Lore:Madanach

King Madanach
King Madanach as seen in Skyrim
Race	Reachman	Gender	Male
Born		4th Era
Reign		4E 174- 4E 176
Previous Ruler		Hrolfdir
Next Ruler		Hrolfdir
Resided in		The Reach
Appears in		Skyrim

Madanach, also known as the King in Rags, was the leader of the Forsworn Rebellion. He once ruled all of The Reach as king, although only for a short time. Taking advantage of the Empire's preoccupation with the Great War, in 4E 174, he led the uprising to drive the Nord Jarl Hrolfdir from power in the Reach. According to historians, this brief period of Reachman independence was peaceful, with only the cruelest Nord landowners being put to death, and the nascent kingdom made overtures seeking formal recognition from the Empire. There are hints that this may have included religious concessions to the Empire, most likely pertaining to the legal status of Daedra worship in The Reach.

However, Hrolfdir and his son, Igmund, eager to reclaim the Reach, accepted an offer from Ulfric Stormcloak to retake it with his militia in exchange for the reinstatement of Talos worship in the Reach, in the vain hope that the Thalmor would not hear of this violation of the White-Gold Concordat. Per this agreement, in 4E 176, Ulfric stormed and took the capital of the Reach, Markarth, capturing Madanach in the process.

Although Madanach's surviving supporters, now known as the Forsworn, dispersed throughout the Reach and continued agitating for Reachman independence through terrorist means, Madanach himself was imprisoned in Cidhna Mine, and ultimately sentenced to death. However, at the behest of one of the Nord nobles, Thonar Silver-Blood, his execution was delayed. Thonar offered Madanach a deal; he would be spared and allowed to continue to lead his rebellion from captivity, as long as the Forsworn killed the Silver-Bloods' enemies and spared their allies. Madanach thus remained imprisoned in Cidhna Mine for 25 years, all the while building a core of loyal followers among his fellow prisoners, most of whom were Reachmen, and resentfully honoring his agreement with Thonar, waiting for him to get complacent and trust in his control over the Forsworn.

In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn discovered the shady relationship between the Forsworn and Silver-Bloods while investigating a Forsworn attack in the marketplace targeting a seemingly innocent Cyrodiilic visitor to Markarth, who was actually one of General Tullius' agents sent to wrest ownership of Cidhna Mine from the Stormcloak-sympathizing Silver-Bloods. The city guard, who profited from the situation, silenced the Dragonborn by framing them for the unsolved murders committed by the Forsworn and indefinitely imprisoning them in Cidhna Mine with Madanach and his followers. The Dragonborn sought out and met Madanach there. Madanach gave the Dragonborn the choice of helping him and the other imprisoned Forsworn escape Markarth to Druadach Redoubt so that they could finally stop serving the Silver-Bloods, or duelling him to the death to avenge the deaths Madanach had ordered, as well as his attempts to kill and silence the Dragonborn during their investigation. Although the Dragonborn's choice is unknown, they escaped Cidhna Mine and were pardoned, as the Forsworn's responsibility for the murders was revealed.

He was a proficient spellcaster, specializing in the arts of ice magic and conjuration.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Skyrim article.

References

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