Leo III of Armenia (1236-1289) was King of Armenian Cilicia from 28 October 1270 to 1289, succeeding Hethum I and preceding Hethum II.
Biography[]
Leo was born in 1236, the son of Hethum I of Armenia and Isabella of Armenia. In 1266, while his father was visiting the Mongol court, Leo commanded the Armenian army against the invading Mamelukes at the disastrous Battle of Mari, during which his brother Thoros was killed and Leo was captured and later ransomed. Leo succeeded his father as King in 1270, and he was known as a pious Christian king. He renewed trade agreements with the Italians and established new ones with the Catalans. In 1275, the Mamelukes invaded once again, and, a year later, Leo fought off a Turkmen invasion, although his uncle Sempad the Constable died in battle. In 1281, Leo joined the Mongols in their invasion of Syria, but they were defeated at the Second Battle of Homs. In 1285, Leo obtained a 10-year truce with the Mamelukes after granting them significant territorial concessions, and he died of arsenic poisoning in 1289.