Leo VI of Armenia
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| Leo VI | ||
|---|---|---|
| King of the Armenians | ||
 |
||
| Reign | September 14, 1374 - November 29, 1393 | |
| Coronation | September 14, 1374 | |
| Born | 1342 | |
| Cyprus | ||
| Died | November 29, 1393 | |
| Calais | ||
| Buried | Saint Denis Basilica | |
| Consort | Marguerite de Soissons | |
| Issue | Last King of Armenia | |
| Royal House | Lusignan | |
| Father | John of Lusignan | |
| Mother | Soldane of Georgia | |
Leo (also Leon or Levon) VI of Armenia (1342-1393) ruled the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia from 1374 to 1393.
Leo was the son of John of Lusignan and his wife (or, more probably, mistress) Soldane. Constantine V, in order to wipe out all claimants to the throne, had given orders to kill Leo and his brother Bemon, but they escaped to Cyprus before the murder could be carried out.
Leo came to the throne on the death of his distant cousin Constantine VI of Armenia. Leo and his wife, Margaret of Soissons, were crowned at Sis on September 14, 1374. His right to the throne was challenged by Ashot. After several battles against superior Mamluk forces, he locked himself in the Kapan fortress and eventually surrendered. The Mamelukes sent him to Cairo where he remained imprisoned for several years. Later the King John I of Castile ransomed him with precious stones, silks, and birds of prey.
Leon Lusignan arrived ill and poor to Medina del Campo. In 1383, the king of Castile named Leon Lord of Madrid[1]. John I granted him for life the town of Madrid, Villa Real and Andújar and a yearly gift of 150,000 maravedis. Leon rebuilt the towers of the Royal Alcázar.
According to Father Mariana, Leon left Castile for France after the death of his protector in 1390 and died in Paris. Federico Bravo, however states that he left after two years of ruling, and five years later, the Madrilenians were conceded the revocation of the lordship by John.
He never reclaimed his throne, and died in Calais on November 29, 1393. His remains were laid to rest in the royal Saint Denis Basilica where most representatives of the French monarchy lie. The tombstone, with the king's effigy bears the following inscription in French:
- Here lieth the noblest and the most excellent Prince, Lyon, de Lusignan, the fifth Latin king of the royal house of Armenia, who delievered his soul to God in Paris on the 29th day of November, in the year of grace, 1393.
He had one legitimate daughter, Marie de Lusignan (who predeceased her father), and two illegitimate sons, Guy and Stephan.
The tombstone,
Upon his death the title of King of Armenia was claimed by Leo's distant cousin James I.
| Preceded by Constantine VI |
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia | Succeeded by James I |
[edit] Bibliography
- Boase, T. S. R. (1978). The Cilician Kingdom of Armenia. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. ISBN 0-7073-0145-9.
- ^ Un Madrid insólito: Guía para dejarse sorprender, pg. 39-40. Jesús Callejo. Editorial Complutense, 2001. ISBN 84-7491-630-5. The book however talks about Leon V of Armenia since Leo I of Armenia isn't counted as a King by some authors.
