Antioch
Antioch in the Early 13th Century
In 1213 Innocent III's bull Quia maior called for a new (Fifth) crusade. News of this development caused al-Zahir to more closely support the sultan al-Adil, who himself supported Leo's, that is to say Raymond Roupen's, claims in Antioch. Around this time John of Brienne (John I of Jerusalem), regent for his daughter Queen Isabella II, married Leo's daughter Stephanie, thus giving Leo the support of Jerusalem and further strengthening the Armenian position. In 1216 Leo finally managed to install Raymond Roupen as prince of Antioch, ending the military aspect of the struggle between Tripoli and Lesser Armenia, but the citizens revolted against Raymond Roupen in 1219 and Bohemond of Tripoli was at last recognized as the fourth prince of that name.
Bohemond IV and his son Bohemond V remained neutral in the Ghibelline struggles to the south which arose after Frederick II had married Isabella II. In 1233 Bohemond IV died. Antioch declined economically from this time forward and for almost 30 years disappeared from history. In 1254 the quarrel between Antioch and Lesser Armenia was at length put to rest with the marriage of Bohemond VI and Sibylla, daughter of Hethoum I of Lesser Armenia. By this time Lesser Armenia's star was rising and in a reversal of the earlier relationship, Bohemond VI allowed himself to become a vassal of the Armenian kingdom. Effectively, then, the Armenian kings ruled Antioch while the prince of Antioch resided exclusively in Tripoli. The Armenians had concluded a treaty with the Mongols, who were ravaging Muslim lands, and under this protective umbrella had extended their lands northward into Seldjuk territory and to the southeast into the territory of Aleppo. Antioch became swept up in this Armenian-Mongol alliance. Bohemond managed to retake Lattakieh, reestablishing the land bridge between Antioch and Tripoli, while the Mongols, recognizing the importance of the Greek element in Antioch, insisted that he install a Greek patriarch there, an action which resulted in Bohemond's excommunication.