Janos Slynt

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Janos Slynt City watch.png
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Janos Slynt by henning.jpg
by Henning Ludvigsen, FFG©.

Titles
Allegiances
Died In 300 ACCastle Black
Books

Played by Dominic Carter
TV series Season 1 | Season 2
Commander of the City ([tv show])

Lord Janos Slynt is the head of House Slynt and commander of the City Watch of King's Landing. His father was a butcher.[1] In the TV series, he is played by Dominic Carter.[2]

Appearance

He is a stout man, with jowls and a bald pate.[3] He is frog-faced and built like a keg.[4]

History

Slynt was captain of the Iron Gate and was raised to commander of the City Watch after the death of the previous commander, Manly Stokeworth.[5]

During his reign as Commander of the Gold Cloaks, Janos was known for taking bribes and selling positions and promotions. By the end of his tenure, over half the officers were paying him part of their salaries. Jon Arryn discovered this and had two men who were willing to come forward to testify against Janos, but both were found dead a short time later. Despite this, Arryn still wished for Slynt to be dismissed but Robert Baratheon stated that...

"They all steal, better one we know the next man might be worse."[6]

Thus Slynt retained his office. According to Stannis Baratheon, these were Littlefinger's words coming from Robert's mouth; Stannis stated that Baelish undoubtedly knew of Slynt's corruption and made sure the crown profited from it as much as Janos. Stannis also swore that if he had been king, Slynt would have lost more than his office for such corruption.[6]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Janos Slynt is the Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing during the Tourney of the Hand.[3] When Lord Eddard Stark attempts to wrest control of the crown from Queen Cersei, Janos swears the swords of the City Watch to him. However, in the Throne Room, he betrays Lord Eddard and personally kills Eddard's guard Varly. He is raised to Lord of Harrenhal for his services to the crown.[7]

A Clash of Kings

Lord Janos sits on the Small Council when Tyrion Lannister arrives in King's Landing. He is later stripped of Harrenhal and sent to join the Night's Watch by Tyrion along with the men he has suggested as replacements for him as Commander of the City Watch. He's replaced by Ser Jacelyn Bywater[4], though Tyrion believes that in getting rid of Slynt for Bywater, he has merely replaced a man loyal to Littlefinger with one loyal to Varys.

Tyrion's action against Janos Slynt displeases his sister Cersei[8] while it elicits a statement from Sansa, made in Joffrey's presence, that she wishes the Others will get Slynt when he's at the Wall, with which she angers the King.[9] Petyr Baelish cites Slynt's fate when Tyrion offers him Harrenhal as gift for his services to the Crown, meaning when he betrayed Eddard Stark, pointing out that Slynt had received Harrenhal for the same reason and thus suggesting that the fruit might be poisoned. To which Tyrion replies that, while he had no use for Slynt, the same is not true for Littlefinger.[8]

A Storm of Swords

Not knowing that Renly is already dead, Bowen Marsh of the Night's Watch sends an appeal to the five kings, in which he asks them to send men to defend the Wall and the realm against an expected attack by Mance Rayder's wildlings. He also tells them about the possible death of Lord Commander Mormont during the Great Ranging. When Grand Maester Pycelle informs Lord Tywin Lannister about the letter, the Hand of the King is annoyed about the neutrality the Night's Watch keeps in the War of the Five Kings and suggests that no help will be sent, until a Lannister ally has been installed as new Lord Commander and brings discipline back to the Wall. Pycelle suggests Janos Slynt for the position, angering Tyrion Lannister, who reminds his father that he was against a butcher's son holding Harrenhal. Lord Tywin disagrees, arguing that "there is a tool for every task, and a task for every tool". When Tyrion objects that Slynt will sell himself to the highest bidder, Lord Tywin answers that he counts that in the man's favor. Knowing that the Black Brothers chose their own commander and direct support for Slynt would thus be unwise, Lord Tywin orders Pycelle to write a letter to Marsh in the name of King Joffrey, in which the demand for men is rejected for the time being but the "fondest regards to his faithful friend and servant Lord Janos Slynt" are also expressed.[10]

Slynt arrives at Castle Black and hauls Jon Snow before him on charges of treason and oathbreaking. He allies with Ser Alliser Thorne and Ser Glendon Hewett. He brings Rattleshirt out who confirms that Jon killed Qhorin Halfhand. He has Jon arrested and placed in an ice cell.[11]

After being prevented by Maester Aemon from hanging Jon, Slynt sends Jon to assassinate Mance Rayder, hoping that Jon will be killed in the process.[12]

Slynt puts himself forth as candidate to succeed Jeor Mormont as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, with the support of Ser Alliser Thorne and later on of Bowen Marsh as well.[13] Slynt also tries to persuade Stannis to support him, but Stannis's dislike for Slynt and his distaste for the man's sycophantic flattery put an end to it. Due to the rivalry between Cotter Pyke and Ser Denys Mallister, Slynt's chances improve. In the end, he is defeated by the efforts of Samwell Tarly who persuades Pyke and Mallister to support Jon Snow as a compromise candidate.[6][14]

A Dance With Dragons

Janos Slynt by Paul Phillips©

To avoid Slynt undermining his authority with his scheming, to separate him from his ally Alliser Thorne and in view of his experience, Jon Snow, now Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, decides to give Slynt command of the abandoned way castle Greyguard.

Still under the misapprehension that Jon's youth and inexperience give him licence to do as he pleases, Slynt refuses to follow Jon's orders, doing so the second time publicly. At this point, Jon, sick of Slynt's insubordination and knowing either imprisoning Slynt or forcing him to go would only cause further problems, orders that Slynt should be taken to the top of the Wall and hanged, though Slynt remains arrogantly confident that Jon wouldn't go through with the execution. However, Jon ultimately decides to follow the moral code that Eddard Stark had set his sons, and orders his men to fetch a chopping block so Jon can carry out the beheading himself, under the laws of the First Men his father had followed: namely 'The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.' With his head on the block, Slynt begs for mercy and says he will obey Jon's orders, but Jon tells him it is too late, though Jon is merciful and kills Slynt quickly. Stannis Baratheon, who watches the execution, approves of Jon's behavior.[5]

Family

 
 
 
Unknown
butcher
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Janos
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Morros
 
Jothos
 
Danos
 
Daughter
 


References and Notes

See also

The Janos Slynt article on the Game of Thrones wikia.