Ruben II
Rubenid Dynasty — 1169-1170 AD
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Ruben II reigned between 1169 and 1170 AD as the seventh Lord of Cilician Armenia (Kilikia), succeeding his father, Thoros II. Because he was an underaged child at the time of his father's death, the administration of the country was entrusted to his maternal grandfather, the Baillie Thomas, who served as regent with the duty of governing until the boy reached maturity. His short and tragic reign was immediately contested by his uncle, Mleh, who invaded the highlands with an army from the Sultan of Aleppo. After the Armenian barons chose to acknowledge Mleh to prevent further cruelty to the inhabitants, the regent was driven into exile. Ruben II was subsequently taken to Hromgla, where he was killed by his uncle's command, bringing a violent end to the direct line of Thoros the Great.
Following the death of the powerful Thoros II in 1169 AD, the Kingdom of Cilicia (Kilikia) was left to his minor son, Ruben II. To ensure the safety of the throne, Thoros had committed the child and the realm to the protection of Baron Thomas, his father-in-law and trusted regent. Thomas was given a specific injunction to manage the affairs of the state until Ruben reached his majority. However, this period of transition was immediately destabilized by dynastic rivalries that had been festering since the earlier years of the Rubenid (Rubinyan) house, leaving the young prince vulnerable to external and internal threats.
The Return of the Exile
The primary challenge to Ruben II’s authority came from his uncle, Mleh, who had previously fled to the Emir of Aleppo and converted to Islam after a failed assassination attempt against Thoros II. Hearing of his brother’s death, Mleh entered the country with a foreign army and inflicted great suffering upon the local population. Despite being unable to conquer his brother’s possessions during his first incursion, he returned from Aleppo with even greater forces. Fearing total destruction at the hands of the Turkish troops accompanying Mleh, the Armenian barons eventually sent a message acknowledging him as their sovereign, leading Mleh to dismiss the foreign contingents and assume control of the highlands.
The Fall of the Child Monarch
Once established in power, Mleh moved decisively to eliminate the remains of the former administration. He drove the Baillie Thomas into exile in Antioch and turned his attention to the rightful heir. The young Ruben II was taken to the stronghold of Hromgla, where his life came to an end. According to the chronicler Smbat Sparapet, the child was killed at the specific command of Mleh, executed by "wicked people" to ensure there would be no rival to his usurped authority. The brief reign of Ruben II remains a somber chapter in Cilician history, representing a moment where dynastic ruthlessness temporarily overshadowed the sovereign foundations laid by the previous Rubenid lords.
“The legacy of Ruben II endures through the centuries — a testament to the enduring spirit of the Armenian people and their unbroken pursuit of sovereignty, culture, and faith.”
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