

30th Frostfall: Aldmeri ambassador arrives in the Imperial City with a an ultimatum and a cart full of the heads of murdered Blades agents. He demands that the Empire pay tribute to the Dominion, disband the Blades, outlaw the worship of Talos, and cede a large part of Hammerfell to the Dominion. Titus II refuses on all terms.

Within days, both Hammerfell and Cyrodiil are attacked by the Dominion. General Naarifin invades Cyrodiil from Elsweyr and eliminating Imperial defenses along the Valenwood border. Leyawiin falls soon after; Bravil is cut off and besieged. Simultaneously, an army led by Lady Arannelya enters western Cyrodiil from Valenwood and continues on to Hammerfell. Due to the civil war, Reguard forces offer limited resistance and the southern coastline is soon in Dominion hands. The outnumbered Imperial legions are forced to cross the Alik'r Desert in what later becomes known as the March of Thirst.

Source: The Great War

4E 172

After their easy success the previous year, the Thalmor make the capture of Cyrodiil their primary objective. They advance further into the province, capturing Bravil and Anvil. By the end of the year, Lord Naarifin's army is at the walls of the Imperial city. There are naval engagements in Lake Rumare and along the Niben as Imperial forces attempt to hold the eastern bank.

The Thalmor consolidate their holdings on the southern coastline of Hammerfell. Only Hegathe is still independent. The survivors of the March of Thirst regroup and join with High Rock forces in the north of Hammerfell.

Source: The Great War

4E 173

Reinforcements from Skyrim arrive in Cyrodiil, but the Aldmeri advance continues. By the end of the year the Imperial City is surrounded on all three sides, leaving only the northern route to Bruma open.

Early in the year, the Forbear armies of Sentinel break the siege of the Crown city of Hegathe, reconciling the two factions. Lady Arannelya's armies cross the Alik'r and clash indecisively with Imperial legions under General Decianus at Skaven. Decianus is forced to retreat and the Dominion's forces take Skaven, though they are too weakened to advance further.

Source: The Great War

4E 174

The Aldmeri Dominion commits all available forces to the conquest of Cyrodiil. Reinforcements arrive in southern Cyrodiil during the spring.

12th Second Seed: the Aldmeri armies launch an assault on the Imperial City. Lord Naarifin's armies attack from the south, east, and west while another army draws up to surround the city from the north. Titus II decides to fight his way out through the north, leaving the Eighth Legion on rearguard. The Eighth is destroyed, but Titus II's armies manage to fight through the Aldmeri besiegers and join forces with reinforcements from Skyrim, led by General Jonna. Meanwhile, the capital falls and is sacked by the invading forces. The Imperial Palace is burned and the White-Gold Tower looted.

The Dominion believes the fight is all but over, and makes several attempts to negotiate with Titus II. He pretends that he is preparing to surrender while gathering forces to retake the city.

In Hammerfell, General Decianus prepares to retake Skaven but is called back to Cyrodiil. He leaves behind his most veteran soldiers disguised as discharged invalids. These soldiers make up the core of the army that drives Lady Arannelya's forces out of Skaven back into the Alik'r in late 174.

Source: The Great War

4E 175

30th Rain's Hand: The Battle of the Red Ring. General Decianus' army, previously hidden in the Colovian Highlands, attacks the Imperial City from the west. General Jonna's armies comes south from Cheydinhal along the Red Ring Road, crossing the Niben and attempting to join with Decianus' forces. Jonna's armies face bitter resistance from Aldmeri counterattacks from Bravil and Skingrad. Decianus is able to take Lord Naarifin's forces by surprise. The main army, commanded by Titus II, attacks from the north.

5th Second Seed: The Altmeri army besieging the city is completely surrounded. The Aldmeri attempting to flee the city break themselves against the southern legions of General Jonna. Titus personally captures Lord Naarifin, and hangs him from the White-Gold tower. He dies (or, according to one account, is taken away by Daedra) after 33 days.

The Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion sign the Concordat of the White-Gold. The terms of the treaty were almost identical to those in the original Dominion ultimatum (including the granting of Hammerfell lands to the Dominion and the outlawing of Talos), but the war-weary Empire is willing to come to peace by any means necessary.

Hammerfell, however, does not want to accept the treaty, and Titus II is forced to remove them from the Empire. The Redguards continue to fight the Dominion.

Source: The Great War

4E 174

The Reachmen take advantage of the weakened state of the Empire to break away and establish the Reach as a kingdom independent from Skyrim. Their king is Madanach.

Source: Bear of Markarth

4E 176

Ulfric Stormcloak retakes control of the Reach, imprisoning Madanach, "King in Rags," and killing most other officials. Madanach leads the Forsworn in a twenty-year underground rebelion against the Nords.

Source: Bear of Markarth

4E 180

The Second Treaty of Stros M'kai is signed after Redguard and Dominion forces come to a stalemate. Aldmeri armies retreat from Hammerfell.

Source: The Great War

4E 182

Cartographer Nathalia Dravarol creates the latest map of Skyrim.

4E 186

Cicero, a Dark Brotherhood assassin, arrives in the Cheydinhal sanctuary after the Bruma sanctuary is destroyed.

Source: Cicero's Journal, part 1.

4E 187

Cicero assassin kills a barroness and the Arena grand champion. The Dark Brotherhood has lost most of its sanctuaries and influence throughout Tamriel.

Source: Cicero's Journal, part 1.

4E 188

7th Sun's Hight: The city of Wayrest falls to corsairs. The Dark Brotherhood sanctuary there is raided and eliminated, leaving only the Cheydinhal, Skyrim, and Corinthe sanctuaries in tact. The Brotherhood's leaders make the decision to close the Corinthe sanctuary and move its members to Cheydinhal.

Late Harthfire, early Sun's Dusk: Bravil's two largest skooma traffickers vie for control, the city descends into violence. The statue of the Lucky Old Lady is destroyed, and the crypt is raided. An assassin name Garnag manages to rescue the Night Mother's coffin.

Source: Cicero's Journal, part 2.

4E 189

Cicero is chosen as the Keeper of the Night Mother's remains. The Night Mother chooses no Listener.

Hearthfire: Cheydinhall descends into violence and chaos. Members of the Dark Brotherhood are slowly killed off, either by circumstances or from inside by the Keeper.

Source: Cicero's Journal, part 3.

4E 190

Cicero becomes insane, murdering two of the three remaining assassins. The third is killed by a bandit in the street.

Source: Cicero's Journal, part 4.

4E 200

Cicero arrives in Skyrim and gains entrance to the Dawnstar Santuary.

Source: Cicero's Journal, part 5.