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John Balliol

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 71.236.155.174 (talk) at 04:23, 14 May 2010 (→‎Abdication: either something is obtained under duress or not. Considerable is a weasel word in this context and it was certainly obtained under duress). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"John de Balliol" redirects here. For other uses, see John de Balliol (disambiguation).
John
King John, his crown and sceptre symbolically broken as depicted in the 1562 Forman Armorial, produced for Mary, Queen of Scots.
King of the Scots
Reign17 November 1292 – 10 July 1296
Coronation30 November 1292, Scone
PredecessorMargaret (disputed)
SuccessorRobert I
Burial
prob. Hélicourt
SpouseIsabella de Warenne
IssueEdward Balliol
HouseHouse of Balliol
FatherJohn, 5th Baron de Balliol
MotherDevorguilla of Galloway

John de Balliol (c. 1249 – c. 25 November 1314) was elected King of Scots from 1292 to 1296.

Early life

Little of John's early life is known. He was born between 1248 and 1250 at an unknown location, possibilities including Galloway, Picardy and Barnard Castle, County Durham.[1] He was the son of Dervorguilla of Galloway, daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway and granddaughter of David, Earl of Huntingdon, by her husband John, 5th Baron Balliol, Lord of Barnard Castle.[2] From his mother he inherited significant lands in Galloway and claim to Lordship over the Galwegians, as well as various English and Scottish estates of the Huntingdon inheritance; from his father he inherited large estates in England and France, such as Hitchin, in Hertfordshire.

Accession as King of Scotland

Following the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, in 1290, John Balliol was a competitor[2] for the Scottish crown in the so called 'Great Cause', as he was a great-great-great-grandson of King David I through his mother (and therefore one generation further than his main rival Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale, grandfather of the future Robert the Bruce), being senior in genealogical primogeniture but not in proximity of blood. He submitted his claim to the Scottish auditors with King Edward I of England as the arbitrator, at Berwick-upon-Tweed on 6 June 1291.[3] The Scottish auditors' decision in favour of Balliol was pronounced in the Great Hall of Berwick Castle on 17 November 1292[3], and he was inaugurated accordingly king of Scotland at Scone, 30 November 1292, St. Andrew's Day.[2]

Edward I, who had coerced recognition as Lord Paramount of Scotland, the feudal superior of the realm, steadily undermined John's authority. he demanded homage to be paid towards himself, legal authority over the Scottish King in any disputes brought against him by his own subjects, contribution towards the costs for the defense of England, and military support was expected in his war against France. He treated Scotland as a feudal vassal state, and repeatedly humiliated the new king, who became known as "Toom Tabard" [4] due to his lack of real authority. Tiring of their deeply compromised king, the direction of affairs was allegedly taken out of his hands by the leading men of the kingdom, who appointed a council of twelve—in practice, a new panel of Guardians—at Stirling in July 1295. These men were more likely a group of advisors to King John, and they went on to conclude a treaty of mutual assistance with France, which became known as the Auld Alliance.

Abdication

In retaliation Edward I invaded, commencing the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Scots were defeated at Dunbar, and the English took Dunbar Castle on 27 April 1296.[3] John abdicated by a Deed signed in Stracathro near Montrose on 10 July 1296.[3] Here the arms of Scotland were formally torn from John's surcoat, giving him the abiding name of "Toom Tabard".

John was imprisoned in the Tower of London briefly at first, but eventually released in July 1299 and allowed to go to France. When his baggage was examined at Dover the Royal Golden Crown and Seal of the Kingdom of Scotland, with many vessels of gold and silver, and a considerable sum of money, were found in his chests. Edward I ordered that the Crown should be offered to St. Thomas the Martyr, and that the money should be returned to John for the expenses of his journey, but he kept the Seal himself.[5] John was released into the custody of Pope Boniface VIII on condition that he remain in a papal residence. He was later released around the summer of 1301 and lived the rest of his life on his family's ancestral estates at Hélicourt, Picardy.

However, as his abdication had been obtained under duress, his supporters subsequently argued that he was still the rightful King of Scotland. When the Scots rose in rebellion in 1297 under William Wallace and Andrew de Moray, they claimed that they were acting on behalf of King John. Although rebellions in Scotland continued over the years, this claim looked increasingly tenuous as John's position under nominal house-arrest of the papacy meant that he could not campaign for his release and return to Scotland, despite the Scots' diplomatic attempts in Paris and Rome. After 1302, he made no further attempts to extend his personal support to the Scots. Effectively, Scotland was left without a monarch until the accession of Robert the Bruce in 1306.

Death

John died around 25 November 1314 at his family's château at Hélicourt in France.[6] On 4 January 1315, King Edward II of England, writing to King Louis X of France, said that he had heard of the death of 'Sir John de Balliol'[7] and requested the fealty and homage of Edward Balliol to be given by proxy.

It is supposed that he was interred in the church of St. Waast at Bailleul-sur-Eaune[7], though this is another man by the name of Jean de Bailleul.

He was survived by his son Edward Balliol, who later revived his family's claim to the Scottish throne, received support from the English, and had some temporary successes.

Marriage and issue

John Balliol and his wife.

John married, around 9 February 1281, Isabella de Warenne, daughter of John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey[2] and Alice de Lusignan. Her maternal grandparents were Hugh X de Lusignan and Isabella of Angoulême, widow of King John I of England. He was also the brother-in-law to John Comyn, whom was murdered by Robert the Bruce in February 1306, in Dumfries.

John and Isabella had one son:

  • Edward Balliol, Scottish pretender, (d.1364). Married to Marguerite de Taranto, daughter of Philip, prince of Taranto (d. 1332) - annulled or divorced with no issue.

There is no authority on which to base speculation that there were the following children:

  • Henry de Balliol. He was killed in the Battle of Annan on 16 December 1332, leaving no issue.[8]

Ancestry

Family of John Balliol
8. Eustace de Balliol
4. Hugh de Balliol
9. Ada de Fontaines
2. John, 5th Baron de Balliol
10. Aleaume de Fontaines
5. Cecilia de Fontaines
11. Laurette de St.Valérie
1. John of Scotland
24. Uchtred, Lord of Galloway
12. Lochlann, Lord of Galloway
25. Gunnild of Dunbar
6. Alan, Lord of Galloway
26. Richard de Morville
13. Elena de Morville
27. Avice de Lancaster
3. Dervorguilla of Galloway
28. Henry of Scotland
14. David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon
29. Ada de Warenne
7. Margaret of Huntingdon
30. Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester
15. Maud of Chester
31. Bertrade de Montfort of Évreux

References

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Baliol, John de".
  • See also: Beam, Amanda (2008). The Balliol Dynasty, 1210-1364. Edinburgh: John Donald.
  1. ^ G. P. Stell, "John [John de Balliol] (c.1248x50–1314)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Oct 2005 , accessed 25 July 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d Dunbar, Sir Archibald H.,Bt., Scottish Kings - A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005 - 1625, Edinburgh, 1899: p. 115
  3. ^ a b c d Dunbar, Sir Archibald H.,Bt., Scottish Kings - A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005 - 1625, Edinburgh, 1899: p. 116
  4. ^ This nickname is usually understood to mean "empty coat", but this is disputed.
  5. ^ Foedera, vol.1, part 2, p.909
  6. ^ Fordun, Annals: 95
  7. ^ a b Dunbar, Sir Archibald H.,Bt., Scottish Kings - A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005 - 1625, Edinburgh, 1899: p. 117
  8. ^ Dunbar, Sir Archibald H.,Bt., Scottish Kings - A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005 - 1625, Edinburgh, 1899: p. 118
  9. ^ Norcliffe of Langton, M.A., Charles Best, editor, The Visitation of Yorkshire, 1563-64 by William Flower, Norroy King of Arms, London, 1881, p. 294 and footnotes
John Balliol
Born: ? c. 1249 Died: November 1314
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of the Scots
1292 — 1296 		Succeeded by
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
-
 — TITULAR —
King of the Scots
1296 — 1314
Reason for succession failure:
First War of Scottish Independence 		Succeeded by
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