The Rubenids () or Roupenids were an
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others.
H ...
who dominated parts of
Cilicia
Cilicia () is a geographical region in southern Anatolia, extending inland from the northeastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Cilicia has a population ranging over six million, concentrated mostly at the Cilician plain (). The region inclu ...
, and who established the
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, also known as Cilician Armenia, Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia, was an Armenian state formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian ...
. The dynasty takes its name from its founder, the Armenian prince
Ruben I. The Rubenids were princes, later kings, of Cilicia from around 1080 until they were surpassed by the
Hethumids in the mid-thirteenth century.
History
The Rubenid dynasty was established when Ruben's great-grandson, Thoros, was appointed governor of a region in Cilicia by the Byzantine Emperor. Thoros expanded his territory and declared himself the ruler of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in 1080. The Rubenids continued to rule Cilicia for over a century, with various members of the family taking the throne.
Under the Rubenids, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia flourished culturally and economically, with a vibrant artistic and literary scene. The Rubenid rulers also maintained close ties with the Crusaders, who recognized Cilicia as a Christian ally in the region. However, the kingdom ultimately fell to the Mamluk Sultanate in 1375.
The new Armenian state established very close relations with European countries and played a very important role during the
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...
, providing the
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
armies a haven and provisions on their way towards
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
. Intermarriage with European crusading families was common, and European religious, political, and cultural influence was strong.
Rubenid princes of Armenia
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Roupen I (1080/1081/1082 – 1095)
*
Constantine I
Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
(1095 – 1100/1102/1103)
*
Thoros I (1100/1102/1103 – 1129/1130)
*
Constantine II (1129/1130)
*
Leo I (1129/1130 – 1137)
*
Thoros II (1144/1145 – 1169)
*
Roupen II (1169–1170)
*
Mleh (1170–1175)
*
Roupen III (1175–1187)
*
Leo II (1187 – 1198/1199)
Rubenid kings of Armenia
*
Leo I (1198/1199 – 1219)
*
Isabella (1219–1252)
References
*
*
*
{{Royal houses of Armenia