Thoros II, prince of Armenia

-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoros_II,_Prince_of_Armenia

Toros II the Great (Armenian: Թորոս Բ), also Thoros II, (unknown – February 6, 1169) was the sixth lord of Armenian Cilicia or “Lord of the Mountains” (1144/1145-1169).

Thoros (together with his father, Leo I and his brother, Roupen) was taken captive and imprisoned in Constantinople in 1137 after the Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus, during his campaign against Cilicia and the Principality of Antioch, successfully had laid siege to Gaban and Vahka (today Feke in Turkey). All Cilicia remained under Byzantine rule for eight years.

Unlike his father and brother, Thoros survived his incarceration in Constantinople and was able to escape in 1143. Whatever the conditions in which Thoros entered Cilicia, he found it occupied by many Greek garrisons. He rallied around him the Armenians in the eastern parts of Cilicia and after a persistent and relentless pursuit of the Greeks, he successfully ousted the Byzantine garrisons from Pardzerpert (now Andırın in Turkey), Vahka, Sis (today Kozan in Turkey), Anazarbus, Adana, Mamistra and eventually Tarsus. His victories were aided by the lack of Muslim attacks in Cilicia and from the setbacks the Greeks and the Crusaders suffered on the heels of the loss of Edessa.

Emperor Manuel I Comnenus, unhappy with Thoros’s progress in the areas still claimed by the Byzantine Empire, sought peaceful means to settle his conflict with Thoros, but his attempts bore him no fruits. The recovery before 1150 of the Taurus fortresses by Thoros had not seriously affected Greek power, but his conquest of Mamistra in 1151 and the rest of Cilicia in 1152 had necessitated a great expedition. As a result, during the course of the next 20 years there were no less than three separate military campaigns launched by the emperor against Thoros, but each campaign was only able to produce a limited success.

Thoros’s accomplishments during his reign placed Armenian Cilicia on a firm footing.

Thoros was of a tall figure and of a strong mind: his compassion was universal; like the light of the sun he shone by his good works, and flourished by his faith; he was the shield of truth and the crown of righteousness; he was well versed in the Holy Scriptures and in the profane sciences. It is said that he was of such profound understanding, as to be able to explain the difficult expressions of the prophets – his explanations even still exist.

—Vahram of Edessa: The Rhymed Chronicle of Armenia Minor

Second Crusade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Harim

-https://www.genealogieonline.nl/en/genealogie-richard-remme/I26342.php

-http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ARMENIA.htm#ThorosIIMountains

4. THOROS (-6 Feb 1169, bur Trazarg). The Chronique Rimée de la Petite Arménie of Vahram of Edessa names (in order) "Thoros…le Grand…Sdephanê…ensuite Mleh, qui précédait Roupen, le dernier de tous" as the four sons of Lewon[428]. The Lignages d'Outremer name (in order) "Thoros, Stephane, Mleh et Rupin" as the four sons of Lewon[429]. Grégoire names him as son of Lewon[430]. The Lignages d'Outremer record that Lewon and his two sons "Thoros et Rupin" were captured by Emperor Ioannes and taken in chains to Constantinople, were released "plusieurs années plus tard" although they remained in the royal palace, but that Lewon and his son Thoros were imprisoned again after Rupen was blinded, and that Thoros was released after his father died in prison[431]. The Chronicle of Grégoire le Prêtre names "Thoros…fils de Léon sébaste…fils de Constantin, fils de Roupen", stating that he had been sent by Emperor Manuel as Governor of "la grande ville de Tarse et de Mecis" when recording his rebellion against the Greeks in [12 Feb 1152/10 Feb 1153][432]. Thoros escaped in 1143 and returned to Cilicia, taking refuge at the court of Joscelin II de Courtenay Count of Edessa. The Chronicle attributed to King Hethum II records that "Lewon's son Toros came from Constantinople, took Vahka and restored the authority of the Armenians" in [14 Feb 1144/13 Feb 1145][433]. He established himself as THOROS II Lord of the Mountains. In 1151, he attacked Mamistra, killed the Byzantine Governor Thomas, and routed the army of Andronikos Komnenos which was sent to expel him[434]. In 1153, he lost Alexandretta to Renaud Prince of Antioch[435]. William of Tyre records that "quidam nobilis et potentissimus Armenus, Toros" was "domini Imperatoris gratiam" (presumably referring to his subsequent acceptance of Byzantine suzerainty) in "partibus Ciliciæ, circa Tarsum" and that he allied himself with Renaud Prince of Antioch to invade Cyprus (dated to 1156), recording in a later passage that he invaded Antioch (dated to [1157])[436]. Emperor Manuel I invaded Cilicia in 1158. Thoros fled to the mountains, taking refuge at Dadjig, and was obliged to accept Byzantine suzerainty[437]. Thoros attacked the Byzantine garrisons at Mamistra, Anazarba and Vahka after accusing the Governor of Cilicia, Andronikos Komnenos, of complicity in the murder of his half-brother Stephané. His revolt was suppressed by Konstantinos Dukas Kalamános whom Emperor Manuel appointed as Governor of Cilicia in 1160[438]. Thoros died after becoming a monk[439]. The Chronographie of Samuel d'Ani records the death in [8 Feb 1166/7 Feb 1167] of "le grand prince des Arméniens, Thoros"[440]. The Chronicle attributed to King Hethum II records that "Toros paron of the Armenians" died in [10 Feb 1157/9 Feb 1158] "after having become a cleric" and was succeeded by "his brother Mleh"[441]. The Lignages d'Outremer record that Thoros was buried "à Trois Arcs"[442].

[Unlikely first marriage: Europäische Stammtafeln[443] suggests that Thoros II married firstly ([1140/42], divorced 1149) Evdokia Komnene, daughter of Andronikos Komnenos sébastokrator & his wife Eirene [Aideiadissa], who was later the mistress of the future Emperor Andronikos I and who later married Mikhael Gabras. There seems to be no basis for this assertion. Rüdt-Collenberg says that "a first marriage with a Byzantine princess, mentioned by Tchamitch for the years 1140-1142, is more than doubtful"[444]. If it did take place, the Armenian royal family's capture and imprisonment in Constantinople must have been less arduous than is implied by most of the primary sources quoted above. In any case, the source which is the basis for Europäische Stammtafeln identifying the bride has not yet been identified. It may be no more than a guess.]

m [firstly] (1149) ISABELLE de Courtenay, daughter of JOSCELIN [II] de Courtenay Count of Edessa & his wife Béatrice (after 1133-[1150/59]). William of Tyre names her as daughter of Joscelin sent by his father as a hostage to the emperor in 1142[445]. The primary source which confirms her marriage has not yet been identified.

[m [secondly] (1164) [his great niece,] --- [of Armenia], daughter of THOMAS the Regent. This marriage is suggested by the Lignages d'Outremer which name "Leon" (mistake for Rupen) as the son of Thoros, stating that he had handed him for safekeeping to "son beau-père Thomas, qui était à Antioche" and whom he also appointed "la bailie du pays"[446].]

Thoros II & his [first] wife had [two] children: