Role and Functions of the Monarch in Cilician Armenia
Role and Functions of the Monarch in Cilician Armenia
Brutyan Mariya, Hakobyan Lilit
Summary
Key words: prince, separation of powers, feudal, court, function
The purpose of the following article is to analyze the role and functions of the monarch based on the study of primary sources, professional literature, and the works of foreign authors, as well as to examine the mutual influence and interaction of the governmental bodies of the Armenian state of Cilicia on the activities and authority of the monarch. The article addresses whether the monarch’s functions were regulated by a system of counterbalances or limitations, and whether the governance system in Cilician Armenia was influenced by the administrative practices of the Crusader eastern states or Byzantine monarchs, while also considering the internal traditions of the Armenian state.
A systematic overview of the role and functions of the monarch shows that, although the Cilician Armenian state was historically linked to the monarchical system of the Arshakunis and Bagratunis, certain elements of monarchical authority were influenced by European, Byzantine, and Crusader state systems. These influences were not fully adopted but were adapted, transformed, and integrated, acquiring a new form that reflected the unique characteristics and political realities of the Cilician Armenian state.