“Medieval Violence” and Legal Issues of Everyday Life in Cilician Armenia (Late Twelfth–Fourteenth Centuries)

In the lawcodes used in the Armenian state of Cilicia, there are numerous definitions of violence, which are important to be considered in the medieval context. These are in the codes of Mkhit‘ar Gosh (c. 1120/30–1213) and Smbat the Constable (1208–1276). In particular, there are cases of violence defined in the matrimonial law and clauses regarding various aspects of everyday relations. What examples of violence can be found in the sources related to the history of Cilician Armenia, and how are these cases legally defined? How can these definitions reflect the multifaceted episodes of daily life in Cilician Armenia? These are the main questions discussed in this article.