FROM THE HISTORY OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE ARMENIAN STATE OF CILICIA AND THE CHURCH (1219-1226)

Abstract

The goal of this article is to study the history of the relations between the Cilician State and the Church during the period of the most important and paramount importance in the history of Cilician Armenia (1219-1226). It emphasizes the role of the Armenian Church in maintaining and strengthening the Statehood of Cilicia. Studying the most important events during the discussed period, thiswork covers the key episodes of the history of the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church and Spiritual centers in the political and spiritual sphere of Cilician Armenia. The data about the guardians of Zabel Rubinyan (the daughter of Levon Metsagorts (Levonthe Great), the founder King of Armenian Cilicia) were also highlighted by combining the works of medieval historians, as well as the points of view in modern scientific literature, emphasizing the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the State administration system. This study focusedonthe details of the history of holding Armenian newCatholicos elections, taken place under rather acute and tense conditions after the death of Armenian Catholicos Hovhannes Ssetsi. In this article, the details werepresentedabout the conditions under which the new Catholicoshad been elected with the help of Generale Constantine (Constantinethe Sparapet), emphasizing the role of the Catholicos of All Armenians and the Church in the internal political developments of the State of Cilicia, in particular about the marriage of Zabeland Philip, the son of the Duke of Antioch, and the death of Philip, as well as about the detailed information on the marriage of Zabel and Hetum, the son of the Generale Constantine. During the study, this article discusses the problems of settlement of other important and controversial issues of the history of the relationship between the Armenian State of Cilicia and the Church.As a result of these activities, the position and role of the Armenian Church are presented, as well as the functions of the Church leadership in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in 1219-1226, not only ecclesiastical, but also within the framework of domestic political life, which contributed to the further development of the country.