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Middle East Kingdoms

Asia Minor

 

 

 

Map of Eastern Rome's Borders circa AD 1-200 The Kingdom of Lesser Armenia
AD 56 - c.60

Lesser (or Little) Armenia was created out of the western section of Armenia during the divisions caused by the war between Rome and Parthian Persia in AD 56. Tiridates, a Parthian prince, was placed on the throne without Rome's agreement, and Rome and Persia went to war over the matter. As a result, Armenia was divided into Armenia, Armenia Sophene and Lesser Armenia.

AD 56 - ?

Aristobulo Asmoneo

c.60

Rome annexes Lesser Armenia.

Map of Eastern Rome's Borders circa AD 1-200 The Kingdom of Lesser Armenia (Erzindjan)
AD 389 - 391

Armenia was again partitioned by Rome and Persia in 387. Persia retained Greater Armenia to the east of the Euphrates while Rome gained the western section.

389 - 391

Archak III

Former king of all Armenia.

391

Lesser Armenia is absorbed by Byzantine Rome.

The Kingdom of Lesser Armenia (Erzindjan)
AD 1080 - 1375

With the Mongol invasion of mid-eleventh century Armenia, a number of Armenians, led by Prince Reuben, were pushed westwards. In 1080 they established in Cilicia the state of Lesser Armenia, centered on Tarsus, north of Norman-controlled Antioch and west of Edessa. Lesser Armenia established very close ties with the Crusader States. It was still threatened by Byzantium, however, and appears to have come under Byzantine overlordship for short periods.

Cilicia (pr. silish) is an ancient region of south-eastern Asia Minor, in present Southern Turkey, between the Mediterranean and the Taurus range. It included a high and barren plateau, Cilicia Trachia or Cilicia Tracheia, and a fertile plain, Cilicia Pedias.

(The main list is backed up with one that gives further names, but they are poorly dated. These additional names may not have been reigning kings, but were numbered as members of the dynasty. They may have been co-regents.)

1080 - 1095

Reuben I

1095 - ?

Constantine I

Prince in 1099.

1098 - 1099

Lesser Armenia is declared a kingdom as the Crusader states are established along its eastern and southern borders. For much of its existence it appears to be subject to Byzantine overlordship. King Constantine I, probably as part of an effort to cement ties with the new states around him, marries one of his daughters to Joscelin I, Count of Edessa.

?

Theodore / Thoros I

c.1129 - 1137

Leon I

Captured by John II of Byzantium. Died in Constantinople.

1148 - 1168

Thoros II

Escaped Byzantine prison (1145?). Homage to Manuel (1158).

1168 - 1175

Reuben II

1175 - 1185

Reuben III

1185 - 1219

Leon / Levon II the Great

Prince 1185 - 1198.

1219 - 1269

Isabella / Zabel

1205 - ?

Constantine

Regent.

1205 - ?

Philip of Antioch

Son of Behemond IV of Antioch.

1226 - 1269

Hethoum I the Great

1270 - 1289

Leon III

1289 - 1305

Hethoum II the One-Eyed

ThorosIII

Possible Co-Regent.

1305 - 1307

Leon IV of Cyprus

Sempad

Possible Co-Regent.

Constantine II

Possible Co-Regent.

1305 - 1320

Oshin

1320 - 1342

Leon V

Constantine III

Lord of Neghir. Possible Co-Regent.

1342 - 1344

Guy Lusignan

Son of Almaric of Tyre, King of Cyprus.

1344 - 1363

Constantine IV

Usurper.

1363 - 1373

Constantine V

Usurper.

1373 - 1375

Leon VI

Died 1393.

1375

The kingdom is conquered by the Mameluke Sultans of Egypt.