| John (Balliol) King of Scots was a member of Scottish Nobility. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland |
Preceded by The First Interregnum |
King of Scotland 11 November 1292 - 10 July 1296 (abdicated) |
Succeeded by The Second Interregnum |
Contents |
John Balliol was born about 1240 (aged 40 in 1280), the fourth and youngest son of Sir John de Balliol and Devorguille of Galloway.[1][2] The details of his early life remain almost completely unknown. Being the youngest son, there was small likelihood that he would ever succeed to the family estates.[2] Instead he was educated in the schools at Durham,[3] probably in preparation for a career in the church.[4]
John's father died in 1269, his brother Hugh died (without issue) before 10 April 1271; his brother Alan also died soon after (without legitimate issue) although the date of his death is uncertain; and his brother Alexander died (without issue) shortly before 13 November 1278.[5] John succeeded his brother Alexander, inheriting the baronies of Bywell and Gainford, as well as large estates in Hertfordshire, Northampton, and other counties in the south of England, extensive estates in Scotland, and the family's original holdings in France which included Bailleul, Dompierre, Harcourt, and Verney. When his mother died in 1290 he also received the lordship of Galloway and additional valuable properties in both Scotland and England.[3]
He married, sometime before 10 February 1281, Isabel de Warenne, a daughter of John de Warenne and Alice de Lusignan.[1][6][7] There was at least one child from this marriage: [see research note]
After the death of King Alexander III, there were thirteen contenders for the throne of Scotland but only three of them received serious consideration by the regents of the kingdom.[10] They were: John de Balliol, great-grandson of David, earl of Huntingdon by Margaret (the earl's eldest daughter); Robert Bruce, grandson of David, earl of Huntingdon by Isabel (the earl's second daughter); and John Hastings, great-grandson of David, earl of Huntingdon by Ada (the earl's third daughter).[11] Balliol's claim was based on his descent from the eldest daughter; Bruce's was based on his being one degree closer in descent (i.e. a grandson, rather than a great-grandson); and Hastings claimed that the kingdom should be legally divided (as an estate would be) among the three primary descendants.[11] Hastings claim was disallowed, but both Balliol and Bruce had strong support among opposing factions of the Scottish magnates.[11] The regents decided the question of the succession should be resolved by an impartial arbitor, and requested that the English king Edward I (to whom all of the competitors owed allegiance for the fiefs they held in Engand) make the decision.[11]
Each claimant was required to "admit the supremacy of Edward" and abide by his decision.[12] Robert Bruce was the first to agree to this, followed by the other claimants. John Balliol (reluctant to recognize Edward's authority over Scotland) did not give his assent until the following day.[12] On 17 November 1292 Edward I pronounced John de Balliol to be King of Scots, and he was crowned at Scone on 30 November 1292.[1][13]
John, who unlike his brothers was never trained for a career in the military or diplomatic service,[14] found himself in an increasingly intolerable position. Edward I made repeated demands that the king of Scots swear his fealty to the king of England and summoned him to the English royal court frequently to do so, decreeing also that any complaints which Scots had against John would be heard in an English court rather than a Scottish one.[11] Edward I was additionally instrumental in encouraging Erik II of Norway to reclaim the Hebrides when Scotland fell behind in its annual payment for the islands.[15] When, in 1295, Edward ordered Scotland to help fund his military campaign against Philip IV of France and demanded that the Scottish king himself participate in the military engagement, the king of Scots had had enough.[11] He not only refused, but began negotiating a treaty between France and Scotland which, in addition to setting up a military alliance between the two nations, arranged for the marriage of his son Edward to King Philip's niece.[11][14]
War with England broke out near the end of March, 1296 when Edward I attacked Berwick and massacred its inhabitants.[15] On 27 April the Scots suffered another crushing defeat at Dunbar from English forces led by King John's father-in-law, John de Warenne, earl of Surrey[15][14] This was followed by the fall of Edinburgh Castle, and on 10 July 1296 John II, king of Scots , surrendered and was stripped of his authority.[1][14]Along with his son Edward he was taken to London and imprisoned in the Tower there.[16] The English also carried to London one of the most important symbols of Scottish independence, the Stone of Scone.[15]
In July 1299 England finally signed a truce with France which allowed John de Balliol to be released into French and papal custody.[1] He was transported to France and eventually allowed to remain on one of his own family estates, the "castle of Bailleul in Picardy."[14]
Sir John de Balliol, seigneur of Bailleul, late King of Scots, died at Hélicourt (in Vimeu), France sometime before 4 January 1315, when his son Edward gave his fealty to King Louis X for the inheritance of his family's estates.[17][14] The law at that time called for fealty to be given within forty days of a son's succession, which would place John's death sometime between 25 November 1314 and 4 January 1315.[17]
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B > Balliol | K > King of Scots > John (Balliol) King of Scots
Categories: Scotland, Royalty | House of Balliol | Early Barony of Bywell | Honour of Fotheringhay | Governors of Carlisle Castle | Scotland Project Managed Nobility Profiles
Jen
She doubts that the John Balliol of this profile had a son Henry, and he is listed in the genealogical chart on p. 33 with a question mark. Her reasons are given on p. 235 and p. 387 in the thesis.
Jen
http://www.barnardcastlelife.co.uk/historyofthecastle2.html