Armenia acknowledged the Crusaders with full support. Cilician Armenia, or Lesser Armenia as some historians referenced the region, had formed principalities in Cilicia after Armenia proper had fallen to the wrath of the Seljuk onslaughts. From 1080 Armenian Princes from the Rupenian, Oskinian, and other families established small enclaves within the protective mountain ranges that surrounded Cilicia on three sides and the Mediterranean Sea to the South. In time the area became a stronghold of Armenians led by the Bagratid Armenian Prince Ruben. When the first Crusaders arrived in Cilicia, they were graciously and pleasantly surprised by the strong Christian principality. The Armenians were generous supporters of the Crusaders and did whatever they could to help the “soldiers of Christ” free the Holy Land. The First Crusade (1096-1099) - The first Crusade made up of several European armies captured Nicaea (1097), Antioch (1098), and Jerusalem (1099). The Crusades established three principalities, Antioch, Edessa, and Tripoli and the Kingdom of Jerusalum. Armenians provided significant provisions and military equipment to the first Crusade, especially in the siege of Antioch. The Second Crusade (1147-1149) - The second Crusade formed due to the persistent attack by the Muslims and the recapture of Edessa (1144). However, instead of attacking the Muslim power (the state of the Emir Nur al-Din) that was most threatening to the Crusader states, the Crusaders attacked the small Muslim city-state of Damascus. a state which had previously allied with the kingdom of Jerusalem against Nur al-Din’s father. This Crusade led by the kings of France and Germany failed to regain lost territories. The Armenians and Crusaders continued to assist each other in their battles against the infidels. The
Third Crusade (1189-1192) - After the fall of Jerusalem in
1187, led by Saladin, the sultan of Egypt (Saladin was a Kurd by
birth), another cry arose to save the Holy Land. During this Crusade
Levon II and King Richard invaded and conquered Cyprus, which had
broken away from the Byzantine Empire under a renegade relative of the
former ruling house. Fredrick I, Emperor of the Roman Empire, planned
to thank Levon II for Armenia’s assistance during the Crusade, and
present Levon II with a crown. Unfortunately, Frederick had a fatal
drowning accident, and Levon never did receive the crown. However,
nine years later (1199), Baron Levon II became Levon I, King of the
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. The Armenian Catholicos as well as the
Papal Legate consecrated his coronation. Many alliances formed between
the Armenians and the Crusades, resulting in Armenia becoming a
vigorous Christian state where industry, trade and commerce thrived. An
interesting sidelight to the third Crusade was the marriage of Richard
the Lion Hearted in 1911. Levon II who was not yet King of Cilician
Armenia was Richard’s “Best Man.” The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) - The fourth crusade did very little except to sack and plunder Constantinople in 1204 much to the horror of the Pope. The ravaging was disgraceful. The Armenians had no part in the sack and plunder. Initially, the Byzantines were happy to see the Armenians in Cilicia, because they were a buffer between them and the Seljuk Turks. Later they thought the Armenians were becoming too powerful. The Fifth Crusade (1215-1219) - The fifth Crusade’s goal was to capture Egypt, but the drive was unsuccessful. The pathetic failure of the Children’s Crusade in 1212 ignited the religious fervor of the fifth Crusade. The
Sixth Crusade (1228-1229) - Led by the excommunicated Roman
Emperor Frederick II, the “Christians” on the sixth Crusade were
allowed by the Sultan to repossess Jerusalem in 1229, although they
had to agree not to refortify it. During this time it was becoming
clear that the great age of the Crusades was over. The Christians were
able to maintain Jerusalem only until 1244 when Muslim soldiers
fleeing the Mongols again regained the holy City. While the Crusades
were being unsuccessful, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia under Hetum I gained international status and was trading to major ports
in the Mediterranean and to countries in the East. The Seventh Crusade (1248-1254) - By the seventh Crusade many of the Crusaders had forgotten the purpose of their long journey. Rivalry for power and possessions soon caused problems among the Christians including the Armenians. Relationships were going sour and the Muslims were regaining more lands. The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia under Hetum I had managed to make some alliances with the Mongols during this period. Together with the Crusaders and Mongols who at first were open to Christianity, the Armenians were able to defeat the Seljuks in several battles. The Eighth Crusade (1270) - The eight Crusade to Tunisia rather than to the Middle East, was the last major Crusades, and also was unsuccessful. Throughout the entire period of the Crusades, lesser Armenia was literally in the middle of successes and failures of the Latins. Inevitably the influence of the Europeans intermingled with the culture of the Armenians. Intermarriages of the Armenian Princesses with the Frankish nobility were extremely common. The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia had become very much a part of Europe. By 1291 the Muslims had regained all the territories of the Middle East except kingdoms of Cilicia and Cyprus. Lesser Armenia was able to maintain its boundaries until the Mamluks conquered the fortress of Sis in 1375. After the fall of Sis the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was no more. Levon V, the last King of Armenia, was captured and taken prisoner to Egypt. He retired to Paris after a sizable ransom was paid for his release. Only the Catholicate of Cilicia, which at the time was led by the Catholicos of all Armenians (the Seat of the Armenian Apostolic church had transferred to Hromkla, Cilicia in 1147), was able to maintain some semblance of Armenian government. In 1441 the Holy See of all Armenians transferred back to Etchmiadzin. The Catholicate of the Great House of Cilicia remained in Cilicia until 1921 when it officially moved to Lebanon. From 1921 to 1929 Catholicos Sahag II traveled throughout the Middle East, as he had no permanent home. Article taken from “Armenian InfoText”- By George Mouradian Have a comment, contribution or suggestion? Click here and send it to us |