LEVON I

flourished 13th century byname Levon The Great king of Armenia (reigned 11991219), who rallied the Armenians after their dispersion by the Seljuq Turks and consolidated the kingdom in Cilicia, southeastern Asia Minor. Through his friendly relations with the German emperors Frederick I Barbarossa and Henry VI, he was crowned by Pope Celestine III's legate, Cardinal Conrad von Wittelsbach, and allied Lesser Armenia to the West, despite overtures from the Byzantine emperor.