Alice of Armenia
Encyclopedia
Alice of Armenia was the eldest daughter of Ruben III, Prince of Armenia and his wife Isabella of Toron. She was heiress of Toron
as well as a claimant to the throne of Armenia
. She married three times; by her second marriage she was Countess of Tripoli, and she only had children from this marriage.
. At the time of her father's death, Alice was four or five years of age. He abdicated and died in 1287, and was succeeded by his brother Leo. Leo was initially the 'Regent and Tutor' of his young nieces but he eventually set them aside and was succeeded by his own descendants.
Isabella died sometime between 1192 and 1229, and upon her death, Alice became heiress of Toron; Toron was occupied by Muslims at the time. Around 1189, both Alice and Philippa were betrothed. Alice was betrothed to Hathum, Lord of Sasun and Philippa to a son of the Lord of Sasun.
Both sisters married roughly around the same time in 1189. In May, 1193, their spouses were both murdered. The sisters are mentioned by Sempad the Constable
as their widows. Sempad also recorded contemporary rumours that their uncle Leo was behind both assassinations. Since Alice was only eleven-years-old and Philippa ten, the marriages were likely not consummated.
and Alice's family in Armenia. They needed permission from Henry II, Count of Champagne, husband of Isabella I of Jerusalem for the marriage, which he gave them after Alice's uncle released Raymond's father Bohemond III, Prince of Antioch. Alice and Raymond were married around 1195. The couple were only married for roughly three years before Raymond died; Alice being pregnant at the time. According to Sempad, it was agreed that any son born of the marriage would succeed her uncle in Armenia. Months after Raymond's death, Alice gave birth to a son, Raymond-Roupen.
After the birth of her son, Alice was sent back to her homeland of Armenia from Antioch by her father-in-law. However, Bohemond agreed to make Raymond Roupen his heir. In 1201, Bohemond died and went back on his word, making his younger son Bohemond Prince of Antioch instead. In 1216, Bohemond was overthrown with the help of Leo, and Raymond Roupen was made Prince of Antioch. However, this only lasted until 1219 when Bohemond conquered and re-gained control.
. Several factions were against the succession and other candidates pressed their claims. Sybilla of Lusignan
, mother of Isabelle put her claim on the throne but was exiled by Constantine. Leo's older daughter Stephanie
put her claim forward along with that of her young son, but they later died. In 1219, Alice claimed the throne on behalf of her son; to strengthen the claim, in 1220 she married Vahram, Lord of Korikos.
In 1222, Constantine had Vahram murdered, Raymond-Roupen either died in battle or died in prison and Alice was imprisoned and later exiled. Raymond-Roupen left Alice with a granddaughter, Maria of Antioch-Armenia
, who succeeded as Lady of Toron and unsuccessfully claimed Armenia. Isabelle was then left as the legitimate heir to the throne.
After her release, Alice turned to her inheritance rights in Palestine
. From her mother she had inherited the rights to Toron and Oultrejordain
, and stakes in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but the Kingdom had not occupied since 1187 by Christians since the Muslim invasion. Toron had been taken over by the Muslims in 1219. Toron was recovered through the treaty of Jaffa in 1229, just two years after al-Mu'azzam's death on November 11, 1227, by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
from Sultan al-Kamil. As Toron was sold in 1220 to the Teutonic Knights
together with the territories called the Seigneury de Joscelin, it came to a dispute between them and Alice. She successfully claimed her rights before the High Court and Frederick II assigned the lordship to her.
Alice died sometime after 1234. She managed to outlive all three of her husbands, her sister, son and uncle. Toron passed to her granddaugher Maria.
Toron
Toron, now Tibnin or Tebnine in southern Lebanon, was a major Crusader castle, built in the Lebanon mountains on the road from Tyre to Damascus....
as well as a claimant to the throne of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. She married three times; by her second marriage she was Countess of Tripoli, and she only had children from this marriage.
Early Life and First Marriage
Alice was the elder of two children born to Prince Ruben and his wife Isabella; Alice's younger sister was Philippa of ArmeniaPhilippa of Armenia
Philippa of Armenia was a daughter of Ruben III of Armenia and Isabella of Toron. Her maternal grandparents were Humphrey III of Toron and Stephanie of Milly.-Princess of Armenia:...
. At the time of her father's death, Alice was four or five years of age. He abdicated and died in 1287, and was succeeded by his brother Leo. Leo was initially the 'Regent and Tutor' of his young nieces but he eventually set them aside and was succeeded by his own descendants.
Isabella died sometime between 1192 and 1229, and upon her death, Alice became heiress of Toron; Toron was occupied by Muslims at the time. Around 1189, both Alice and Philippa were betrothed. Alice was betrothed to Hathum, Lord of Sasun and Philippa to a son of the Lord of Sasun.
Both sisters married roughly around the same time in 1189. In May, 1193, their spouses were both murdered. The sisters are mentioned by Sempad the Constable
Sempad the Constable
Sempad the Constable was a noble in Cilician Armenia, an older brother of King Hetoum I. He was an important figure in Cilicia, acting as a diplomat, judge, and military officer, holding the title of Constable or Sparapet, supreme commander of the Armenian armed forces...
as their widows. Sempad also recorded contemporary rumours that their uncle Leo was behind both assassinations. Since Alice was only eleven-years-old and Philippa ten, the marriages were likely not consummated.
Second Marriage
Alice was secondly betrothed to Raymond IV, Count of Tripoli, in order to bring peace between Raymond's family in AntiochAntioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
and Alice's family in Armenia. They needed permission from Henry II, Count of Champagne, husband of Isabella I of Jerusalem for the marriage, which he gave them after Alice's uncle released Raymond's father Bohemond III, Prince of Antioch. Alice and Raymond were married around 1195. The couple were only married for roughly three years before Raymond died; Alice being pregnant at the time. According to Sempad, it was agreed that any son born of the marriage would succeed her uncle in Armenia. Months after Raymond's death, Alice gave birth to a son, Raymond-Roupen.
After the birth of her son, Alice was sent back to her homeland of Armenia from Antioch by her father-in-law. However, Bohemond agreed to make Raymond Roupen his heir. In 1201, Bohemond died and went back on his word, making his younger son Bohemond Prince of Antioch instead. In 1216, Bohemond was overthrown with the help of Leo, and Raymond Roupen was made Prince of Antioch. However, this only lasted until 1219 when Bohemond conquered and re-gained control.
Third Marriage and Later Life
On 2 May 1219, King Leo died and left Armenia to his younger daughter, Isabelle; under the regency firstly of Adam of Baghras and after his assassination, Constantine of BaberonConstantine of Baberon
Constantine of Baberon was a powerful Armenian noble of the Hetoumids family. He was the son of Vassag, the maternal uncle of king Levon I of Armenia...
. Several factions were against the succession and other candidates pressed their claims. Sybilla of Lusignan
Sybilla of Lusignan
Sibylla of Lusignan was the daughter of Amalric II of Jerusalem and Isabella of Jerusalem. She was a member of the House of Lusignan....
, mother of Isabelle put her claim on the throne but was exiled by Constantine. Leo's older daughter Stephanie
Stephanie of Armenia
Stephanie of Armenia , also known as Rita, was the only child of Leo I, King of Armenia by his first wife Isabelle, whose origins are uncertain. She was a member of the Rubenid dynasty.- Early Life and Family :...
put her claim forward along with that of her young son, but they later died. In 1219, Alice claimed the throne on behalf of her son; to strengthen the claim, in 1220 she married Vahram, Lord of Korikos.
In 1222, Constantine had Vahram murdered, Raymond-Roupen either died in battle or died in prison and Alice was imprisoned and later exiled. Raymond-Roupen left Alice with a granddaughter, Maria of Antioch-Armenia
Maria of Antioch-Armenia
Maria of Antioch-Armenia was lady of Toron from 1229 to her death. She was the elder daughter of Raymond-Roupen, prince of Antioch, and of Helvis of Lusignan...
, who succeeded as Lady of Toron and unsuccessfully claimed Armenia. Isabelle was then left as the legitimate heir to the throne.
After her release, Alice turned to her inheritance rights in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. From her mother she had inherited the rights to Toron and Oultrejordain
Oultrejordain
Lordship of Oultrejordain or Oultrejourdain was the name used during the Crusades for an extensive and partly undefined region to the east of the Jordan river, an area known in ancient times as Edom and Moab...
, and stakes in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but the Kingdom had not occupied since 1187 by Christians since the Muslim invasion. Toron had been taken over by the Muslims in 1219. Toron was recovered through the treaty of Jaffa in 1229, just two years after al-Mu'azzam's death on November 11, 1227, by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
from Sultan al-Kamil. As Toron was sold in 1220 to the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
together with the territories called the Seigneury de Joscelin, it came to a dispute between them and Alice. She successfully claimed her rights before the High Court and Frederick II assigned the lordship to her.
Alice died sometime after 1234. She managed to outlive all three of her husbands, her sister, son and uncle. Toron passed to her granddaugher Maria.