Thane of Windhelm: how to become Thane of Eastmarch
Becoming Thane of Windhelm takes more setup than any other hold, because Ulfric Stormcloak will not even discuss it until you have fought for him in the civil war. The title itself is called Thane of Eastmarch, and it unlocks the housecarl Calder and the Axe of Eastmarch.
Below is how to become Thane of Windhelm in order: the civil war prerequisite for each Jarl, the five favors you need, what Hjerim costs, and the bugs that can leave Brunwulf Free-Winter missing from the Palace of the Kings.
Eastmarch favor quests that count toward Thane of Windhelm (five needed; only the first favor from each citizen counts)
| Quest giver | Where to find them | Quest | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adonato Leotelli | Candlehearth Hall | Delivery | Take his book to Giraud at the Bards College |
| Angrenor Once-Honored or Silda the Unseen | Candlehearth Hall | Beggar | Give a beggar one gold coin |
| Brunwulf Free-Winter | Brunwulf Free-Winter's House | Kill the Bandit Leader | Clear a radiant bandit camp |
| Hillevi Cruel-Sea | House of Clan Cruel-Sea | Delivery | Carry nightshade extract to Wuunferth in the palace |
| Oengul War-Anvil | Blacksmith Quarters | Dungeon Delving | Recover Queen Freydis's Sword from a radiant dungeon |
| Revyn Sadri | Sadri's Used Wares | That Was Always There | Plant Viola's gold ring back in her house |
| Rolff Stone-Fist | Candlehearth Hall | Fight! Fight! | Win a fist fight |
| Scouts-Many-Marshes | Argonian Assemblage | A Few Words with You | Talk Torbjorn Shatter-Shield into paying the dock workers |
| Shahvee | Argonian Assemblage | Dungeon Delving | Recover her Amulet of Zenithar from bandits |
| Stands-In-Shallows | Argonian Assemblage | Some Light Theft | Steal double-distilled skooma for him |
| Torbjorn Shatter-Shield | House of Clan Shatter-Shield | Rare Gifts | Bring an Amulet of Arkay |
| Belyn Hlaalu | Belyn Hlaalu's House | Gather Wheat | Sell him crops from his farm outside the walls |
| Bolfrida Brandy-Mug | Brandy-Mug Farm | Gather Wheat | Harvest and sell crops |
| Tulvur | Hollyfrost Farm | Gather Wheat | Harvest and sell crops |
| Dravynea the Stoneweaver | Braidwood Inn, Kynesgrove | Dravynea's Frost Salts | Bring her frost salts |
| Iddra | Braidwood Inn, Kynesgrove | A Few Words with You | Convince Roggi to pay his tab |
| Kjeld or Ganna Uriel | Steamscorch Mine | Mine Ore or Chop Wood | Sell malachite ore or firewood |
| Roggi Knot-Beard | Steamscorch Mine | Dungeon Delving | Recover his ancestral shield |
| Gilfre | Mixwater Mill | Chop Wood | Sell firewood |
| Annekke Crag-Jumper | Darkwater Crossing | Kill the Bandit Leader | Clear a radiant bandit camp |
| Derkeethus | Darkwater Pass (from Darkwater Crossing) | Extracting an Argonian | Rescue him from the Falmer cave |
| Sondas Drenim or Verner Rock-Chucker | Goldenrock Mine | Delivery or Mine Ore | Deliver a note to Quintus Navale, or sell corundum ore |
Step 1: earn the Jarl's trust through the civil war
Who rules Windhelm decides what you must do first. Both Jarls hold court in the Palace of the Kings.
- Ulfric Stormcloak (default ruler): join the Stormcloaks and capture Falkreath Hold for him in Rescue from Fort Neugrad. If Falkreath was already traded to the Stormcloaks during Season Unending, you may instead need to liberate Hjaalmarch. On top of that, finish the side quest Blood on the Ice, the murder investigation in the Windhelm graveyard.
- Brunwulf Free-Winter (Imperial victory): win the Battle for Windhelm at the end of the Legion questline. He then becomes Jarl and offers the thane path without any Stormcloak quests.
Once the prerequisite is done, ask the Jarl about becoming thane and he adds the objective to assist the people of Eastmarch.
Step 2: assist five people of Eastmarch
You need five favors from citizens of Eastmarch, which covers Windhelm plus Kynesgrove, Darkwater Crossing and the mills and farms around the city. Every quest in the table above counts. Two rules to remember:
- If one person offers several favors, only the first one you finish counts.
- With the Investor perk (Speech 70) you can invest 500 gold in a shop instead. Eligible shops are the White Phial, the Blacksmith Quarters, Sadri's Used Wares and Wuunferth's spell stock in the palace.
Two larger quests also raise Eastmarch dispositions and count: Innocence Lost (the orphanage in Riften, which starts with Aventus Aretino in Windhelm) and Rise in the East for the East Empire Company. Harsh Master for Kjar at the docks does not count, because he is flagged as a Winterhold citizen.
Step 3: buy Hjerim
The Jarl also requires you to own Hjerim, the big house in the Valunstrad district, in the far northwest corner of the city next to the House of Clan Shatter-Shield. Buy it from the steward Jorleif.
The official price is 12,000 gold. In the unpatched game the check only asks for 8,000 (Vlindrel Hall's price), so the steward takes whatever you carry between 8,000 and 12,000. You do not have to furnish it for the title, but note that nothing can be decorated until Blood on the Ice is finished. If you buy the house before that quest, it starts as soon as you step inside.
Step 4: the reward
Return to the Jarl once you have five favors and the house. He names you Thane of Eastmarch and hands over the Axe of Eastmarch, a leveled enchanted axe with a 50 percent chance of being a one-handed war axe or a two-handed battleaxe. Your housecarl Calder is waiting in Hjerim and can be recruited as a follower. Guards in Eastmarch will also forgive one minor crime if you mention your title.
Known bugs on the way to Thane of Windhelm
Two problems are confirmed on UESP:
- After the Battle for Windhelm, Brunwulf Free-Winter sometimes never appears in the palace, which blocks both Hjerim and the title. A reported workaround is to use Unrelenting Force on the ousted Jarls sitting at the palace table, leave the city, and come back.
- After Blood on the Ice, Ulfric occasionally does not offer the thaneship at all.
Save before entering Hjerim for the first time and before turning in the final favor so you can retry if a dialogue fails to appear.
On the map: 6 locations
Thane of Windhelm: how to become Thane of Eastmarch: FAQ
How do you become Thane of Windhelm?
Prove yourself in the civil war (capture Falkreath for Ulfric and finish Blood on the Ice, or win the Battle for Windhelm as an Imperial), help five people of Eastmarch, buy Hjerim from Jorleif, then return to the Jarl in the Palace of the Kings.
Can you become Thane of Windhelm without joining the Stormcloaks?
Yes, but only by defeating them. Win the Imperial civil war questline, including the Battle for Windhelm, and Brunwulf Free-Winter becomes Jarl and offers the title.
How much does Hjerim cost?
12,000 gold officially. The unpatched game only requires 8,000, and the steward takes all your gold if you have between 8,000 and 12,000.
Who is the housecarl in Windhelm?
Calder. He appears in Hjerim after you are named Thane of Eastmarch and can be taken as a follower.
What is the Axe of Eastmarch?
The thane reward for Eastmarch: a random leveled enchanted axe, either a war axe or a battleaxe.
Do quests in Kynesgrove and Darkwater Crossing count for Thane of Windhelm?
Yes. The requirement is five people of Eastmarch, so favors in Kynesgrove, Darkwater Crossing, Mixwater Mill and the farms outside Windhelm all count.