Leo IV or Leon IV (Armenian: Լեւոն Դ, Levon IV) (also numbered Leo V; ) (1309 – August 28, 1341) was the last Hethumid king of Cilicia, ruling from 1320 until his death. He was the son of Oshin of Armenia and Isabel of Korikos, and came to the throne on the death of his father.[1] His name is sometimes spelled as Leo or Leon.
Leo IV
King Levon IV doing justice by Sarkis Pitzak, 1331
He spent his minority under the regency of Oshin of Korikos.[2] During this period, the kingdom was much harassed by Mamluks and Mongols. In 1320, the Egyptian sultan Naser Mohammed ibn Kelaoun invaded and ravaged Christian ArmenianCilicia. In a letter dated July 1, 1322, and sent from Avignon, Pope John XXII reminded Mongol ruler Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan of the alliance of his ancestors with Christians, asking him to intervene in Cilicia. At the same time he advocated that he abandon Islam in favor of Christianity. Mongol troops were sent to Cilicia, but only arrived after a ceasefire had been negotiated for 15 years between Constantin, patriarch of the Armenians, and the sultan of Egypt.
The regent Oshin had married his stepmother, Joan of Taranto, and Leo was forced to marry Alice Oshin's daughter by his first wife, Margaret d'Ibelin, on August 10, 1321.[2] Oshin murdered a number of members of the royal family to consolidate his own power, and Leo's reaction upon reaching his majority in 1329 was violent. Oshin, his brother Constantine, Constable of Armenia and Lord of Lampron, and Leo's wife Alice were all murdered on the king's orders, Oshin's head being sent to the Il-Khan and Constantine's head to Al-Nasr Muhammad, Sultan of Egypt.[2] Leo had his aunt Isabella, wife of the late Amalric, Lord of Tyre, and two of her sons imprisoned and then executed.[2]
In 1337, Al-Nasr Muhammad invaded again, taking the city of Ayas, and Leo was forced to conclude a humiliating truce, surrendering territory and a large indemnity and promising to have no dealings with the West.[4] He spent the last years of his reign holed up in the citadel at Sis, hoping for Western aid. On August 28, 1341 he was murdered by his own barons. His only son by Alice, Hethum, had died before 1331; the barons elected his cousin Constantine II to succeed him.
Boase, T. S. R. (1978). The Cilician Kingdom of Armenia. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. ISBN0-7073-0145-9.
Ghazarian, Jacob G (2000). The Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia during the Crusades: The Integration of Cilician Armenians with the Latins (1080–1393). Abingdon: RoutledgeCurzon (Taylor & Francis Group). ISBN0-7007-1418-9.
Stopka, Krzysztof (2016). Armenia Christiana: Armenian Religious Identity and the Churches of. Jagiellonian University Press.
armenia, another, armenian, monarch, occasionally, referred, king, armenia, leon, armenian, Լեւոն, levon, also, numbered, 1309, august, 1341, last, hethumid, king, cilicia, ruling, from, 1320, until, death, oshin, armenia, isabel, korikos, came, throne, death,. For another Armenian monarch occasionally referred to as Leo IV see Leo III King of Armenia Leo IV or Leon IV Armenian Լեւոն Դ Levon IV also numbered Leo V 1309 August 28 1341 was the last Hethumid king of Cilicia ruling from 1320 until his death He was the son of Oshin of Armenia and Isabel of Korikos and came to the throne on the death of his father 1 His name is sometimes spelled as Leo or Leon Leo IVKing Levon IV doing justice by Sarkis Pitzak 1331King of ArmeniaReign1320 August 28 1341PredecessorOshinSuccessorConstantine IIBorn1309DiedAugust 28 1341 1341 08 28 aged 31 32 SpouseAlice of KorikosConstance of SicilyIssueHethumHouseHethumidsFatherOshin of ArmeniaMotherIsabel of KorikosHe spent his minority under the regency of Oshin of Korikos 2 During this period the kingdom was much harassed by Mamluks and Mongols In 1320 the Egyptian sultan Naser Mohammed ibn Kelaoun invaded and ravaged Christian Armenian Cilicia In a letter dated July 1 1322 and sent from Avignon Pope John XXII reminded Mongol ruler Abu Sa id Bahadur Khan of the alliance of his ancestors with Christians asking him to intervene in Cilicia At the same time he advocated that he abandon Islam in favor of Christianity Mongol troops were sent to Cilicia but only arrived after a ceasefire had been negotiated for 15 years between Constantin patriarch of the Armenians and the sultan of Egypt The regent Oshin had married his stepmother Joan of Taranto and Leo was forced to marry Alice Oshin s daughter by his first wife Margaret d Ibelin on August 10 1321 2 Oshin murdered a number of members of the royal family to consolidate his own power and Leo s reaction upon reaching his majority in 1329 was violent Oshin his brother Constantine Constable of Armenia and Lord of Lampron and Leo s wife Alice were all murdered on the king s orders Oshin s head being sent to the Il Khan and Constantine s head to Al Nasr Muhammad Sultan of Egypt 2 Leo had his aunt Isabella wife of the late Amalric Lord of Tyre and two of her sons imprisoned and then executed 2 Leo was strongly pro Western and favored a union of the Armenian and Roman Churches which deeply displeased the native barons His second marriage on December 29 1331 to Constance daughter of Frederick III of Sicily and Eleanor of Anjou widow of Henry II of Cyprus further aroused anti Western sentiment 3 In 1337 Al Nasr Muhammad invaded again taking the city of Ayas and Leo was forced to conclude a humiliating truce surrendering territory and a large indemnity and promising to have no dealings with the West 4 He spent the last years of his reign holed up in the citadel at Sis hoping for Western aid On August 28 1341 he was murdered by his own barons His only son by Alice Hethum had died before 1331 the barons elected his cousin Constantine II to succeed him References Edit Ghazarian 2000 p 73 77 a b c d Ghazarian 2000 p 73 Stopka 2016 p 233 348 Ghazarian 2000 p 74 Sources EditBoase T S R 1978 The Cilician Kingdom of Armenia Edinburgh Scottish Academic Press ISBN 0 7073 0145 9 Ghazarian Jacob G 2000 The Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia during the Crusades The Integration of Cilician Armenians with the Latins 1080 1393 Abingdon RoutledgeCurzon Taylor amp Francis Group ISBN 0 7007 1418 9 Stopka Krzysztof 2016 Armenia Christiana Armenian Religious Identity and the Churches of Jagiellonian University Press Leo IV of ArmeniaHouse of LambronRegnal titlesPreceded byOshin King of Armenia1320 1341 Succeeded byConstantine II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leo IV of Armenia amp oldid 1092708215, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
