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Birth:          ABT 1249 Bernard Castle, Durham, England
Death:          25 Nov 1314 Bailleul, France
Burial:         St. Waast, Bailleul, France

Notes
familysearch.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Balliol
John Balliol[1] (c.?1249 – 25 November 1314), known derisively as Toom Tabard 
(meaning "empty coat") was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296. Little is known of his 
early life. After the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, Scotland entered an 
interregnum during which several competitors for the Crown of Scotland put forward 
claims. Balliol was chosen from among them as the new King of Scotland by a group of 
selected noblemen headed by King Edward I of England. Edward used his influence 
over the process to subjugate Scotland and undermined Balliol's personal reign by 
treating Scotland as a vassal of England. Edward's influence in Scottish affairs tainted 
Balliol's reign and the Scottish nobility deposed him and appointed a council of twelve 
to rule instead. This council signed a treaty with France known as the Auld Alliance.

In retaliation, Edward invaded Scotland, starting the Wars of Scottish Independence. 
After a Scottish defeat in 1296, Balliol abdicated and was imprisoned in the Tower of 
London. Eventually, Balliol was sent to France, and retired into obscurity, taking no 
more place in politics. Scotland was then left without a monarch until Robert the 
Bruce ascended in 1306. John Balliol's son Edward Balliol would later exert a claim to 
the Scottish throne against the Bruce claim during the minority of Robert's son David.
Name[edit]

In Norman French his name was Johan de Bailliol,[2] in Middle Scots it was Jhon 
Ballioun, and in Scottish Gaelic, Iain Bailiol. In Scots he was known by the nickname 
Toom Tabard, usually understood to mean "empty coat", with the word coat referring 
to coat of arms.[disputed – discuss]

Early life[edit]

Little of Balliol's early life is known. He was born between 1248 and 1250 at an 
unknown location; possibilities include Galloway, Picardy and Barnard Castle, County 
Durham.[3] He was the son of John, 5th Baron Balliol, Lord of Barnard Castle, and his 
wife Dervorguilla of Galloway, daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway and granddaughter 
of David, Earl of Huntingdon.[4] From his mother he inherited significant lands in 
Galloway and claim to Lordship over the Gallovidians, 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 Scots[edit]

In 1284 Balliol had attended a parliament at Scone, which had recognised Margaret, 
Maid of Norway, as heir presumptive to her grandfather, King Alexander III.[5] 
Following the deaths of Alexander III in 1286 and Margaret in 1290, John Balliol was a 
competitor for the Scottish crown in the Great Cause,[4] as he was a great-great-
great-grandson of David I through his mother (and therefore one generation further 
than his main rival Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale, grandfather of Robert the 
Bruce, who later became king), 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.[6] The Scottish 
auditors' decision in favour of Balliol was pronounced in the Great Hall of Berwick 
Castle on 17 November 1292,[6] and he was inaugurated accordingly King of Scotland 
at Scone, 30 November 1292, St. Andrew's Day.[4]

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 defence 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. The Scots 
soon tired 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. They went on to 
conclude a treaty of mutual assistance with France – known in later years as the Auld 
Alliance.

Abdication[edit]

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.
[6] John abdicated at Stracathro near Montrose on 10 July 1296.[6] Here the arms of 
Scotland were formally torn from John's surcoat, giving him the abiding name of "Toom 
Tabard" (empty coat).[7]

John was imprisoned in the Tower of London until allowed to go to France in July 
1299. 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 be offered 
to St. Thomas the Martyr and that the money be returned to John for the expenses of 
his journey. But he kept the Seal himself.[8] John was released into the custody of 
Pope Boniface VIII on condition that he remain at a papal residence. He was released 
around the summer of 1301 and lived the rest of his life on his family's ancestral 
estates at Hélicourt, Picardy.

Over the next few years, there were several Scottish rebellions against Edward (for 
example, in 1297 under William Wallace and Andrew Moray). The rebels would use the 
name of "King John", on the grounds that his abdication had been under duress and 
therefore invalid. This claim came to look increasingly tenuous, as John's position 
under nominal house-arrest meant that he could not return to Scotland nor campaign 
for his release, 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[edit]

John died around 25 November 1314 at his family's château at Hélicourt in France.[9] 
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'[10] and requested the fealty and 
homage of Edward Balliol to be given by proxy.

A John de Bailleul is interred in the church of St. Waast at Bailleul-sur-Eaune.[10] This 
may or may not be the Scottish King.

John 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[edit]

John married, around 9 February 1281, Isabella de Warenne, daughter of John de 
Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey.[4] Her mother Alice de Lusignan was daughter of Hugh X 
de Lusignan by Isabella of Angoulême, widow of King John of England, making 
Isabella niece, in the half-blood, of Henry III of England. John was also the brother-in-
law to John Comyn, who was killed following a scuffle with Robert the Bruce in 
February 1306, at Dumfries Cathedral. Opinion remains divided on who started the 
fight and who exactly killed Comyn.

It has been established that John and Isabella had at least one child:
Edward Balliol, Scottish pretender, (d.1367). Married to Marguerite de Taranto, 
daughter of Philip I, Prince of Taranto (d. 1332) – annulled or divorced with no issue.

However, other children have been linked to the couple as other possible issue:
Henry de Balliol. He was killed in the Battle of Annan on 16 December 1332, leaving 
no issue.[11]
Agnes (or Maud or Anne) Balliol was married to Bryan FitzAlan, Lord FitzAlan, and 
feudal Baron of Bedale. They were parents to Agnes FitzAlan (b. 1298), who married 
Sir Gilbert Stapleton, Knt., of Bedale (1291–1324). Gilbert is better known for his 
participation in the assassination of Piers Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall.
Margaret Balliol. Died unmarried.

Fictional portrayals[edit]

John Balliol has been depicted in drama:
John Balliol, An Historical Drama. In Five Acts (1825), play based on his life by William 
Tennant.
A character named Balliol, portrayed by British actor Bernard Horsfall, appears in Mel 
Gibson's 1995 Oscar-winning epic Braveheart, an heroic tale of Scottish national hero 
William Wallace. The character is merely presented as a claimant to the Scottish 
crown, with no further delving into his significance. He is presumably loosely based on 
John Balliol, although in reality he was a prisoner in France at that time.

Parents
DE BALIOL John (ABT 1200 - 25 Oct 1268)
DE GALLOWAY Dervorgilla (ABT 1210 - 28 Jan 1290)

Siblings
DE BALIOL Cecilia (ABT 1240 - 1289)
DE BALIOL Eleanor (Alianora) or Mary (ABT 1246 - )
DE BALLIOL John (ABT 1249 - 25 Nov 1314)
DE BALIOL ----- (ABT 1257 - )

Marriage To PLANTAGENT-WARRENE Isabel (ABT 1253 - BEF 23 Oct 1295)
    m. ABT 9 Feb 1281 

Notes

Parents
PLANTAGENET (DE WARENNE) John (Aug 1231 - 29 Sep 1304)
LUSIGNAN (DE BRIEN) Alice (ABT 1224 - 9 Feb 1291)

Children by PLANTAGENT-WARRENE Isabel ABT 1253 - BEF 23 Oct 1295
DE BALIOL Maud or Agnes (ABT 1282 - )

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