Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (InComplete) (troop trees need expanding)

Capital: Sis
Government Type: Monarchy
Friends with: France, Holy Roman Empire, Knights Hospitaller
Trade agreement with: Pisa, Genoa, Venice, France, the Catalans.
Unfriendly with: Byzantine, Ayubids, Knights Templar
Hostile with: Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, Crusader Principality of Antioch.
 
Map1: Map2: Map3:
Religion: Armenian Apostolic Church (branch of Orthodox Christianity)
Standard of the apostolic church:
Flag: Coat of Arms:
Monarch: Levon I the Magnificent (highly effective leader) (House: Rouben)
Claimant: none

Lords: (source: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ARMENIA.htm#_Toc184469958)
Armenian Coat of Arms for individual lords:
Flag of Ayas: Flag of Tarsus: Flag of Corycos: Flag of Hethumyans: Flag of Lamos: Other Armenian Heraldic Flags from the period:
General Info:
Culture:
Adopted many aspects of western European life including chivalry, fashion, western feudalism as compared to the traditional nakharar system.

During the Cilician period, Western titles such as baron and constable replaced their Armenian equivalents nakharar and sparapet. European tradition was adopted for the knighting of Armenian nobles, while jousts and tournaments similar to those in Europe had become popular in Cilician Armenia.

Most Armenian castles made atypical usage of rocky heights, and featured curved walls and round towers, similar to those of the Hospitaller castles Krak des Chevaliers and Marqab.

Economy: (Prosperous especially during the reign of king Levon)
The kingdom was important in spice trade, among other goods such as livestock, hides, wool, and cotton. Other important resources such as timber, grain, wine, raisins, and raw silk were also exported from the country.
Trade with west: Through port of Ayas
Main commercial centers: In Ayas, Tarsus, Adana, and Mamistra, important European merchant communities and colonies came into existence, with their own churches, courts of law, and trading houses.
The archbishops' seats were located in Tarsus, Sis, Anazarba, Lambron, and Mamistra.

Kingdom of Cilician Armenia Comprehensive Settlement List:

Custom Map1: Custom Map2:
Army of the Kingdom of Cilician Armenia:
Cilician Armenians relied chiefly on bands of paid retainers (largely natives but including Turks, Persians, and Franks) and militia infantry. In equipment and organization Frankish influence soon come to predominate (particularly under King Levon I) and feudalism was introduced from neighboring Antioch, the titles Constable and Baron being adopted in place of the old Sparapet and Nakharar.

I made two rosters for this faction. One which is for the city/village and represents the militia and light infantry element of the cilician army. And another castle roster to represent noble/professional retainer standing army.

A large part of the info on army units were acquired from: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=90845&page=2
http://mjollnir.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=94710&page=2

Village/City Roster (Infantry)

Castle Roster: Noble/professional

Military Equipment:

That's it. Hope it's helpful. Now I will move onto working on the Ayubids and the Levant area, which will take time. I will also update the existing factions I worked on whenever I come across more info about them. If there is a gap in my research, please point it out so I can rectify it.

Happy New Year Everyone!

You know... thanks    Funny fact is, nI'm already doing some research on them.wil comment tomorrow, think I'm just a bittoo drunk right now xd

Now, let's see:

About the lords list, we're really lucky, as there's a fully historical source from 1198 that lists about 15-20 lords or so (the most important barons) and their respective castles. So there won't be a problem regarding that. On the other hand, I had planned them to have at least two cities (both Sis and Tarsus), Armenian Cilicia was pretty much on its peak around 1200, a rich and powerful state.

I also think those troop trees need serious revamping. Don't misunderstand me, I fully appreciate the job done, but they're just too simplistic. In fact I had planned four separate troop trees: armenian rural, 'cilician' urban, professional and noble. The armenian rural should include light cavalry, which was regarded as highly efficient if I'm not mistaken (concrete term was something like 'ayruzdi', I think, I'm not sure right now). The cilician urban would be pretty simple, with that "Guard" unit on top as well.

Then, professionals and nobles. I actually believe the professionals should be the ones more 'westernized'. Let's say the 'westernization' King Levon attempted 1) did never really became a complete success (even among nobles) 2) in any case was under way and in no way completed around 1200. Nobles could probably use a similar troop tree to those of the western european factions (Armenia was always notorious for its high-quality heavy cavalry) but their equipment should be somewhat of mixed european and more traditional 'eastern' outfits. Maybe the lower branches should have more 'western' equipment (as they're the young ones, and typically young people is more keen and quick to accept new things) while the higher branches should wear 'eastern' equipment in a more prominent way.

Will these factions(Seljuks, Cilicia etc.) be added in next version or the one after that ?

Certainly not in the next version.

Korinov said:

You know... thanks 

Click to expand...

Glad to help

Korinov said:

I had planned them to have at least two cities (both Sis and Tarsus), Armenian Cilicia was pretty much on its peak around 1200, a rich and powerful state.

Click to expand...

I was thinking about that as well. If the scale of the map can accommodate it, then Tarsus can certainly be added as a city.

Korinov said:

I also think those troop trees need serious revamping. Don't misunderstand me, I fully appreciate the job done, but they're just too simplistic. In fact I had planned four separate troop trees: armenian rural, 'cilician' urban, professional and noble. The armenian rural should include light cavalry, which was regarded as highly efficient if I'm not mistaken (concrete term was something like 'ayruzdi', I think, I'm not sure right now). The cilician urban would be pretty simple, with that "Guard" unit on top as well.

Then, professionals and nobles. I actually believe the professionals should be the ones more 'westernized'. Let's say the 'westernization' King Levon attempted 1) did never really became a complete success (even among nobles) 2) in any case was under way and in no way completed around 1200. Nobles could probably use a similar troop tree to those of the western european factions (Armenia was always notorious for its high-quality heavy cavalry) but their equipment should be somewhat of mixed european and more traditional 'eastern' outfits. Maybe the lower branches should have more 'western' equipment (as they're the young ones, and typically young people is more keen and quick to accept new things) while the higher branches should wear 'eastern' equipment in a more prominent way.

Click to expand...

There are actually plenty of terms for Armenian units prior to the westernization of the military by King Levon. If we assume that this process was not complete by 1200 then surely these units can be implemented. The only thing that I think would not fit this period is light cavalry, particularly if they are horse archers. It is true that Armenians made use of such troops and they were indeed of good quality but that was way before 1200. All the sources I came across agree that by 1200 the Armenian Army was made up of a core of heavy cavalry retainers (which is indistinguishable from Frankish Knight and fought along them sometimes) making up a third of the army, while two thirds were made up of infantry levies.

Korinov said:

Certainly not in the next version.

Click to expand...

What about Byzantines ? if yes, then I think a Turkish mercenary unit can be added to their taverns, that would be an early preparation to Seljuk faction.

some very impressive research here, well done, guys!

here is a map (in Russian) that shows Armenian highland and Cilicia during the XII century.

also this book depicts some fortifications in Armenian Cilicia and could potentially be used for custom settlements.
you cannot browse it on amazon, unfortunately, but we've got a copy at my uni's library. thats where I got to see it in the first place.

and XIII century Smbat Sparapet's (Commander-in-Chief) chronicle for any budding historians

Bah i loved armenia in rome total war they where tiny and add catraphacks ho such fun i had pawning the rest of the world whit them , Will you guys include a more southerner faction than the moors(Mali and Soso and the other remainants of the Ghana empire for instane)?just for the sake of game balancing.

BernhardTheUgly said:

Will you guys include a more southerner faction than the moors(Mali and Soso and the other remainants of the Ghana empire for instane)?just for the sake of game balancing.

Click to expand...

Nope. And stay on topic please.

here is a the coat of arms of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia
retrieved from http://peopleofar.wordpress.com/tag/armenian-cilicia/

Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia on the web
http://www.menqfiles.com/imt_file/virtual_tur/lebanon/antilias/catholicosate/
http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/mm/mm.htm

David Nicolle and Richard Hook, Osprey Elite Series, v. 19: The Crusades (London: Osprey, 1996), 41, 60.

David Nicolle and Angus McBride, Osprey Men-at-Arms Series; 171: Saladin & the Saracens: Armies of the Middle East 1100-1300 (London: Osprey, 1996), 31, 47.

Thanks! 

First pic says they were close to their Muslim neighbours and Byzantines, second pic says they were highly close to Crusaders, and those were published in same years, what the hell Osprey 

Korinov said:

Thanks! 

Click to expand...

glad to be of help. I've got dozens of osprey series and other military literature. if I come across of anything relating to Cilicia within 12-13 century, I'll post it here.

@ Inanch-Bilge. I believe, that the first refers to the early 13 century, whereas the second is late 13 century.

Or Osprey messed things up as usual 

Inanch-Bilge said:

First pic says they were close to their Muslim neighbours and Byzantines, second pic says they were highly close to Crusaders, and those were published in same years, what the hell Osprey 

Click to expand...

'Westernization' due to the Crusades. In any case it's a difficult and complex matter, we're not sure to what extent that westernization did really permeate through the armenian-cilician society, it was probably mostly a matter of the nobility and their entourages, and by 1200 it was probably a half-way process, maybe prominent only amoung the youngest branches of nobility.

Korinov said:

Inanch-Bilge said:

First pic says they were close to their Muslim neighbours and Byzantines, second pic says they were highly close to Crusaders, and those were published in same years, what the hell Osprey 

Click to expand...

'Westernization' due to the Crusades. In any case it's a difficult and complex matter, we're not sure to what extent that westernization did really permeate through the armenian-cilician society, it was probably mostly a matter of the nobility and their entourages, and by 1200 it was probably a half-way process, maybe prominent only amoung the youngest branches of nobility.

Click to expand...

What always has worried me is how much "byzantinised" Cilician Armenia was. In my course about Medieval Armenia, our professor seems to imply that the byzantine influence was big, especially because the Byzantine army integrated local soldiers into their structure, but also made use of each of its nation's strong points, creating new units and so on.

So, since the Princes of Armenian Cilicia were already uneasy under Byzantine rule, accepting it only when the Turks seemed to be way too powerful, and rejecting it during the Crusades, when there was hope of getting rid of them (Oh, Armenians, you did not foresee the Principality of Antioch, your true arch-nemesis)... the amount of byzantification remains a subject of debate, at least according to Marianne Chevalier.

***

Totally unrelated, since I did that course I'm a fan of Hethum II and his intermitent reign, because of his undying tenacity; and especially of Hethum I, who travelled to Karakorum, to the seat of the Great Khan, to pay him homage, after he sent his brother and he came back.

He travelled all the way to Mongolia and back, by land.

Luckily, there's an account of it, written by Gandsaketsi.

The influence of other neighbouring cultures seems to grow and decline alongside the rise and fall of the relative power of these states. Ian Heath, in the slides below, suggests that in the late 12, early 13 centuries the Cilician Armenians were virtually indistinguishable from the Byzantine troops, whereas by the late 13 century Armenains became distinctly Westernised.

Ian Heath and Angus McBride, Osprey Men-at-Arms Series; 287: Byzantine Armies 1118-1461 AD (London: Osprey, 1995), 20-21.

the most frustrating thing about finding a detailed, reputable scholarly texts on Armenian military is their lack. thats is not only true in regard with this period, as I've found out a few years ago whilst helping with the researchig on the Armenian 'imperial era,' for the RTW mod. the Armenians, whether from Cilicia, Lesser (often confused with Cilician Armenia, it seems) and Greater Armenia, are almost always mentioned in passing. even during the periods when Armenia becomes a major regional player, or even a hegemon (like in 1st Century BC), it only referred to in a context of the struggle between its neighbours to the east and west. what is lacking is a study dedicated to the Armenian military itself and for its own sake. that would clarify teh degree of westernisation etc. judging by the footnotes on these osprey publications that very briefly mention Armenian soldiery, that are plenty of primary, archeological and architectural sourses to draw upon. hopefully one day this will be done, at least for the period covering teh crusades.