Leo III (or Leon III; ; occasionally numbered Leo IV; 1289–1307) was a young king of 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 ...

, ruling from 1303 or 1305 to 1307, along with his uncle Hethum II. A member of the House of Lampron, he was the son of Thoros III of Armenia and Margaret of Lusignan, who was the daughter of King Hugh III of Cyprus. In 1303, while still a minor, he was crowned King of Armenia upon the retirement of his uncle Hethum II, who became Regent.

Cilician Armenia 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 Armenians, Armenian state formed during the High Middle Ages b ...

at the time was in a volatile situation, maintaining a fragile relationship as a vassal state of the

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire was the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in human history, history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Euro ...

, while defending from attacks by the Muslim

Mamluks Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-sold ...

from the south. The throne of Armenia had changed hands multiple times during Leo's brief lifetime, being held variously by his uncle Hethum II in 1295, passed peacefully to his father Thoros III in 1296, then usurped by another uncle Sempad, who was usurped by his brother Constantine III of Armenia, who himself was deposed by his brother Hethum II in 1299. Thoros III having been killed in 1298, Hethum then passed the crown to Thoros's son, Leo, in 1303. In 1305, Hethum and Leo led the Armenian army to defeat a

Mamluk Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...

raiding force at Bagras. On November 17, 1307, Leo and Hethum were murdered with their retinue at a

banquet A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes inc ...

while visiting the Mongol general Bilarghu at

Anazarbus Anazarbus, also known as Justinopolis (, medieval Ain Zarba; modern Anavarza; ), was an ancient Cilician city. Under the later Roman Empire, late Roman Empire, it was the capital of Cilicia Secunda. Roman emperor Justinian I rebuilt the city ...

. Bilarghu, a Mongol who had converted to Islam, had sought to build a mosque in the capital city of Sis, but Hethum had blocked the move as he wanted Armenia to be a completely Christian kingdom and complained to the leader of the Mongol Ilkhanate, Oljeitu. Bilarghu invited Hethum, Leo, and many other important Armenian nobles to a

at the castle of

, presumably for discussions, but then his forces suddenly attacked and massacred the Armenians while they were having their meals and all of the Armenian nobles were killed along with Leo and his uncle Hethum II. Bilarghu was later executed by the Mongol ilkhan Oljeitu for his actions. After the murder of Hethum II and King Leo at the

, Leo was succeeded as king by another of his uncles,

Oshin is a Japanese television, Japanese Asadora, serialized morning television drama (''asadora''), which originally aired on NHK from 4 March 1983 to 31 March 1984; it is the 31st ''asadora'' overall to be produced. The 297 15-minute episodes follo ...

as Leo had no heirs when he was killed since he was too young.

Family

He was married to his cousin Agnes (Marie) de Lusignan (died 1309), daughter of Princess Isabella of Armenia and Amalric de Lusignan, without issue.

References

* * {{Authority control 1289 births 1307 deaths 14th-century murdered monarchs Kings of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia Armenian people of Cypriot descent Hethumid dynasty 14th-century rulers of Armenian Cilicia