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174 Hakalmaz Turaç

tried to implement the reforms the papacy requested, the majority of the
clergy did not support them . The Armenian clergy at first refused to
88
consider any concessions at all, but Leo II convinced an adequate num-
ber of them and on January 6, 1198, he was crowned; his principality
was elevated to a kingdom and became a subordinate of the Holy Roman
Empire. The coronation was so urgent for Leo that a Synod, which was
necessary before the union, was not convened and an Act of Union was
signed by just 12 signatories immediately before the coronation . Be-
89
cause of the Kingdom’s dependence on western political support, the rul-
ers of Cilician Armenia adhered to the union in theory .
90
It should be noted here that although the kingdoms of Cyprus and
Cilician Armenia followed the same pattern of utilizing religious insti-
tutions for wider political interests, unlike the former in which the
ruler was already subject to Latin Christianity, the latter never fulfilled
what was required for a genuine church union, except for periods of
high danger, when an appearance of compliance was vital for the fu-
ture of the kingdom. Although some rituals were adopted by the Ar-
menian Church, this did not ensure the union of the churches and
the Armenian alliance with the West remained a political instrument.
Above all else, for papal demands to be accepted, it was crucial to have
the consent of the Armenian clergy; not only of those in Cilicia but also
of those in Southern Caucasia. However, even if Leo and the Catholi-
cos were aware of this necessity, it was not achieved, or indeed at-
tempted, because assembling a full synod would have meant postpon-
ing the coronation altogether, which was quite contrary Leo’s political
interests .
91
As an indication of the state of the relations with the papacy,
around the same time in 1201, there began an Antiochene succession
crisis which would last almost twenty years. Simultaneously, Gaston,
a former Templar Castle which had been taken over by Saladin, be-
came a point of contention between the Kingdom of Cilicia and the

to obey the unification in theory, not in practice. Rhc Arm., vol. 1, p. 423; K.M. Setton,
R.L. Wolff, H. Hazard, (eds.), The Later Crusades: 1189-1311 cit., p. 647.
88 Rhc Arm, vol. 1, pp. 568, 586-587; M. Angold, The Byzantine Empire 1025-1204:
A Political History, Longman, London, 1997, p. 413. Nerses was a Latin sympathizer,
which made him unacceptable as a successor to Catholicos Gregory IV when the latter
died in 1193. Also see J. Ghazarian, The Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia, cit., p. 191.
89 Rhc Arm, vol. 1, pp. 422-4; For a detailed narrative about the ceremony held in
Tarsus, see I. Rapti, Featuring the King cit., pp. 296-300.
90 The dangerous state of Cilician Armenia was described by Marino Sanudo, stating
that the kingdom was surrounded by four beasts; a lion, namely the Tartars, a panther,
namely the Saracens, a wolf, namely the Seljuks, and a serpent, namely pirates. See M.
Sanudo, the Book of the Secrets cit., p. 65.
91 B. Hamilton, The Armenian Church and the Papacy cit., p. 71.

Mediterranea - ricerche storiche - Anno XIX - Aprile 2022
ISSN 1824-3010 (stampa) ISSN 1828-230X (online)