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{{Character
| Character_name = [[File:House Arryn.svg|50px|left]] Jon Arryn [[File:House Arryn.svg|50px|right]]
| image = [[File:970110 1331165364981 full.jpg|300px]]   
| image_caption =  Allen Douglas © Fantasy Flight Games
| Alias	=
| Title	= [[Lord of the Eyrie]]<br>[[Defender of the Vale]]<br>[[Warden of the East]]<br>[[Hand of the King]]<br>[[Keeper of the Gates of the Moon]]{{ref|affc|10}}<br>[[Knight|Ser]]
| Allegiance = [[House Arryn]]
| Race =
| Culture = [[Valemen]]
| Spouse = 1st: Lady [[Jeyne Royce]]<br>2nd: Lady [[Rowena Arryn]]<br>3rd: Lady [[Lysa Arryn|Lysa Tully]]
| Issue          = Stillborn daughter{{Ref|AGOT|Appendix}}<br>2 Stillborn children{{Ref|AGOT|34}}<br>[[Robert Arryn]]
| Place_of_Birth = the [[Eyrie]]{{ref|awoiaf| Jon Arryn}}
| Date_of_Birth	= or between {{Date|218}} and {{Date|220}} (roughly)<ref name=Calculation>''See the [[Years after Aegon's Conquest/Calculations Ages (Continued)#Jon Arryn|Jon Arryn]] calculation.''</ref>
| Place_of_Death = [[King's Landing]]
| Date_of_Death	= {{Date|298}}<ref name=Calculation/>
| Books	= ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[A Game of Thrones]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[A Clash of Kings]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[A Storm of Swords]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[A Feast for Crows]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[A Dance with Dragons]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Winds of Winter]]'' (mentioned)
| coat-of-arms =
| Played_by = [[w:John Standing|John Standing]]
| TV_series = [[Game of Thrones - Season 1|Season 1]]
}}

'''Jon Arryn''' was a head of [[House Arryn]] whose titles included [[Lord of the Eyrie]], [[Defender of the Vale]], and [[Warden of the East]]. He served as [[Hand of the King]] to [[Robert I Baratheon]] from {{Date|283}} until his unexpected death in {{Date|298}}.{{Ref|aGoT|25}}

Jon was the husband of Lady [[Lysa Arryn]] and father of Lord [[Robert Arryn]], and he acted as a second father to Lord [[Eddard Stark]] and King Robert.{{ref|AGOT|2}}

==Appearance and Character==
{{See also|:Category:Images of Jon Arryn|l1=Images of Jon Arryn}}
Jon had broad shoulders.{{Ref|aGoT|25}} Half of his teeth had fallen out by the time he married [[Lysa Arryn|Lysa Tully]].{{Ref|aSoS|68}} As a younger man he resembled [[Harrold Hardyng]], who has blue eyes, blonde hair, and an aquiline nose.<ref>''[[The Winds of Winter]]'', [[Alayne I (The Winds of Winter)|Alayne I]]</ref> Lysa resented Jon's poor breath.{{ref|ASOS|80}}

Jon had a reputation for being prudent,{{ref|AGOT|20}} calming and wise,{{ref|AGOT|12}} and kindly and trusting.{{ref|AGOT|30}} He was cordial but not friendly toward Lord [[Stannis Baratheon]].{{ref|AGOT|27}}

While in [[King's Landing]], Lysa commissioned a double-edged longsword for Jon which he carried while sitting the [[Iron Throne]] in place of King [[Robert I Baratheon]]. Jon's blade has wings on its crossguard, a falcon-head pommel, and is engraved in silver to resemble mountain sky.{{ref|AGOT|40}} Jon preferred functional armor, rather than jeweled and silvered plate.{{ref|AGOT|27}} Jon's favorite bird was a falcon gifted to him by Robert.{{ref|AFFC|10}}

==History==
===Youth===
Jon was born as the eldest son of Lord [[Jasper Arryn]]. He had a younger brother, [[Ronnel Arryn (son of Jasper)|Ronnel]], and a sister, [[Alys Arryn|Alys]], who married Ser [[Elys Waynwood]]. Jon was Keeper of the [[Gates of the Moon]] while Jasper lived, and after his father's death Jon named his brother Ronnel and later his cousin [[Denys Arryn|Denys]] to that position.{{Ref|aFfC|10}} Because of the [[Vale mountain clans]], Jon always traveled in strength when crossing the [[Mountains of the Moon]].{{ref|AGOT|28}}

Jon's first wife was [[Jeyne Royce]], but she died in childbed, their daughter stillborn. His second marriage was to [[Rowena Arryn]], a cousin, who died of a winter chill during a childless marriage.{{ref|AGOT|Appendix}} Because he had no children, Jon's heir became his nephew, [[Elbert Arryn|Elbert]], the son of Ronnel.{{ref|ASOS|41}}

Jon fostered [[Eddard Stark]] and [[Robert I Baratheon|Robert Baratheon]] as his wards in the [[Vale of Arryn]]. As they grew, the two boys became close companions and regarded the childless Jon as a second father.{{ref|AGOT|2}} The only blade used by Robert was a hunting knife he received from Jon as a boy.{{ref|ASOS|32}} Jon declined to foster the grandsons of Lord [[Walder Frey]].{{ref|ASOS|14}}

===Robert's Rebellion===
:{{main|Robert's Rebellion}}
Jon's heir, [[Elbert Arryn]], was murdered by King [[Aerys II Targaryen]] in [[King's Landing]],{{Ref|ACOK|55}} and the Mad King then demanded that Jon execute his wards, [[Eddard Stark]] and [[Robert I Baratheon|Robert Baratheon]]. Jon refused, however, and raised his banners in revolt,{{Ref|AGOT|2}} beginning what would become known as [[Robert's Rebellion]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Vale: House Arryn}} While Ned Stark returned to the [[north]] to call his banners, Jon and Robert led the [[taking of Gulltown]], allowing Robert to return to the [[stormlands]].{{Ref|ADWD|9}} [[Lyn Corbray]] fought against Jon at Gulltown, but submitted after the battle and joined Jon's host.{{ref|AFFC|23}}

Ser [[Denys Arryn]], Jon's cousin and new heir, was slain by Lord [[Jon Connington]] during the [[Battle of the Bells]].{{Ref|ASOS|29}} In order to gain Lord [[Hoster Tully]] for the rebels, Eddard and Jon agreed to marry Hoster's daughters, [[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn]] and [[Lysa Arryn|Lysa]].{{Ref|ASOS|2}} Because Lysa was proven fertile, Jon hoped to secure a new heir for the failing Arryn line, and so Jon and Eddard [[Marriage|married]] the Tully sisters in a dual ceremony at [[Riverrun]].{{Ref|ASOS|2}}

Jon participated in the [[Battle of the Trident]],{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Vale: House Arryn}} during which Robert killed Aerys's son, Prince [[Rhaegar Targaryen]]. During the [[Sack of King's Landing]], not only the Mad King but also Rhaegar's wife, [[Elia Martell]], and children, Princess [[Rhaenys Targaryen (daughter of Rhaegar)|Rhaenys]] and Prince [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Rhaegar)|Aegon]], were killed. Eddard was appalled by the brutality of the acts but Robert's hatred for the [[House Targaryen|Targaryens]] made him consider the murders necessary, creating a temporary rift between the two that even Lord Arryn was unable to breach.{{Ref|aGoT|12}} When Robert Baratheon ascended to the [[Iron Throne]], he appointed Jon as his [[Hand of the King|Hand]].{{Ref|aGoT|2}}

===Hand of the King===
[[File:King Robert Baratheon Hand Jon Arryn.jpg|thumb|350px|Jon as [[Hand of the King|Hand]] for King [[Robert I Baratheon]]]]

The first task Jon undertook was making peace with [[Dorne]]. The southern region was incensed by the deaths of Prince [[Lewyn Martell|Lewyn]] and Princess [[Elia Martell|Elia]] during the war, and Prince [[Oberyn Martell]] tried to raise the kingdom to support [[Viserys Targaryen]], the surviving son of King [[Aerys II Targaryen|Aerys II]]. The year after [[Robert I Baratheon]] took the throne ({{Date|284}}), Jon returned the bones of Lewyn to [[Sunspear]] and brokered a peace with [[Doran Martell]], the [[Prince of Dorne]].{{ref|aSoS|38}} However, Ser [[Gregor Clegane]] and Ser [[Amory Lorch]], who had killed Elia and her children, went unpunished by Robert, creating a persistent bone of contention between the [[Iron Throne]] and Dorne.{{Ref|aSoS|53}}

To strengthen Robert's hold on the throne, Jon negotiated the king's marriage with [[Cersei Lannister]]{{ref|aGoT|30}} and advised that he retain her brother, Ser [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]], on the [[Kingsguard]], thereby opposing Lord [[Eddard Stark]], who proposed sending Jaime to the [[Wall]] for his killing of King Aerys.{{ref|aSoS|36}} Robert also considered the assassinations of Viserys and [[Daenerys Targaryen|Daenerys]], believed to be the last two [[House Targaryen|Targaryens]] and thus possible threats, but Jon dissuaded the king from the idea.{{Ref|aGoT|12}}

Robert left Jon with much of the responsibility of running the [[Seven Kingdoms]], but Jon could not stop Robert from spending huge amounts of [[coin]] on [[Tourney|tournaments]] and excess, putting the realm in serious debt.{{Ref|aGoT|20}} While he was at court, Lord [[Nestor Royce]] ruled as [[High Steward of the Vale]].{{Ref|aGoT|34}} Jon appointed [[Janos Slynt]] as [[Commander of the City Watch]] after the death of [[Manly Stokeworth]].{{ref|ADWD|7}}

[[File:House arryn by jubah.png|thumb|Jon and his son [[Robert Arryn|Robert]], art by [http://jubah.deviantart.com/ Juliana Pinho] ©]]

Jon's marriage with Lysa was loveless, with Lysa finding Jon to be too old and hating his bad breath. After three girls and two boys miscarried, Lysa gave Jon a sickly son and heir, [[Robert Arryn]].{{Ref|aSoS|68}} Lysa organized for her childhood friend, [[Petyr Baelish]], to administer the customs at [[Gulltown]] and later convinced her husband to bring him to the court in [[King's Landing]]. Petyr was made [[master of coin]] under Jon as Hand.{{Ref|aSoS|80}} [[Hugh]] became Jon's squire.{{Ref|aGoT|30}} Jon brought Ser [[Mandon Moore]] to King's Landing and King Robert made him a member of his [[Kingsguard]], though neither of the two loved him very much.{{Ref|aSoS|12}}

===Death===
Jon was considered robust for his age, but he became ill the night after he borrowed [[Grand Maester]] [[Malleon]]'s [[The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms|book]], and quickly wasted away. Jon's maester, [[Colemon]], tried treating an assumed stomach illness by purging the body. The moribund Jon kept mentioning the name Robert, and his final words to his wife [[Lysa Arryn]] and King [[Robert I Baratheon]] were "the seed is strong".{{Ref|aGoT|25}}{{Ref|aCoK|25}} Lysa believes this to be a reference to their own son, [[Robert Arryn]], but it is more likely that Jon was referring to what he had learned about the [[House Baratheon|Baratheon]] lineage while studying Malleon's book.{{Ref|aGoT|45}}{{Ref|aCoK|25}} Afterwards, his speech became too slurred to comprehend and he died the following morning.{{Ref|aGoT|25}}

After Jon's death, King Robert suggested to Lysa that her young son Robert should become a ward of Lord [[Tywin Lannister]] and be sent to [[Casterly Rock]], as he feared that being raised by his mother would make his namesake weak. Lysa refused the suggestion brusquely and, against the wishes of the king, one night fled from [[King's Landing]] with her son and returned to the [[Vale of Arryn]].{{Ref|aGoT|4}} She was accompanied by Maester Colemon, Jon's steward, the captain of the guard, and knights and retainers.{{ref|AGOT|25}}

==Recent Events==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
[[File:Jon Arryn TheMico.jpg|thumb|200px|Jon Arryn by TheMico ©]]
King [[Robert I Baratheon]] decides that Lord [[Eddard Stark]] should succeed Jon as [[Hand of the King]], which angers both Queen [[Cersei Lannister]], who had hoped her brother Ser [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]] would assume the position and fears that Eddard would move to curb [[House Lannister|Lannister]] influence, and Lord [[Stannis Baratheon]], who thinks he is owed the position through his fifteen years of service on the [[small council]].{{Ref|aGoT|8}}{{Ref|aCoK|Prologue}} Shortly after Robert and his entourage leave for [[Winterfell]] to ask Ned Stark to become his Hand, Stannis goes back to [[Dragonstone]].{{Ref|aGoT|20}} 

Lysa writes a coded letter to her sister, [[Catelyn Stark]], in which she claims that Jon was murdered by Queen Cersei. This convinces Catelyn and eventually Eddard, who had been inclined to refuse King Robert's offer, that he must assume the position of Hand, so that he can find out the truth about Jon's death and expose those responsible.{{Ref|aGoT|6}}{{Ref|aSoS|80}} 

However, when Eddard arrives at the [[Red Keep]], he realizes that Lysa's return to the [[Eyrie]] with most of the Arryn household and Stannis's departure to Dragonstone prevent him from questioning crucial witnesses about the circumstances and background of Jon's death. Left without other options, he begins to rely on information provided by Lords [[Petyr Baelish]] and [[Varys]]. Petyr, known as Littlefinger, provides Ned with the names of Jon's former household remaining in the capital, and [[Jory Cassel]] speaks with Jon's serving girl, potboy, stablehand, and squire, the newly-knighted Ser [[Hugh|Hugh of the Vale]].{{ref|AGOT|20}}{{ref|AGOT|25}} After Hugh is killed by Ser [[Gregor Clegane]] in the [[Hand's tourney]],{{ref|AGOT|29}} Varys suggests that Jon might have been poisoned by his squire.{{Ref|aGoT|30}} 

Eddard learns that Jon and Stannis visited the armory of [[Tobho Mott]] where [[Gendry]] was employed, one of Robert's [[bastard]]s who bore a striking resemblance to his father. They also visited [[Chataya's brothel]], where Robert had fathered a girl, [[Barra]], who also clearly had the king's features.{{Ref|aGoT|27}}{{Ref|aGoT|30}} The increased contact with Stannis apparently also contributed to Jon's planning to send his son [[Robert Arryn]] to be fostered by Stannis at Dragonstone.{{Ref|aGoT|40}}

Jon was seeking further proof that Cersei's children could not be Robert's in Grand Maester [[Malleon]]'s book ''[[The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms]]'', a ponderous tome lent to him by Grand Maester [[Pycelle]]. The book would have informed him, as it later informs Lord Stark, that whenever members of houses [[House Lannister|Lannister]] and [[House Baratheon|Baratheon]] wed, their offspring always bore clear Baratheon features (unlike Cersei's children [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]], [[Myrcella Baratheon|Myrcella]], and [[Tommen Baratheon|Tommen]], who more closely resemble the Lannisters).{{Ref|aGoT|25}}{{Ref|aGoT|45}} Jon's investigation became known to a number of people at the court, including Pycelle, Varys, Cersei, and Littlefinger. Varys saw Jon's life in danger and begged him to employ a taster, but Jon dismissed the suggestion that anyone would try to poison him.{{Ref|aGoT|30}}

Meanwhile, Eddard's wife, Catelyn, takes [[Tyrion Lannister]] captive at the [[crossroads inn]] for his assumed role in plotting her son [[Bran Stark|Bran's]] death.{{ref|AGOT|28}} Catelyn brings Tyrion to the Eyrie, where her sister Lysa accuses him of having poisoned Lord Jon. Ser [[Vardis Egen]] wields Jon's falcon sword during Tyrion's [[trial by combat]], but he is slain by Tyrion's representative, [[Bronn]], and Tyrion is set free.{{ref|AGOT|40}} The widowed Lysa is courted by numerous nobles, but she intends to choose her own husband.{{ref|AGOT|34}}

Eddard learns that Queen Cersei's children had been fathered not by King Robert but by her brother Jaime, which would make the children illegitimate and Stannis therefore Robert's rightful heir.{{ref|AGOT|44}}{{ref|AGOT|45}}{{ref|AGOT|47}} It is too late to inform King Robert, however, as the king goes hunting in the [[kingswood]] and fighting breaks out in the [[riverlands]] in response to Tyrion's abduction by Catelyn.{{Ref|aGoT|39}}{{Ref|aGoT|43}}{{Ref|aGoT|45}} Robert dies after being gored by a boar during his hunt.{{ref|AGOT|47}}{{ref|AGOT|49}}

Stannis remains at Dragonstone,{{ref|AGOT|58}} which keeps him from directly challenging the legitimacy of Joffrey I when the youth assumes the [[Iron Throne]].{{ref|AGOT|49}} Eddard, betrayed by Littlefinger,{{ref|AGOT|49}} is later executed by order of the new king.{{ref|AGOT|65}}

===''A Clash of Kings''===
Varys insinuates to [[Tyrion Lannister]] that an unnamed person had suggested to [[Stannis Baratheon]] that Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] and Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] were having an incestual relationship.{{ref|ACOK|15}} Concerned that such a suggestion coming from him would be seen as motivated by his own ambitions, Stannis reveals to [[Renly Baratheon]] and [[Catelyn Stark]] that he did not confide in King [[Robert I Baratheon]] but instead raised the issue with Jon Arryn, whom the king would be more inclined to believe.{{Ref|aCoK|31}}

Tyrion forces Grand Maester [[Pycelle]], a staunch supporter of [[House Lannister]]'s interests, to confess he believed that Cersei wanted Jon dead. The queen considered Jon a threat to her plan of putting her son [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]] on the [[Iron Throne]] after her husband, Robert, had been disposed of.{{Ref|aFfC|3}} Pycelle believed that Jon was about to act on his knowledge by making preparations to send his wife, [[Lysa Arryn]], to the [[Eyrie]] and his son, [[Robert Arryn]], to [[Dragonstone]].{{Ref|aCoK|25}} Although Cersei had not given him explicit orders in this regard and was not even in [[King's Landing]] at the time, Pycelle assumed responsibility for the treatment and thereby assured that Jon died, despite the efforts by Maester [[Colemon]]—whom Pycelle sent away—to save him.{{ref|ACOK|25}}

===''A Storm of Swords''===
Jon's widow, [[Lysa Arryn]], weds her childhood friend, Lord [[Petyr Baelish]], at [[Drearfort|his tower]] on the [[Fingers]].{{ref|ASOS|68}} Lysa names Petyr as [[Lord Protector of the Vale]], angering Jon Arryn's bannermen.{{ref|ASOS|80}} At the [[Eyrie]], [[Sansa Stark]] learns that unbeknownst to Jon, Lysa and Petyr had maintained a relationship since their youth.{{Ref|aSoS|80}}

Upset at having witnessed a kiss between Petyr and Sansa, Lysa reveals she had convinced Jon to bring Petyr to court in [[King's Landing]] so that they could be close together.{{Ref|aSoS|80}} Littlefinger had persuaded Lysa to poison Jon's wine with [[tears of Lys]], suggesting to her that this would both remove the obstacle to their marriage and prevent Jon from sending [[Robert Arryn]] to [[Stannis Baratheon]] at [[Dragonstone]]. Lysa did as she was bidden. Petyr had also encouraged Lysa to write the letter to her sister, [[Catelyn Stark]], claiming the [[House Lannister|Lannisters]] were behind Jon's death, which contributed to the outbreak of the [[War of the Five Kings]]. Littlefinger pushes Lysa through the [[Moon Door]] and blames her death on the singer [[Marillion]].{{Ref|aSoS|80}}

===''A Feast for Crows''===
A [[House Waxley|Waxley]] knight states that Lysa had given Jon's favorite falcon to Marillion.{{ref|AFFC|10}}

==Family Tree==
{{Arryn tree}}

==Quotes about Jon==
{{Quote|I need good men about me. Men like Jon Arryn.{{Ref|AGOT|4}}|[[Robert I Baratheon]] to [[Eddard Stark]]}}

{{Quote|Jon Arryn was a wise man and a good [[Hand of the King|Hand]].{{ref|AGOT|12}}|[[Eddard Stark]] to [[Robert I Baratheon]]}}

{{Quote|I loved that old man, I swear it, but now I think he was a bigger [[fool]] than [[Moon Boy]].{{Ref|AGOT|30}}|[[Robert I Baratheon]] to [[Eddard Stark]]}}

{{quote|Lord Arryn was a dutiful husband, but [[Lysa Arryn|their marriage]] was made from politics, not passion.{{ref|AGOT|34}}|[[Brynden Tully]] to [[Catelyn Stark]]}}

{{Quote|The seed is strong, Jon Arryn had cried on his deathbed, and so it was.{{Ref|AGOT|45}}|thoughts of [[Eddard Stark]]}}

{{quote|'''Stannis''': I believed [[Robert I Baratheon|Robert]] would be more disposed to listen if the charges came from Lord Arryn, whom he loved.<br>'''Renly''': Ah. So we have the word of a dead man.{{ref|ACOK|31}}|[[Stannis Baratheon]] and [[Renly Baratheon]]}}

{{Quote|[[Lysa Arryn|Lysa's]] match with Lord Arryn had been hastily arranged, and Jon was an old man even then, older than [[Hoster Tully|their father]]. An old man without an heir. His first two wives had left him childless, [[Elbert Arryn|his brother's son]] had been murdered with [[Brandon Stark]] in [[King's Landing]], [[Denys Arryn|his gallant cousin]] had died in the [[Battle of the Bells]]. He needed a young wife if [[House Arryn]] was to continue ... a young wife known to be fertile.{{Ref|ASOS|2}}|thoughts of [[Catelyn Stark]]}}

{{Quote|The death of the noble [[Hand of the King|Hand]], Jon Arryn, has unleashed a [[War of the Five Kings|madness on the land]], a madness of pride and violence.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Afterward}}|writings of [[Yandel]]}}

==References==
{{References|3}}

{{Lords of the Eyrie}}
{{Hands of the King}}
{{Small council}}

[[Category:House Arryn]]
[[Category:Characters from the Vale|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Characters killed by Petyr Baelish|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Deaths by poison|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Hands of the King|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Keepers of the Gates of the Moon|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Lords of the Eyrie|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Members of Robert Baratheon's court|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Nobles|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Rebels of Robert's Rebellion|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Veterans of Robert's Rebellion|Arryn, Jon]]
[[Category:Wardens|Arryn, Jon]]

[[es:Jon Arryn]]
[[fa:جان ارن]]
[[fr:Jon Arryn]]
[[pt:Jon Arryn]]
[[ru:Джон Аррен]]
[[zh:&#29756;&#24681;&#183;&#33406;&#26519;]]