Stephan I (Armenia)

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Stephan I (Step'ane) was the ruler of the Principality of Lesser Armenia from 1140 to 1144 .

Stephan came from the Armenian dynasty of the Rubenids . Both Prince Leo I and his son and presumptive successor Thoros II were captured by the Byzantines in 1138 and were in Constantinople . When Leo died in custody in 1140, Thoros de jure was the new prince of Lesser Armenia, but given his imprisonment, Stephan, his half-brother, took over the rule. Thoros finally managed to escape, so that Stephan had to return the rule in 1145.

As a result, Stephan undertook several military campaigns, especially against the Rum Seljuks , not always to the delight of Prince Thoros, who had made peace with the Rum-Seljuk Sultan Kılıç Arslan II , who had been in office since 1156 . The Byzantines, who tried to enforce suzerainty over Lesser Armenia, also made Stephan enemies. The Byzantine governor of Tarsos , Andronikos Euphorbenos , finally invited him to a feast, took him prisoner and had him killed. The murder of Stephen in disregard of the hospitality prompted Thoros to a campaign of revenge.

He was married to Rita von Barbaron, their children were Ruben III. , Leo II and Dolete, the future wife of Bertrand Embriaco .

predecessor Office successor
Leo I. Regent of Lesser Armenia
1140–1144
Thoros II