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From the middle of the 11th century a group of Armenians, led by Armenian princes settled down in the Taurus region. In part, this was emulating the old Byzantine policy, when it tried to defend the passages and the roads in Cilicia by settling and strengthening them with warriors, since Cilicia was not only one of the richest provinces in the Byzantine Empire, but also one of the provinces which was threatened most by the Muslim attacks. In this way the Byzantine Empire managed to create a number 3 of Armenian principalities in this mountainous region, principalities which were independent but obeyed the emperor. Soon, however, Armenian groups came to the region who did not want to submit to the supremacy of the emperor, but desired independence. This group of Armenians had a worthy leader who was able to solve the existing problems and difficulties. This person was Prince Rouben who was a close relative of the former Armenian king Gagik II, and was a member of the Bagratouni house, the same family who dominated the history of Armenia for the majority of the Middle Ages.

These Armenians settled down in Cilicia, a fairly mountainous region, with incredibly fertile soil and which was regarded as one of the most important provinces of the Byzantine Empire in the east, a land which General Bremond praises and calls "a small Egypt with Alps". Cilicia could also be compared it to actual Armenia, that is a small Armenia which laid by the most important waters of that time. Cilicia belonged in those times officially to Byzantine, but the Seljuk Turks had begun to settle down in the area.



Prince Rouben first settled down in the mountainous part of Cilicia and built the strong fortress of Bardzer Bert (high fortress), which is located at Sis and became the capital of this principality.

In contrast to other Armenian princes who settled down in the vicinity Price Rouben, did not only demanded self-governance from Byzantine, but also openly declared his independence and hostility towards Byzantine and in this way proclaimed his supremacy over the other Armenian barons. 8

This was the source and the foundation for the creation of the government of New Armenia or the Armenian principality which later transformed into the state and the country of Armenia. It was not long before this state included the whole of Cilicia. This new-founded country is also occasionally called Armenia Minor (or little Armenia) to differentiate it from to Armenia Major, Armenia which was located on the Armenian highland.

The emergence of this new country, the forbearance of this new Armenian community, was an incredible feat and guaranteed the existence of the Armenian state until the beginning of the modern era.

Over a period of fifteen years (1080-1095), this Armenian principality which from that moment on constituted the hopes and the dreams of the Armenian people, was ruled by Prince Rouben. When the Armenians settled down in these mountain fortresses, they thwarted all the attempts of the surrounding governments to drive them away.

At the time of Prince Rouben's death, the Armenians had settled down in the Taurus Mountains. These mountains came to constitute a core for the new government and a centre of power for the campaigns which led to the Armenian conquest of the whole of Cilicia.

The survival of this new Armenian state was dependent on two chief factors: the prevailing situation in the Middle East at the end of the 11th century, and the unexpected, and even, God-given arrival of the crusaders.