Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

Quick Facts: Who was Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia?

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Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

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An ancient Armenian state in Southern Anatolia, flourishing from the 11th to 14th centuries.

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Origins & Early Life

The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, also known as Cilician Armenia, Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia, was an Armenian state formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia. Located outside the Armenian Highlands and distinct from the Kingdom of Armenia of antiquity, it was centered in the Cilicia region, northwest of the Gulf of Alexandretta. The kingdom had its origins in the principality founded c. 1080 by the Rubenid dynasty, an alleged offshoot of the larger Bagratuni dynasty, which at various times had held the throne of Armenia. Their capital was originally at Tarsus, and later moved to Sis. Cilicia was a strong ally of the European Crusaders, and saw itself as a bastion of Christendom in the East.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

It also served as a focal point for Armenian cultural production, since Armenia proper was under foreign occupation at the time. Cilicia's significance in Armenian history and statehood is also attested by the transfer of the seat of the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the spiritual leader of the Armenian people, to the region. In 1198, with the crowning of Leo I, King of Armenia of the Rubenid dynasty, Cilician Armenia became a kingdom. In 1226, the crown was passed to the rival Hethumid dynasty through Leo's daughter Isabella's second husband, Hethum I. As the Mongols conquered vast regions of Central Asia and the Middle East, Hethum and succeeding Hethumid rulers sought to create an Armeno-Mongol alliance against common Muslim foes, most notably the Mamluks. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the Crusader states and the Mongol Ilkhanate disintegrated, leaving the Armenian Kingdom without any regional allies.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After relentless attacks by the Mamluks in Egypt in the fourteenth century, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, then under the rule of the Lusignan dynasty and mired in an internal religious conflict, finally fell in 1375. Commercial and military interactions with Europeans brought new Western influences to the Cilician Armenian society. Many aspects of Western European life were adopted by the nobility including chivalry, fashions in clothing, and the use of French titles, names, and language. Moreover, the organization of the Cilician society shifted from its traditional system to become closer to Western feudalism. The European Crusaders themselves borrowed know-how, such as elements of Armenian castle-building and church architecture.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1080: 1080 Milestone — 1080 by the Rubenid dynasty, an alleged offshoot of the larger Bagratuni dynasty, which at various times had held the throne of Armenia.
2. 1198: 1198 Milestone — In 1198, with the crowning of Leo I, King of Armenia of the Rubenid dynasty, Cilician Armenia became a kingdom.
3. 1226: 1226 Milestone — In 1226, the crown was passed to the rival Hethumid dynasty through Leo's daughter Isabella's second husband, Hethum I.
4. 1375: 1375 Milestone — After relentless attacks by the Mamluks in Egypt in the fourteenth century, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, then under the rule of the Lusignan dynasty and mired in an internal religious conflict, finally fell in 1375.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

True or False: “The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was established immediately after the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1071 at Manzikert.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the Seljuks' victory at Manzikert destabilized the region, the principality began forming earlier, around 1080, by the Rubenid dynasty.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ibn Tumart — Historical peer (Born in 1080) (1080): Founder of the Almohad movement, a pivotal religious and political leader in North Africa.
• Suger — Historical peer (Born in 1080) (1080): 12th-century French abbot, statesman, and pivotal figure in the genesis of Gothic art.
• Averroes — Historical peer (Died in 1198) (1198): Andalusian polymath and jurist, renowned for his commentaries on Aristotle.
• Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair — Historical peer (Died in 1198) (1198): Last High King of Ireland before the Anglo-Norman invasion (c. 1116–1198)
• Francis of Assisi — Historical peer (Died in 1226) (1226): Italian mystic and founder of the Franciscan Order, known for his radical devotion to poverty.
• Louis VIII of France — Historical peer (Died in 1226) (1226): King of France, known as The Lion, whose reign saw military campaigns and policy shifts.
• Giovanni Boccaccio — Historical peer (Died in 1375) (1375): Master of the Tuscan vernacular, famed for The Decameron and Renaissance humanism.
• Robert Campin — Historical peer (Born in 1375) (1375): Pioneering Netherlandish painter, key figure in the early Northern Renaissance.

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