Levon III Silver (Cilician Armenia)

Name/Title

Levon III Silver (Cilician Armenia)

Description

Leo III (1289–1307) was a young king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, ruling from 1303 or 1305 to 1307, along with his uncle Hethum II. A member of the House of Lampron, he was the son of Thoros III of Armenia and Margaret of Lusignan, who was the daughter of King Hugh III of Cyprus. In 1305, Hethum and Leo led the Armenian army to defeat a Mamluk raiding force at Bagras. On November 17, 1307, they and their retinue were murdered at a banquet hosted by the Mongol general Bilarghu at Anazarbus. Bilarghu, a Muslim convert, had sought to build a mosque in Sis, but Hethum, wanting Armenia to remain Christian, opposed the move and complained to Mongol leader Oljeitu. At the banquet, Bilarghu’s forces massacred the Armenians, killing Leo, Hethum, and other nobles. Bilarghu was later executed by Oljeitu for the massacre.

Mintage

Date made

1301 - 1307

Place of Origin

* Untyped Place of Origin

Sis

Manufacture Method

Struck

Coin Details

Obverse

Description

The king on horseback; holds scepter. Three dots in the field.

Transcription

ԼԵԻՈՆ ԹԱԳԱԻՈՐ ՀԱՅ[ՈՑ]

Translation

Levon, king of the Armenians.

Reverse

Description

Lion walking right, plain cross behind.

Transcription

ՇԻՆԵԱԼ Ի ՔԱՂԱՔՆ [Ի] Ս[Ի]Ս

Translation

Struck in the city of Sis.

Currency

1 Takvorin

Dimensions

Diameter

21 mm

Weight

2.51 g

Composition

Material

Silver

Created By

garenkazanc@hotmail.com

Create Date

October 19, 2024

Updated By

garenkazanc@hotmail.com

Update Date

December 6, 2024