Mleh, Prince of Armenia


Mleh I, also Meleh I, was the eighth lord of Armenian Cilicia.
Soon after the death of Nur ed-Din, Mleh was overthrown by his nephew, Ruben III.

Early life

Mleh was the fourth son of Leo I, lord of Armenian Cilicia. The name and the origin of his mother are not known with certainty. It is possible that she was a daughter of Count Hugh I of Rethel, or she might have been the daughter of Gabriel of Melitene.
All Cilicia remained under Byzantine rule for eight years.

In the service of Nur ed-Din

Mleh converted to Islam from Armenian Apostolic Christianity. Afterwards, he ruled Cyrrhus.

Rule

On March 10, 1171, Amalric I left Acre for Constantinople where he made a treaty with the Emperor Manuel I Comnenos.
During 1171, Mleh attacked Count Stephen I of Sancerre in Cilicia while he travelled from the Holy Land to Constantinople.
He was buried in Medzkar.

Marriage and child

Mleh married an unnamed daughter of Vasil of Gargar.
He had one illegitimate child by his unknown mistress:
  • Grigor