 ruben iii (), also roupen iii, rupen iii, or reuben iii, (1145 â monastery of drazark, may 6, 1187) was the ninth lord of armenian cilicia or âlord of the mountainsâ (1175â1187). roupen remained always friendly to the crusaders in spirit. he was a just and good prince, and created many pious foundations within his domains. ==his life== he was the eldest son of stephen, the third son of leo i, lord of armenian cilicia. his mother was rita, a daughter of sempad, lord of barbaron. roupenâs father, who was on his way to attend a banquet given by the byzantine governor of cilicia, andronicus euphorbenus, was murdered on february 7, 1165. following his fatherâs death, roupen lived with his maternal uncle, pagouran, lord of the fortress of barbaron, protecting the cilician gates pass in the taurus mountains. roupen took up the reins of cilicia following the assassination of his paternal uncle, mleh who had been murdered by members of his own inner circle of armenian nobles on may 15, 1175. he was a friend of the franks (the crusaders); for example, at the end of 1177, assisted philip, count of flanders and prince bohemond iii of antioch 
1145_births 1187_deaths 12th-century_Armenian_people Lords_of_the_Armenian_Kingdom_of_Cilicia