Tytos Lannister

"He was a good man. But a weak man... a weak man who nearly destroyed our House and name."

- Tywin Lannister

Tytos Lannister is an unseen character in Game of Thrones. He is deceased when the events of the series begin. He is not expected to appear in the series. He was the Lord of Casterly Rock and head of House Lannister. He is the grandfather of the major characters Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion Lannister.

Background
He was once Lord of Casterly Rock and head of House Lannister, one of the Great Houses of Westeros. The Lannisters are the richest and one of the most influential families in Westeros. He is the father of Tywin Lannister, and grandfather of Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion.

Lord Tytos raised the kennelmaster of Casterly Rock to knighthood after the latter saved him from a lioness that tried to kill him. He also granted lands, a keep, and the kennelmaster's son was taken as a squire. Thus House Clegane was born.

Tytos presided over a period of decline for the House. He frittered away much of their fortune on poor investments and allowed himself to be mocked at court creating a perception of weakness. Their vassals House Reyne of Castamere rebelled against Lord Tytos. Tywin put down the rebellion personally, extinguishing their house and re-establishing the fearsome reputation of House Lannister. His ruthlessness gave darker meaning to the common phrase "A Lannister always pays his debts" and was immortalized in the song "The Rains of Castamere".

Season 1
When arriving at his father's encampment with a number of hill tribe leaders, Tyrion Lannister introduces his father to them, calling him "Tywin, son of Tytos".

Season 2
At Harrenhal, Tywin recalls watching Tytos growing old to his cup-bearer. Tywin believes that his father loved him and was a good man but weak. He blames Tytos for endangering their house and name.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Lord Tytos was called a kind but weak man. He loaned money to lords who never bothered to repay him and his vassals openly ignored his orders, mocking him in open court. This made his son mistrust laughter, and become a hard and cold man.

Tytos once imprisoned an unruly bannerman, Lord Tarbeck. Lady Tarbeck responded by capturing three Lannisters, including Stafford Lannister, and demanded the release of her husband, otherwise the three hostages would be killed. Young Tywin suggested his father to oblige by sending back Lord Tarbeck in three pieces, but gentle Tytos complied to the threat and released the prisoner. Once Tywin became lord of his house, he destroyed the Tarbecks and the Reynes of Castamere.

According to Kevan, even Tytos' mistress - a woman scarcely one step above a whore - moved into their castle, acted as if she was mistress of the house, and demanded and wore his late wife's jewels, even spoke for Tytos when he was sick. She grew so influential that it was said about Lannisport that any man who wished for his petition to be heard should kneel before her. After his father's death, Tywin sent her naked and penniless out the front gate. For further humiliation, she was forced to walk naked through the streets of Lannisport for two weeks, and to confess to every man she met that she was a thief and a whore. Although no man laid a hand on her, that was the end of her power. Ever since, Tywin despises whores.