Armenia's Forgotten Kingdom: Cilicia and the Crusader Alliance

In this episode of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna explore the medieval Kingdom of Cilician Armenia—a unique Armenian state that allied with Crusader princes, adopted Western feudal practices, and forged a brief golden age on the Mediterranean coast. They trace its rise under the Rubenid dynasty, the coronation of King Levon I in Tarsus in 1198, and the flourishing of trade, art, and manuscript illumination in its capital, Sis. They discuss the kingdom's delicate balancing act between the Crusader states, the Byzantine Empire, the Seljuk Turks, and the rising Mongol power. They also examine the role of the Armenian Church in maintaining identity under Latin influence, the devastating Mamluk invasions that ended the kingdom in 1375, and the lasting legacy of Cilician Armenians in the diaspora—including the influential Hromkla scriptorium and the work of historian Vardan Areveltsi. The episode sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of Armenian history, rich with knights, castles, and cultural exchange. #CilicianArmenia #KingdomOfCilicia #Rubenids #LevonI #Crusades #Hromkla #VardanAreveltsi #Mamluk #ByzantineArmenia #Seljuk #Mongol #ArmenianChurch #SisArmenia #Tarsus #MedievalArmenia #History #ArmenianHistory #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo