Categories: Antiquities

Kostandin IV – King of Cilicia

“…After two unsuccessful reigns, the Armenians recognized the son of their commander Baldwin, one of the descendants of the Rubenid dynasty, as the King of Cilicia.

The new king, Kostandin IV, with all his great talents and with all the desire in the world, could not avoid the struggle with the Muslims who hated Christian Cilicia, a country that was a constant pretext for the intervention of European sovereigns in the affairs of Asia Minor.

Meanwhile, Cilicia was so exhausted that the newly invading Arabians met no resistance until Ayaz itself, which they seized.

Only the reinforcements arriving from the island of Rhodes from the commander of the Order of Joannites Theodatus and from the island of Cyprus from the Cypriot king Hugo allowed Kostandin IV to resist the enemy, smash them, and drive them out of his possessions.

And despite the fact that the requested assistance from France and England did not arrive, the new invasion of the Arabians again failed. Thanks to the energy of the courageous king, the Armenians launched an offensive and took the fortress of Alexandretta from the enemy.”

“History of Armenia – Period 1080–1393” by author Victor Abaza

Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem during a visit to the King of the Armenian Cilician state Kostandin IV in 1347. Artist: Henri Delaborde.
Vigen Avetisyan

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