The legend is known in neighboring Poland (under the name Jerzy Janoszik also Janosik, Janiczek or Janicek[1]) and the Czech Republic as well as Slovakia.

The actual robber had little to do with the modern legend, whose content partly reflects the ubiquitous folk myths of a hero taking from the rich and giving to the poor.

The image of Jánošík as a symbol of resistance to oppression was reinforced when poems about him became part of the Slovak and Czech middle and high school literature curriculum, and then again with the numerous films that propagated his modern legend in the 20th century.

He grew up in the village of Terchová in the Habsburg monarchy's Kingdom of Hungary area (present-day Žilina District in northwestern Slovakia).

Under Jánošík's leadership, the group was exceptionally chivalrous: they did not kill any of the robbed victims and even helped an accidentally injured priest.

According to a widespread legend, he was caught in a pub run by Tomáš Uhorčík, after slipping on spilled peas, thrown in his way by a treacherous old lady.