Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (Armenian: Կիլիկիոյ Հայկական Թագաւորութիւն, not to be confused with the Armenian Kingdom of Antiquity) was a state formed in the Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia. It was located on the Gulf of Iskenderun of the Mediterranean Sea in what is today southern Turkey. The country was independent from around 1078 to 1375.

The Kingdom of Cilicia was founded by the Roupenid dynasty, an offshoot of the larger Bagratid family that at various times held the thrones of Armenia and Georgia. Their capital was Sis. Cilicia was a strong ally of the European Crusaders, and saw itself as a bastion of Christendom in the East. It also served as a focus for Armenian nationalism and culture, since Armenia was under foreign occupation at the time.

Major cities and castles of the kingdom included the port of Korikos, Lampron, Partzerpert, Vahka (modern Feke), Hromgla, Tarsus, Anazarbe, Til Hamdoun, Mamistra (mod. Misis: the classical Mopsuestia), Adana and the port of Ayas (Aias).

Byzantine Cilicia

Cilicia was conquered from the Arabs by the Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas around 965. He expelled the Muslims living there, and Christians from Syria and Armenia were encouraged to settle in the region. The Armenian immigration increased with the formal annexation of Greater Armenia to the Byzantine Empire in 1045 and the following Seljuk conquest 19 years later, giving two new waves of migration. The Armenians also spread eastward from Cilicia into the mountainous areas of northern Syria and Mesopotamia.

Foundation of Armenian power in Cilicia

The Armenians came to serve the Byzantines, as military officers and governors, and when Imperial power in the region weakened in the chaotic years after the Battle of Manzikert, some of these seized the opportunity to set themself up as sovereign Lords, while others remained, at least in name, loyal. The most successful of these early warlords was Philaretos Brachamios, a former Armenian general of Romanus IV Diogenes. Between 1078 and 1085, Philaretus built a principality stretching from Cilicia to Edessa, but after his death his dominion disintegrated into local lordships again.

By the end of the 11th century, there were six important principalities in the area:

Lampron (after Namrun, now Camliyayla) and Babaron (Candir Kale), located at the southern end of the Cilician Gates, were controlled by the former Byzantine general Oshin, the founder of the important Hethumid dynasty.
To the north east was the principality of Constantine I of Armenia, the son of prince Roupen I. His power was based around the fortresses of Partzapert and Vahka.
Further to the north east, and outside of Cilicia, was the principality of Marash (modern Kahramanmaraş). It was ruled by Tatoul, a former Byzantine official.
East of Maraş, the Armenian Kogh Vasil held the fourtresses of Raban (modern Altınaşkale) and Kesoun as a Seljuk vassal.
To the north of these, on the Upper Euphrates, lay the principality of Malatya (Melitene), held by Gabriel, one of Philaretus' former officers, under Seljuk overlordship.
Finally, beyond Malatya, was Edessa, controlled by Thoros, another of Philaretus' officers, and son-in-law of Gabriel of Malatya.

The First Crusade and the Roupenid principality

With the First Crusade, the Armenians in Cilicia gained powerful allies among the Frankish crusaders. With their help they helped securing Cilicia from the Turks both by direct military actions in Cilicia, and by establishing Crusader states in Antioch and Edessa. The Armenians and crusaders were partly allied, partly rivals for two centuries to come.

Eventually, there emerged some sort of centralized government in the area with the rise of the Roupenid princes. During the 12th century they were the closest thing to a ruling dynasty, and wrestled with the Byzantines for the power over the region. Prince Leon I was defeated by the Emperor John II in 1137, and was imprisoned with several other family members. He died in prison three years later. Leon's son and successor, Thoros II, was also imprisoned, but escaped in 1141. He returned to lead the struggle with the Byzantines. Initially he was successful, but eventually, in 1158, he paid homage to the Emperor Manuel I.

The Roupenid princes continued to rule Cilicia.

The Kingdom of Armenia

In 1198 the Roupenid prince Leon II managed to secure his crown, becoming the first King of Armenian Cilicia. The crown later passed to the rival Hethoumid dynasty through Leon's daughter Zabel and her second marriage to prince Hethoum. Their descendants ruled Cilicia until the murder of Leon V in 1341, when his cousin Guy Lusignan was elected king.

In the late 14th century, Cilicia was invaded by the Mameluks. The fall of Sis in April, 1375 put an end to the kingdom; its last King, Leon VI, was granted safe passage and died in exile in Paris in 1393. The title was claimed by his cousin, James I of Cyprus, uniting it with the titles of Cyprus and Jerusalem.

References

Thomas Sherrer Ross Boase, Cilician Kingdom of Armenia, Palgrave Macmillan 1975, ISBN 0312138954

External links

Barony and Kingdom of Cilicia (Kurkjian's History of Armenia, Chs. 27‑31)

History of Armenia | Crusades | Former countries in Asia | 1070s establishments | 1375 disestablishments