Leo I, King of Armenia
Template:Short description Template:For Template:Infobox royalty Leo I (Template:Langx; 1150 – 2 May 1219)Template:Efn was the tenth lord of Armenian Cilicia,<ref name='Ghazarian'/> ruling from 1187 to 1219,<ref name='Runciman'/>Template:Rp and the first king to be crowned, in 1198/9 (sometimes known as Levon I the Magnificent<ref name='Ghazarian'/>).Template:Efn<ref name='Ghazarian'/><ref name='Runciman'/>Template:Rp Leo eagerly led his kingdom alongside the armies of the Third Crusade and provided the crusaders with provisions, guides, pack animals and all manner of aid.<ref name='Kurkjian'/>
He was consecrated as king in January 1198<ref name='Runciman'/>Template:Rp or 1199.<ref name='Ghazarian'/>
Early years
He was the younger son of Stephen, the third son of Leo I, lord of Armenian Cilicia.<ref name='Runciman'/>Template:Rp His mother was Rita, a daughter of Sempad, Lord of Barbaron.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Leo's father, who was on his way to attend a banquet given by the Byzantine governor of Cilicia, Andronicus Euphorbenus,<ref name='Ghazarian'/> was murdered<ref name='Runciman'/>Template:Rp on 7 February 1165.Template:CN Following their father's death, Leo and his elder brother Roupen lived with their uncle.<ref name='Ghazarian'/><ref name='Edwards'>Template:Cite book</ref>
Their paternal uncle, Mleh I, lord of Armenian Cilicia had made a host of enemies by his cruelties in his country, resulting in his assassination by his own soldiers in the city of Sis in 1175.<ref>Kurkjian 1958, p. 226</ref> The seigneurs of Cilician Armenia elected Leo's brother, Roupen III to occupy the throne of the principality. Roupen III sent Leo to surround Hethum's mountain lair.<ref>Kurkjian 1958, p. 228</ref> But Bohemond III, rushing to the aid of Hethum, treacherously made Roupen prisoner.<ref>Kurkjian 1958, pp. 228-229</ref> During 1187, he became the ruler.<ref name='Nersessian'/>
His rule
In 1187, he was forced to engage in a war against Aleppo and Damascus, an arduous war in which he actually forced the allied forces to retreat. This first success of Leo is of great significance from a historical perspective, for at the same time that Saladin had begun his decisive battle against the Latin state of Jerusalem, the forces of Leo drew away the attention of some part of his forces and this way easing the pressure on the crusaders.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Prince of Cilicia
Coronation
Leo was crowned on 6 January 1198 (or 1199)<ref name='Ghazarian'/> at Tarsus,<ref name='Edwards'/>
Antiochene War of Succession
In Cyprus between 28 January 1210/27 January 1211 Leo married Sibylle, the half-sister of King Hugh I of Cyprus.
Last years
Marriages and children
# (1) 3 February 1188 – 4 February 1189, divorced 1206: Isabelle (? – Vahka, 1207), a daughter of a brother of Sibylle, the wife of Bohemond III of Antioch<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Rita (Stephanie) (after 1195 – June 1220), the wife of King John I of Jerusalem<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
# (2) 28 January 1210 – 27 January 1211: Sibylla (1199/1200 – after 1225), a daughter of King Amalric I of Cyprus and Isabella I of Jerusalem<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Queen Isabella I of Cilicia ( 27 January 1216 – 25 January 1217 – Ked, 23 January 1252)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Notes
References
Sources
- Edwards, Robert W., The Fortifications of Armenian Cilicia, Dumbarton Oaks Studies XXIII, Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University, 1987, Washington, D.C.; Template:ISBN.
- Ghazarian, Jacob G: The Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia during the Crusades: The Integration of Cilician Armenians with the Latins (1080–1393); RoutledgeCurzon (Taylor & Francis Group), 2000, Abingdon; Template:ISBN
- Template:Setton-A History of the Crusades
- Template:Setton-A History of the Crusades
- Template:Runciman-A History of the Crusades
- Template:Setton-A History of the Crusades
External links
Template:S-start Template:S-reg |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-non |- Template:S-new Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end Template:Armenian kings