Leo I, King of Armenia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Levon IIԼևոն Բ |
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A silver dram of Levon I
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| King of Armenian Cilicia | |
| Reign | 1198/1199–1219 |
| Coronation | 6 January 1198/1199 Church of Holy Wisdom (Tarsus) |
| Successor | Isabella |
| Lord of Cilicia | |
| Reign | 1187–1198/1199 |
| Predecessor | Roupen III |
| Born | 1150 |
| Died | 2 May 1219 (aged 68–69) |
| Burial | Sis (his body) Convent of Akner (his heart and entrails) |
| Spouse | Isabella Sibylla of Cyprus |
| Issue | Stephanie of Armenia Isabella, Queen of Armenia |
| House | Roupenians |
| Father | Stephen |
| Mother | Rita of Barbaron |
| Religion | Armenian Apostolic |
| Signature | .jpg){kind=small} |
Leo II (also known as Levon I the Magnificent) was a very important ruler of Cilician Armenia. He was born in 1150 and died on May 2, 1219. He ruled as a lord from 1187 to 1198/1199, and then became the first king of Cilician Armenia, ruling from 1198/1199 until his death in 1219.
During his time, King Leo II made Cilician Armenia a strong and united Christian country. It became very important in political matters. He helped the armies of the Third Crusade by giving them supplies, guides, and animals. Under his leadership, Armenian power in Cilicia was at its strongest, stretching from Isauria to the Amanus Mountains.
To become king, Leo worked to unite the Armenian church with Rome around 1194–1195. After this agreement, he was crowned king on January 6, 1198 or 1199, in the Church of Holy Wisdom in Tarsus. His crowning meant that Cilicia was no longer connected to the Byzantine Empire. It also started a new time of cooperation with Western Europe. Leo was a smart diplomat and politician. He made good friends with many rulers and gained support from the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Knights by giving them land.
Leo wanted to add the Principality of Antioch to his kingdom to become even more powerful along the Mediterranean coast. He started this plan in 1194 by taking the strong fortress of Baghras. His biggest success was in early 1216 when he took over Antioch with his army. He put his grandnephew, Raymond-Roupen, in charge there. Raymond-Roupen stayed in power until Leo's death. Leo also changed the Armenian court to be more like European courts, using Latin names for many positions.
Trade grew a lot during Leo's reign. He gave special trading rights to cities like Genoa, Venice, and Pisa. These rights meant they didn't have to pay as many taxes, which encouraged Italian merchants to settle in cities like Tarsus and Adana. This brought a lot of money to Cilician Armenia, helping it grow.
Contents
Early Life and Family History
Leo was the younger son of Stephen. Stephen was the third son of Leo I, who was a lord of Armenian Cilicia. Leo's mother was Rita, whose father was Sempad, Lord of Barbaron.
A Difficult Start
On February 7, 1165, Leo's father, Stephen, was killed while going to a banquet. After their father's death, Leo and his older brother, Roupen, lived with their uncle, Pagouran. Pagouran was the lord of the Barbaron fortress, which protected an important pass in the Taurus Mountains.
Becoming a Leader
In 1175, Leo's uncle, Mleh I, who was then the lord of Cilician Armenia, was killed by his own soldiers because he was cruel. The leaders of Cilician Armenia chose Leo's brother, Roupen III, to rule next. In 1183, another prince, Hethum III of Lampron, teamed up with Prince Bohemond III of Antioch to fight Roupen III. Roupen sent Leo to attack Hethum's fortress. But Bohemond III tricked Roupen and took him prisoner.
While his brother was captured, Leo got the chance to show his strong political skills. He became the temporary leader of the Roupenian family. To free Roupen, a large ransom had to be paid, and two cities, Adana and Mamistra, had to become loyal to Antioch. When Roupen returned, he gave his power to Leo in 1187 and went to live in a monastery.
Leo's Rule as Prince
The danger from the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos and Saladin, along with threats from the Turkomans, made Leo and Bohemond III become friends. When Leo became ruler, he sought an alliance with the prince of Antioch and accepted his authority.
Fighting the Turkomans
Large groups of Turkomans were attacking the northern borders, reaching almost to Sis and causing destruction. In 1187, Leo and Bohemond III joined forces to fight off a Turkoman raid. Leo had only a small army, but he attacked with such force that he defeated them, killed their leader, and chased them far away, causing heavy losses. Soon after, around 1188, Leo married Isabella, who was a niece of Bohemond III's wife.
Expanding the Kingdom
In 1188, Leo took advantage of problems in the Sultanate of Rum (a Turkish kingdom). He attacked the Seljuks. A surprise attack on Bragana didn't work, but Leo returned two months later with a bigger army. He captured the fortress and moved into Isauria. He also captured Seleucia around this time. Moving north, Leo took Heraclea, gave it back for a large sum of money, and went as far as Caesarea.
Leo was a brave and smart prince. He made his country bigger and ruled over many areas. He defeated a large enemy army with only a few men. He chased away the Turks, conquered Isauria, and reached Iconium. He captured Heraclea and got a lot of money for it. He also made a deal with the Sultan of Iconium for more money. He built new forts and castles around Cilicia. He also built a new church and was very generous to monasteries. He even helped people with leprosy, giving them a special house and supplies.
Around the same time, Leo lent a lot of money to Bohemond III, but Bohemond was slow to pay it back. When Saladin attacked Antioch's land, Leo stayed neutral.
Helping the Crusaders
In June 1190, the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa, came near Armenian lands. Leo sent gifts, supplies, and soldiers to help him. A second group, led by Bishop Nerses of Lampron, arrived too late, after the emperor had died. They returned to Tarsus with the emperor's son and the German army. Still, Leo helped in the crusades. His soldiers were at the siege of Acre, and in 1191, he joined King Richard the Lionheart of England in taking over Cyprus.
Baghras and Antioch Conflicts
Leo also focused on keeping his own kingdom safe. Some of his actions caused problems with his neighbors. In 1191, Saladin destroyed the large fortress of Baghras. Soon after Saladin's workers left, Leo took over the site and rebuilt the fortress. This made the tension between Leo and Bohemond III worse. Owning Baghras became a main point of disagreement between Cilicia and Antioch. Bohemond III demanded that Leo return it to the Templars. When Leo refused, Bohemond complained to Saladin. Saladin himself didn't want Leo to hold Baghras, as it was on the route from Cilicia to Antioch.
Capturing Bohemond III
After Saladin died in October 1193, Leo invited Bohemond III to Baghras to talk about the issue. Bohemond III arrived with his wife and son and accepted Leo's invitation to stay inside the castle. As soon as he entered, Leo took him and his group prisoner. Leo told Bohemond he would only be released if he gave up his rule over Antioch to Leo. Leo hoped to stop being loyal to Bohemond III and take Antioch. So, Leo took Bohemond's family and court to Sis as prisoners.
Bohemond III agreed to give up Antioch for his freedom. He sent his officers to hand the city over to Armenian troops led by Hethum of Sassoun. When they arrived in Antioch, the local leaders were ready to accept Leo as their ruler. They allowed the Armenian soldiers into the city.
However, after they entered, the Christian leaders and the Greeks in Antioch started to resist. A riot began, and the Armenians left the city, returning to Baghras. The people of Antioch, led by the Latin patriarch of Antioch, Aimery of Limoges, formed a group that recognized Bohemond III's oldest son, Raymond, as their leader until his father was freed.
Antioch then asked for help from King Henry I of Jerusalem and Count Bohemond I of Tripoli, Bohemond III's younger son. The next spring, King Henry I sailed to Tripoli, where young Bohemond joined him. Then they went to Antioch and Sis. Leo didn't want an open war, so he met them outside Sis, ready to talk. Bohemond III gave up his claim to rule over Leo, and in return, he was allowed to go back to Antioch without paying a ransom. They also arranged for Raymond of Antioch to marry Leo's niece, Alice. However, Raymond died soon after, and Bohemond III sent Alice back to Leo with her baby son, Raymond-Roupen. Leo decided that this great-nephew should inherit Antioch after Bohemond III died.
Becoming King of Cilicia
Leo pushed harder for a royal crown. He asked for help from the two most powerful rulers of the time: the pope and the Holy Roman emperor. He sent a message to Emperor Henry VI, but the emperor delayed, hoping to come to the East himself.
So Leo contacted Pope Celestine III. But the pope demanded that the Armenian church become part of the Roman church. This caused big problems because most of the Armenian clergy and people were against it. The bishops called by Leo first refused the pope's demands. They are said to have agreed only after Leo told them he would only agree in words, not in actions.
The Byzantine emperor, Alexios III Angelos, hoping to keep some power in Cilicia, sent Leo a royal crown, which Leo gladly accepted. In 1197, Leo sent a group to Constantinople to discuss religious matters, but these talks did not lead to a union between the two churches.
Meanwhile, Emperor Henry VI also promised a crown to Leo if Leo would recognize his authority over Armenia. Henry VI never visited the East. But after his death, his chancellor, Bishop Conrad of Hildesheim, came with the Papal legate, Archbishop Conrad of Mainz, to Sis. Leo was crowned on January 6, 1198 (or 1199) in Tarsus. Many important people were there, including Armenian clergy, nobles, the Greek archbishop, the Jacobite patriarch, and ambassadors from the caliph. While the catholicos Gregory VI Abirad crowned him, Leo received other royal symbols from Archbishop Conrad of Mainz. Armenians were very happy, seeing their ancient kingdom restored in Leo.
War Over Antioch's Succession
Archbishop Conrad of Mainz quickly went from Sis to Antioch. There, he made Bohemond III gather his nobles and swear to support Raymond-Roupen as the next ruler. The nobles had sworn loyalty to Raymond-Roupen. However, Bohemond III's second son, Count Bohemond of Tripoli, the Templars, and the city's people were against Raymond-Roupen becoming ruler because they didn't want Armenian involvement. Bohemond of Tripoli was determined to become the ruler of Antioch himself. He immediately refused to accept the oath sworn in favor of his nephew.
In 1198, while az-Zahir, the ruler of Aleppo, kept Leo busy, Bohemond of Tripoli entered Antioch. He convinced the city's people to break their oath to his father and support him instead. Within three months, Leo solved his problems with the Muslims, made peace with the military orders, and marched on Antioch. There was no resistance, and Bohemond III was put back in power.
Meanwhile, the Templars used all their influence in Rome to get Baghras back. But Leo ignored hints from the Church. Leo invited Bohemond III and the Latin Patriarch of Antioch, Peter II of Angoulême, to discuss the matter. But Leo was so stubborn that even the Patriarch sided with Bohemond of Tripoli.
In April 1201, Bohemond of Tripoli rushed to Antioch when he heard his father was ill. He arrived on the day of the funeral. He immediately demanded to be recognized as the rightful heir, and Bohemond IV was accepted as prince. But many nobles, remembering their oath and fearing Bohemond IV's strict ways, fled to Leo's court in Sis. Leo heard about Bohemond III's death late. He then hurried to Antioch with Alice and Raymond-Roupen to claim it for his great-nephew. When he found Bohemond IV already in charge, he sent for more soldiers. Bohemond IV called for help from Aleppo. Az-Zahir invaded Cilicia in July 1201, forcing Leo to stop his attack on Antioch.
Leo restarted the war in 1202. The next summer, King Amalric II of Jerusalem stepped in. He convinced Leo to agree to a short truce. After Leo agreed to accept the decision of the nobles and the papal representative, the nobles said the issue was only about feudal law, and the representative shouldn't have a say. Angered, Leo ended the truce. On November 11, 1203, he entered Antioch and asked the patriarch to make peace between him and the city. Bohemond IV was in Tripoli at the time, but the city's people and the Templars strongly held the citadel in Antioch and managed to push out the Armenians. Their calls for help to Aleppo were answered when az-Zahir again started towards Cilicia. Leo left Antioch in December when az-Zahir's army reached the Orontes River. Until 1206, Antioch was mostly protected from Leo by az-Zahir. In the spring of 1206, Az-Zahir sent new troops and led them himself. Leo was winning at first but had to retreat when the Antiochene armies joined the Muslims. An eight-year truce was signed.
Around this time, Leo received bad news about his queen. He had many of her staff killed and attacked her himself before imprisoning her in the fortress of Vahka in January 1205 or 1206. She died there about a year later.
Bohemond IV, however, removed the Latin Patriarch of Antioch and brought in the Greek Patriarch, Symeon II, to take his place. Bohemond IV's unpopular actions allowed Leo to plan a rebellion inside the city. Led by the Latin Patriarch Peter II and unhappy Latin nobles, the city rose up. Bohemond IV took shelter in the citadel. Leo entered with some of his army, just as Bohemond IV felt strong enough to come out and crush the revolt. Leo held Antioch for only a few days.
Pope Innocent III gave the job of settling the conflict to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Albert. Albert was a friend of Bohemond IV's allies, the Templars. The Patriarch angered Leo by saying that the first step to any agreement must be to return Baghras to the Templars. In 1208, Leo angrily destroyed the land around Antioch. But Bohemond's danger in Antioch in 1208 made az-Zahir invade Cilicia again in 1209. The Seljuk Sultan, Kai-Kushrau I, whom Leo had helped earlier, also attacked suddenly and took the fort of Pertous. Leo had to agree to return Baghras to the Templars and give up his claims to Antioch. But Leo's attempts to keep Baghras, despite his promise to az-Zahir, led to another war.
In Cyprus, between January 1210 and January 1211, Leo married Sibylle, the half-sister of King Hugh I of Cyprus.
In 1211, the leader of the Templars was wounded in an ambush, and Pope Innocent III announced the old ex-communication against Leo. Meanwhile, Bohemond IV agreed to accept a new Latin Patriarch in Antioch. Leo then ignored his loyalty to Rome. He welcomed the Greek Patriarch of Antioch, Symeon II, to Cilicia. He gave much of the Latin church lands there to the Greeks. Leo also tried to get the Hospitallers closer to him by giving them land, protecting his country from the Seljuks. The Teutonic Knights also received castles.
In 1211, King John I of Jerusalem and Bohemond IV both helped the Templars so much that Leo finally returned Baghras. But the new agreement was quickly broken the next year with more actions against the Templars. This time, the Church's ban against Leo was strictly enforced.
Leo made peace with Rome in March 1213 after promising to help in the coming Crusade. He also gained the favor of King John I, who in 1214 married Leo's daughter Rita and hoped to inherit Armenia.
In Antioch, the people felt abandoned by Bohemond IV, who preferred to live in Tripoli. Leo's plans helped build a strong group in favor of Raymond-Roupen. Bohemond IV was in Tripoli when the plan succeeded. On the night of February 14, 1216, Leo managed to lead Armenian troops into Antioch and take over the city.
Raymond-Roupen then showed respect to Patriarch Peter and was made prince of Antioch. Happy about winning the long war, Leo finally gave Baghras back to the Templars and restored the Latin church lands in Cilicia. But he paid for his victory by losing fortresses in the west and across the Taurus Mountains to the Seljuk Prince Kaykaus I in 1216. These fortresses had been taken from the Seljuks in 1211.
Final Years and Legacy
When King Andrew II of Hungary finished his Crusader duties in January 1218, he traveled to Cilician Armenia. There, a marriage was arranged between Andrew's son, Andrew, and Leo's daughter, Isabella.
Soon after, Raymond-Roupen even argued with Leo. In 1219, Antioch called for its old prince, while Raymond-Roupen first sought safety in the citadel. He then left it to the Hospitallers and fled to Cilicia. There, he found Leo still unwilling to forgive him, even though Leo was dying. Before Leo died, he named his young daughter Isabella as his rightful heir and released the nobles from their promises of loyalty to Raymond-Roupen.
Leo's body was buried at Sis, but his heart and other organs were buried at the convent of Agner. Leo ruled for twelve years as a Baron and twenty-two years as King. He was a kind and honest man who trusted in God. He was wise, brilliant, a skilled horseman, and brave in battle. He cared about people and was always energetic and happy.
Family and Children
- First Marriage: Leo married Isabelle between February 1188 and February 1189. They divorced in 1206. Isabelle died in Vahka in 1207.
- They had one child: Rita (also called Stephanie), born after 1195. She married King John I of Jerusalem and died in June 1220.
- Second Marriage: Leo married Sibylla between January 1210 and January 1211. Sibylla was born in 1199 or 1200 and lived after 1225. She was the half-sister of King Hugh I of Cyprus.
- They had one child: Queen Isabella I of Cilicia, born between January 1216 and January 1217. She died in Ked on January 23, 1252.
Images for kids
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Coat of arms of Leo I, King of Armenia
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The ruins of Baghras Castle
