Page 39 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

40 The Armenian Church

political tensions, religious conflicts, and
military confrontations, the Armenian poli-
tical and church leaders practiced realpolitik.
Two rival Armenian dynasties, the Rube-
nids and the Hetumids ruled Armenian
Cilicia for almost three centuries. The two
dynasties had different political orientations.
The Hetumids were the vassals of the Byzan-
tines and the representatives of the helle-
nophile tendency among the Armenians. The
Rubenids, who were nominally allied to Con-
stantinople, sought to establish their autono-
mous political status and control over all
of Cilicia. The Rubenids were anti-Byzantine
and, in a sense, pro-Latin. In the face of great
dangers threatening the nation, these rival
dynasties joined their forces. Armenians in
Cilicia came into direct contact with the
crusades and after a short-lived alliance
kept their distance because of the politico-
religious ambitions and objectives of the
crusades. However, to maintain a relatively
strong and safe country, the Armenians were
bound to establish, at different times and in
different circumstances, politico-military col-
laboration and even alliances with Byzan-
tines, Latins, Arabs, Seljuks, and Mongols. In
1226, the Armenian principality in Cilicia
became a kingdom and in 1375, the Ar-
menian kingdom lost its independence when
it was invaded by Mamluks; Levon VI, the
last king, was taken to Egypt as a prisoner.