Latest / The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History / The Kingdom of Cilicia: Armenia's Crusader State
Transcript
- Lucas: So, after the Seljuks swept through Anatolia in the 11th century, many Armenians fled their homeland in Greater Armenia and migrated southwest, into the region of Cilicia — that rugged coastal area between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean. And what's remarkable is that out of that displacement, they built a new kingdom that lasted for nearly three centuries. Luna: Wait — a whole new kingdom? Just from refugees? Lucas: Yeah. It started with a guy named Ruben, or Roupen, who was a relative of the last Bagratid king, Gagik II. Around 1080, he led a revolt against the Byzantine garrison in the fortress of Kopitar, and that's considered the founding moment. His descendants — the Rubenids — gradually carved out a principality. Lucas: And they were incredibly strategic. They positioned themselves as allies of the Crusaders, who arrived in the late 1090s. The First Crusade marched right through Cilicia, and the Rubenids provided supplies, guides, and even troops. In return, the Crusader princes recognized them as legitimate rulers. Luna: So they basically rode the Crusader wave to build a state. Lucas: Exactly. But it wasn't just political — it was cultural, too. Cilician Armenia became a real melting pot. The nobility adopted Frankish titles like baron and constable, they wore Crusader-style armor, and they built castles that fused Armenian and European military architecture. You can still see traces of that at places like the castle of Sis, their capital. Lucas: And the city of Sis itself — now the town of Kozan in modern Turkey — was the heart of the kingdom. It had a fortified palace, a cathedral, and a bustling market. The kings were crowned there, and after the fall of Ani, Sis became the seat of the Armenian Catholicos, the head of the Armenian Church. Luna: That's a big deal. So the church moved from Ani to Sis? Lucas: It did, yeah. In 1292, after the Mamluks sacked the previous Catholicosate at Hromkla, the seat was moved to Sis. And that's where it stayed until the very end of the kingdom in 1375. So Sis was both the political and spiritual center of Cilician Armenia. Lucas: Now, the golden age of the kingdom was under Levon II, who was crowned king in 1198 with the blessing of both the Byzantine emperor and the Holy Roman Emperor. He expanded the kingdom to its greatest extent, controlling the major ports of Ayas and Tarsus. Luna: Ayas — that was a major trade hub, right? Lucas: Absolutely. Under Levon II, Ayas became one of the most important ports in the Eastern Mediterranean. Venetian and Genoese merchants set up quarters there. Spices from India, silks from China, carpets from Persia — all flowed through Ayas on their way to Europe. Marco Polo even mentions it in his travels. Lucas: And this trade brought immense wealth. The kings minted their own coins — silver drams that are still found in hoards today — and they built new fortifications and churches. They also established a feudal system modeled partly on European feudalism, with the nakharar lords holding lands in exchange for military service. Luna: So the nakharar system from Greater Armenia kind of adapted to the Crusader world. Lucas: Exactly. But it also created tensions. The nakharar families were fiercely independent, and they often quarreled with each other and with the king. That internal division would later weaken the kingdom when external threats grew. Lucas: Speaking of which — the biggest external threat came from the Mamluks. By the late 13th century, the Mamluks had defeated the Mongols and turned their attention to Cilicia. They launched repeated campaigns, sacking cities and carrying off captives. The kingdom became a tributary state, and finally, in 1375, the Mamluk sultan captured Sis and ended the monarchy. Luna: And that's the end of the last Armenian kingdom for centuries. Lucas: Yes. But its legacy lived on. The Cilician period produced a vibrant literary and artistic tradition. Manuscripts were illuminated in a distinctive Cilician style — you can see them in the Matenadaran in Yerevan. And the legal code compiled by King Levon II, the Datastanagirk', influenced later Armenian law. Luna: It's amazing how a refugee community could build something so sophisticated. Lucas: It really is. And you know, it's partly because they had so much at stake. They were preserving not just a state, but an identity. And that kind of determination — it's something that runs deep in Armenian history. Luna: It reminds me of why we keep coming back to these stories. They're not just academic — they're about survival. Lucas: Absolutely. And if you've been stepping into history with us episode by episode, you know that these are the kinds of stories that deserve to be told. That's why we keep doing it — and a big part of that is listeners who chip in a couple of dollars a month to keep the show ad-free and independent. If you've gotten something out of these conversations, buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo — every bit helps. Luna: Yeah, it's a small thing that makes a real difference. Lucas: So, back to Cilicia — one thing I find fascinating is how the kingdom's relationship with the Mongols played out. They initially allied with the Ilkhanate against the Mamluks, but after the Mongols converted to Islam, that alliance crumbled. It's a classic story of geopolitics overriding religion. Luna: Did the Armenian Church ever try to unite with Rome during that period? Lucas: Yes, there were attempts — especially under King Hethum I and later Levon IV. But the union was deeply unpopular with the common people and the clergy. They saw it as a betrayal of the traditional Armenian Apostolic faith. There were even rebellions against kings who pushed too hard for union. Lucas: And that tension between east and west — between Armenian tradition and Latin influence — it ran through the whole Cilician period. It's part of what makes the kingdom so complex. They were trying to be both Armenian and European, and that balancing act defined their culture right up to the end. Luna: So when the Mamluks finally took Sis, what happened to the people? Lucas: Many were killed or enslaved. The last king, Levon V, was captured and taken to Cairo, where he died in prison. But some nobles escaped to Cyprus or to the Armenian communities in Crimea and Poland. The Catholicosate eventually moved back to Etchmiadzin in the 15th century. But the kingdom itself was gone. Lucas: Still, its memory survived. In the 19th century, Armenian nationalists looked back to Cilicia as a golden age of sovereignty. And even today, the ruins of Sis and the fortress of Anavarza stand as reminders of a time when Armenians ruled the shores of the Mediterranean. Luna: I'd love to visit those sites someday. Lucas: Me too. They're not easy to get to — some are in military zones or restricted areas — but they're there, holding the story.