Leo I, Prince of Armenia

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The Principality of Armenian Cilicia with the Crusader states (in shades of green) and the Levant in 1135 CE.

Leo I or Leon I (Armenian: Լեիոն Ա, Levon I; died 14 February 1140) was prince of Armenian Cilicia from 1129 until his death in 1140.

Leo, like his predecessors, continued to push the Armenian borders outward, expanding onto the Mediterranean littoral. He captured Korikos during the 1130s, and in 1132 he seized Tarsus, Adana, and Mamistra. This brought him into conflict with the Crusaders, particularly in 1135 when he seized Saravantikar, against the opposition of the Antiochenes. Raymond, the prince of Antioch coveted Saravantikar, and in 1136 he seized Leo by treachery and held him for a ransom: 60,000 gold pieces, the surrender of Saravantikar, Mamistra, and Adana, and the promise of help against Byzantine emperor John II Comnenus. Leo agreed to the terms, but quickly returned to the offensive. He recaptured those cities and attacked the Principality of Antioch and its allies from the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but Joscelin II of Edessa mediated a peace and alliance against the Emperor in 1137.

The invasion of John II Comnenus in that year resulted in the fall of Seleucia, Korikos, Tarsus, Mamistra, Adana, Til Hamdoun, and Anazarbe. Leo retreated into the Taurus Mountains with his second wife and their children, but Gaban and Vahka fell in 1138, and he was captured. (His sons by his first marriage had taken refuge in Edessa.) His wife and children were taken off with him to Constantinople, where he died in captivity in 1140.

Despite the loss of their ruler, the Armenian army was still active and retook Vahka in 1139. On his death he was succeeded by his son Stephen I.

He had four children by his first wife Beatrice de Rethel:

1. a daughter, married Vasil Dgha
2. Constantine (bef. 1109 – bef. 1144, Edessa)
3. Stephen (bef. 1110–1165)
4. Mleh (bef. 1120–1175)

By his second wife, unknown but probably Armenian:

1. a daughter, mother of the Regent Thomas (tenure 1168–1169)
2. a daughter, married John Tzelepes Komnenos
3. Thoros II
4. Roupen (aft. 1120–1141, Constantinople), murdered in captivity
5. a daughter, mother of Fulk of Bullion, Lord of Bagras

[edit] References

• Boase, T. S. R. (1978). The Cilician Kingdom of Armenia. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. ISBN 0-7073-0145-9. 

[edit] External links

• Smbat Sparapet's Chronicle
• The Barony of Cilician Armenia (Kurkjian's History of Armenia, Ch. 27)