Earthquake and tsunami strike Cilicia

1268

A major earthquake centered near the Gulf of Alexandretta shook the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, collapsing churches and fortifications across the coastal plain. The resulting tsunami flooded the port of Ayas, disrupting the vital trade link between the Mongol Ilkhanate and Italian merchants. Armenian chronicles describe entire coastal villages swept away and inland roads blocked by rockslides, compounding the disaster's economic toll.