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Hethum I

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Hethum I
Հեթում Ա
Hethum I withQueen Isabellaon a coin
King of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Reign1226 – 1270
PredecessorIsabella
SuccessorLeo II
Co-rulerIsabella(1226 – 1252)
Born1213
Died21 October 1270(1270-10-21)(aged 56–57)
SpouseIsabella
IssueEuphemia
Maria
Sybille
Rita
Leo II
Thoros
DynastyHouse of Lampron
FatherConstantine of Baberon
MotherPrincess Alix Pahlavouni ofLampron

Hethum I[1](Armenian:Հեթում Ա; 1213 – 21 October 1270) ruled theArmenian Kingdom of Cilicia(also known as "Little Armenia" ) from 1226 to 1270. He was the son ofConstantine of Baberon(d. 1263) and Princess Alix Pahlavouni ofLampron(a third-cousin ofLeo I) and was the founder of the dynasty which bears his name: theHethumidsalso known as theHouse of Lampron.Having accepted the suzerainty of theMongol Empire,Hethum himself traveled to the Mongol court inKarakorum,Mongolia,[2]a famous account of which is given by Hethum's companion, the historianKirakos Gandzaketsi,in hisHistory of Armenia.He allied with theMongolsto fight against the MuslimMamluksand also encouraged otherCrusader statesto do the same.

Family

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Hethum's father Constantine had been regent for the youngIsabella, Queen of Armenia.[3]Isabella originally married Philip (1222–1225), son ofBohemond IV of Antioch.[3]However, Constantine had Philip disposed of, and instead forced Isabella to marry his own son, Hethum, on June 14, 1226, to make Isabella and Hethum co-rulers.[3]The couple had six children:

  1. Leo II(died 1289)
  2. Thoros (died at theBattle of Mariin 1266 fighting theMamluks) - Thoros had one child: Melkum.
  3. Sibylla(died 1290), who marriedBohemond VI of Antioch[4]
  4. Euphemie (died 1309), who married toJulian Grenier,Lord of Sidon[4]
  5. Rita of Armenia, married Constantine of Servantikar[4]
  6. Maria, who married Guy of Ibelin,[4]son ofBaldwin of Ibelin, Seneschal of Cyprus
  7. Rouben
  8. Vasak.

Armenian-Mongol relations

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Hethum I (seated) in the Mongol court ofKarakorum,"receiving the homage of the Mongols".[5]Miniature from "Histoire des Tartars",Hayton of Corycus,1307.
Main article:Armeno-Mongol relations

Hethum was a major player in the political struggles and shifting alliances around theCrusader states,as the Armenians had ties with all sides. They were primarily aligned with the Europeans, but during Hethum's reign, the rapidly expandingMongol Empirebecame a concern. When the Mongol commanderBaijuattacked theSultanate of Rum,theSeljuqsultanKaykhusraw IIcalled on Hethum to come to his aid. Faced with internal disagreements about the war and likely sensing that the Mongols were the greater threat, Hethum delayed and Kaykhusraw's army left without the Armenians.[6]After the Mongols inflicted a crushing defeat on the Seljuqs atKösedağand approached the borders ofCappadociaandCilicia,King Hethum made a strategic decision to submit to Mongolsuzerainty.[7][8][9][10]He sent his brotherSempadto the Mongol court in Karakorum. There, Sempad met Great KhanGüyük,and made a formal agreement in 1247 in which Cilician Armenia would be considered a vassal state of the Mongol Empire.

In 1245, Cilicia was attacked by the Sultanate of Rum, prompted by Hethum's decision to hand over Sultan Kaykhusraw's wife and daughter (who had found refuge at his court after Kösedağ) to Baiju.[4]TheSeljukswere aided by Hethum's disloyal vassal, Constantine of Lampron. Kaykhusraw was only able to seize a few forts which the Mongols forced him to return a few years later,[4]while Constantine was captured and executed in 1250.

In 1254, Hethum himself traveled through Central Asia toMongoliato renew the agreement, passing through the Turkish states of easternAsia Minor,the Mongol camp atKarsin Greater Armenia, theIron GatesofDerbentat the western shore of theCaspian Sea,and from there across Asia to Karakorum.[11]He brought many sumptuous presents, and met withMöngke Khan(Güyük's cousin). An account of his travels was recorded by a member of his suite,Kirakos Gandzaketsias "Travels of Haithon, the Pious King of the Armenians, to Batu and Mangu Khans", the 58th chapter of Gandzaketsi'sHistory of Armenia.The Journey of Hethoum was later translated into Russian, French, English,[12]and Chinese. The narrative is important for its observations of Mongol, Buddhist, and Chinese culture, geography, and wildlife.

On his way back from Karakorum, Hethum passed throughSamarkandand northernPersia,also visiting the Mongol leaderBaiju,where he was present in his camp to witness Baiju's victory inAsia Minoragainst theSeljuq Turks.[13]

Hethum strongly encouraged other Frankish rulers to follow his example and submit to Mongol suzerainty, but the only one who did so was Hethum's son-in-law,Bohemond VI of Antioch,who submitted around 1259. Armenian troops were with the Mongol army that capturedBaghdadin 1258, and both Armenians and AntiochenesCrusadersfought in the Mongol Army underHulaguat theSiege of Aleppoand Fall ofDamascusin 1260.[14][15]Historical accounts, quoting from the writings of the medieval historianTemplar of Tyre,often give a dramatic account of the three Christian rulers (Hethum, Bohemond, and the Mongol generalKitbuqa) entering the city of Damascus together in triumph,[15][16]though modern historians have questioned this story asapocryphal.[17][18][19]

Despite the Mongols' territorial gains, in September 1260, the EgyptianMamluksrallied, defeating the Mongols at the historicBattle of Ain Jalutand driving them back across theEuphrates River.The Mongols would not again capture Syria until 1299–1300, when again they would hold it only for a few months.

Retirement

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During the last years of Hethum's reign, largely as a result of Hethum's active support of the Mongols,[20]the kingdom came under increasing attack by theMamluksunderBaybars,who invaded in 1266. The heavily outnumbered Armenians were unable to hold off the Mamluks at theDisaster of Mari,during which one of Hethum's sons, Thoros, was killed and another son,Leo,was captured and imprisoned. Following this defeat, the cities ofAdana,Tarsus,andAyaswere assaulted and the capital ofSiswas sacked and burnt. Thousands of Armenians were massacred and 40,000 taken captive.[21]Hethum was able to ransom his son by conceding territory to the Egyptians. In May 1268, the alliedPrincipality of Antiochwas overrun by the Egyptians who, underBaybars,captured it and massacred its inhabitants and destroyed all its churches.

Hethum abdicated in 1270 in favor of his son Leo, and lived out the rest of his life in a monastery, as a monk.

Notes

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  1. ^Also spelled Hethoum, Hetoum, Het'um, or Hayton.
  2. ^Morris Rossabi (28 November 2014).From Yuan to Modern China and Mongolia: The Writings of Morris Rossabi.BRILL. pp. 670–.ISBN978-90-04-28529-3.
  3. ^abcStopka 2016,p. 151.
  4. ^abcdefDer Nersessian 1969,p. 652.
  5. ^"Hethoum I receiving the homage of the Tatars: during his voyage to Mongolia in 1254, Hethoum I was received with honours by the Mongol Khan who 'ordered several of his noble subjects to honour and attend him'" inClaude Mutafian,Le Royaume Armenien de Cilicie,p.58, quoting Hayton of Corycus.
  6. ^Dashdondog, Bayarsaikhan (2011).The Mongols and the Armenians (1220-1335).Leiden & Boston: Brill. pp. 61–63.ISBN978-90-04-18635-4.
  7. ^Grousset,Empire,p. 263, "Hethum I (1226-69) was clever enough to place himself voluntarily under Mongol suzerainty in 1244."
  8. ^Claude Mutafian inLe Royaume Arménien de Ciliciedescribes "the Mongol alliance" entered into by the king of Armenia and the Franks of Antioch ( "the King of Armenia decided to engage into the Mongol alliance, an intelligence that the Latin barons lacked, except for Antioch" ), and "the Franco-Mongol collaboration" (Mutafian, p.55).
  9. ^Claude Lebedel inLes Croisadesdescribes the alliance of the Franks of Antioch and Tripoli with the Mongols: (in 1260) "the Frank barons refused an alliance with the Mongols, except for the Armenians and the Prince of Antioch and Tripoli".
  10. ^Amin Maalouf inThe Crusades through Arab eyesis extensive and specific on the alliance (page numbers refer to the French edition): "The Armenians, in the person of their king Hetoum, sided with the Mongols, as well as Prince Bohemond, his son-in-law. The Franks of Acre however adopted a position of neutrality favourable to the muslims" (p.261), "Bohemond of Antioch and Hethoum of Armenia, principal allies of the Mongols" (p.265), "Hulagu (…) still had enough strength to prevent the punishment of his allies [Bohemond and Hethoum]" (p.267).
  11. ^Bournotian, p. 101
  12. ^Emil Bretschneidertr., "The Journey of Haithon, King of Little Armenia, To Mongolia and Back",Mediaeval ResearchesVol 1, Trubner Oriental Series 1888 London, facsimile reprint 2005 Elibron ClassicsISBN1-4021-9303-3
  13. ^Claude Cahen,Pre-Ottoman Turkey,pp. 275–276
  14. ^Grousset, p. 581
  15. ^ab"On 1 March Kitbuqa entered Damascus at the head of a Mongol army. With him were the King of Armenia and the Prince of Antioch. The citizens of the ancient capital of the Caliphate saw for the first time for six centuries three Christian potentates ride in triumph through their streets", Runciman,p.307
  16. ^Grousset, p.588
  17. ^David Morgan,The Mongols(2nd ed.)
  18. ^Peter Jackson, "Crisis in the Holy Land in 1260",English Historical Review376 (1980) 486
  19. ^"While this report cannot be taken literally, it may contain a grain of truth. Armenian troops were part of Ketbuqa's force, while some time during the Mongol occupation Bohemond visitedBaalbekand even intended to ask Hulegu for possession of the town. (...) If this prince reached as far as Baalbek, it is most probable that he also passed through Damascus. "De Reuven Amitai-Preiss,Mongols and Mamluks,p.31
  20. ^Amitai-Preiss refers to the Armenians as "active allies of the Mongols" and speaks of "the subsequent retribution thatBaybarsexacted from them "(p. 106).
  21. ^Mack Chahin,The Kingdom of Armenia: A History,p. 253

References

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Hethum I
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Armenia
1226–1270 		Succeeded by
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