After King Robert I Baratheon’s death, Janos Slynt sided with the Lannisters and Queen Cersei Lannister to make Prince Joffrey Baratheon King. However, with the terrible decisions of Joffrey, Lord Tywin Lannister sends his son, Tyrion Lannister, to King’s Landing to serve as the acting Hand of the King. On getting to the city, Tyrion gets disgusted by the unqualified Lord Janos Slynt and removes him from the small council. He got sent to the Night’s Watch to become its Lord Commander. However, Samwell Tarly convinced everyone to choose Jon Snow instead, to Slynt’s dismay.
Janos Slynt Personal Details
- Name: Janos Slynt.
- Year of Birth: Between 260 and 279 AC.
- Year of Death: 300 AC at Castle Black.
- Allegiances: King’s Landing City Watch, House Slynt, Night’s Watch.
- Titles: Captain of the Iron Gate, Commander of the City Watch, Lord of Harrenhal, Commander of Greyguard.
- Father: An unnamed butcher.
- Children: Morros Slynt, Jothos Slynt, Danos Slynt.
- Culture: Andal.
- Religion: Faith of the Seven.
Appearance and Personality
Janos Slynt is a vile man with a bald head and broad jowl. He is large-framed and corrupt, as he trampled on fairness and justice. To match his large frame, Janos has a frog face and a thick-looking body structure like a keg. For his attire, he wears a high-crested helm with gold and black plates.
Biography
Before becoming a man of importance, Janos was born into a poor household. His father was a butcher in King’s Landing, and after serving as a guard of the Iron Gate, Janos got promoted to the captain’s rank. Later, he received another promotion to the Commander of the City’s Watch in King’s Landing after the previous Commander of the gold cloaks, Manly Stokeworth, passed away.
On becoming Commander of the City Watch, Janos began collecting bribes and would offer promotions to the highest bidder; this led to almost half of his officers paying him a part of their salaries before the end of his tenure.
When Lord Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King for Robert, learned of Janos’s corruption, he got two men to come forward as witnesses. However, before they could testify, they died in a short time. The King’s brother, Lord Stannis Baratheon, began suspecting that Lord Petyr Baelish had convinced his brother to keep the corrupt Commander by explaining that a new successor would be more corrupt.
Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire
A Game of Thrones
When Lord Jon Arryn suddenly died, King Robert traveled to Winterfell and asked Lord Eddard Stark to become Hand of the King. On reaching King’s Landing, Ned Stark learns from Janos that the Hand’s Tourney held for him has brought an influx of new people.
To curb any crimes, Ned tells Janos to hire fifty more men and tasks Lord Petyr Baelish, Littlefinger, the master of coin, with finding the funds for the new men. Ned also agrees to give some men of his household guards to the city guards. When Ned discovers Cersei’s illegitimacy, he confronts her, and she orchestrates her husband’s accident.
Before King Robert dies from his injuries, Eddard plans to proclaim Stannis as the true King. With the strength of the Lannister forces, Eddard plots to use the loyalty of the City Watch to prevent Prince Joffrey from becoming King. He rejects the advice from Lord Renly Baratheon and trusts Petyr, who tells him he will buy Janos Slynt. However, upon challenging Joffrey’s claim to the throne, Eddard’s men get killed in the throne room, and he gets arrested.
In his prison cell, Eddard damns Janos and Littlefinger for betraying him. However, he blames himself the most for falling for Littlefinger’s deception. Janos becomes the new Lord of Harrenhal and takes a new sigil of a bloody spear on a night black field; this angers the nobles at the court. Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the King’s Guard, gets dismissed.
While leaving, Janos and three men try to restrain him, but the knight kills one man with a knife and leaves King’s Landing. After he pleads guilty to treason, Ser Ilyn Payne and Janos perform the execution of Lord Stark according to King Joffrey’s orders on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor. On hearing of Nad’s execution, Lord Tyin Lannister sends Tyrion to fix the mess created by his grandson.
A Clash of Kings
When Tyrion Lannister arrives at King’s Landing, he gets disgusted by the idea of a corrupt person like Janos sitting on the small council. He strips him of his claim over Harrenhal and forces him to join the Night’s Watch. Tyrion replaces Janos with Ser Jacelyn Bywater as Commander of the City Watch and gives Harrenhal to Lord Petyr Baelish. However, a rumor spreads that Tyrion removed Janos because he was too honest; this causes more disdain for Tyrion in the eyes of the people. After sending Myrcella to Dorne, a riot ensues.
A Storm of Swords
When Lord Commander Jeor Mormont goes on the Great Range, Bowen Marsh sends a message to the five kings asking for men and reinforcements to defend the Wall against an attack from Mance Rayder. Tywin then asks Grand maester Pycelle to write a letter to the Watch placing a good word for Janos to become the new Lord Commander; this act makes Tyrion regret not killing Slynt as he did his partner Allar Deem.
After Lord Mormont’s death and Jon Snow’s return to the Watch after killing Qhorin Halfhand, Janos reaches Castle Black and joins Ser Alliser Thorne in accusing Jon of being an oathbreaking traitor. With the help of maester Aemon, Jon gets sent to assassinate Mance Rayder. However, on getting to the camp of the King-Beyond-the-Wall, Stannis Baratheon arrives and defeats the wildlings, taking Mance as a captive.
On capturing Mance, Janos places himself in the contest for the next Lord Commander. However, he notices Stannis’s dislike for him. Janos’s position in the position of Lord Commander as Cotter Pyke and Ser Denys Mallister reduces their likelihood of winning. Later, Sam convinces Cotter and Denys to support Jon as a compromise candidate, and he gets voted to become the new Lord Commander of the Watch.
A Dance with Dragons
On becoming the Lord Commander of the Watch, Jon gives Janos command of Greyguard, an abandoned castle of the Watch. Janos’s refusal to take the Castle makes the Lord Commander angry. Jon orders that Janos should get held down, and though he begs for mercy, the Lord Commander proceeds to behead him for insubordination.
Appearance in Adaptation
In HBO’s Game of Thrones, Dominic Carter portrayed Janos Slynt. He appeared in seasons 1, 2, 4, and 5 and starred in 15 episodes. Though the Commander of the City Watch, many people like Stannis had a distaste for Janos due to his corrupt practices. He partook in level acts like murdering a baby girl called Barra. He later got beheaded by Jon Snow for insubordination.
Janos Slynt: The Vile Man
Even though he had a grass-to-grace story, Janos was one of the vilest men in A Song of Ice and Fire. He had no regard and honor for justice even when he was in a position of authority, and his lack of accountability led to him becoming a corrupt officer. Even after getting sent to the Wall, Janos tried controlling the narrative. However, his pride led to his destruction as he got killed by a young commander with whom he had much experience over.
FAQs
Who was Janos Slynt?
Janos Slynt was the Commander of the City Watch. After he helped Lord Petyr Baelish arrest Lord Eddard Stark, he got promoted to Lord of Harrenhal. However, Tyrion Lannister stripped him of his titles and forced him to join the Night’s Watch.
Who killed Janos?
Janos got killed by Jon Snow. After Jon became Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, he ordered Janos to head to Greyguard, and when he refused, he sentenced him to death.
Why did Alliser Thorne let Jon murder Janos?
Alliser Thorne could not do anything when Jon sentenced his friend. Though Janos was a respected man in King’s Landing, in the Night’s Watch, he was under the leadership of Jon and could not disobey.
What did Janos Slynt do to Ned Stark?
When Lord Stark tried taking the throne, Janos betrayed him and aided in killing his men. When King Joffrey sentenced Ned to death, Janos aided Ser Ilyn Payne and held Lord Stark’s head for the King to see.