Edward Balliol

Edward Balliol
Mid 18th century engraving of Edward Balliol
Claimant to the Scottish Kingdom
Reign	September 1332 to 1336
Born	c. 1283
Died	c. 1367 Wheatley, Doncaster
House	House of Balliol
Father	John Balliol
Mother	Isabella de Warenne
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Edward Balliol (c. 1283 – 1367) was a claimant to the Scottish throne (1314–1356). With English help, he briefly ruled the country from 1332 to 1336.

Life

Seal of Edward Balliol, King of Scotland

He was the eldest son of John Balliol, erstwhile King of the Scots, and Isabella de Warenne, daughter of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey, and Alice de Lusignan. Alice was daughter of Hugh X de Lusignan and Isabella of Angoulême, widow of John, King of England.

The death of King Robert I weakened Scotland considerably, since his son and successor David II was still a child and the two most able lieutenants, the Black Douglas and Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, both died shortly afterwards.

Taking advantage of this, Edward Balliol, backed by Edward III of England, defeated the Regent, the Earl of Mar, at the Battle of Dupplin Moor in Perthshire. He was crowned at Scone in September 1332, but three months later he was forced to flee half-naked back to England, following a surprise attack by nobles loyal to David II at the Battle of Annan.

On his retreat from Scotland, Balliol sought refuge with the Clifford family, land owners in Westmorland, and stayed in their castles at Appleby, Brougham, Brough, and Pendragon.

He was restored by the English in 1333, following the Battle of Halidon Hill. Balliol then ceded the whole of the district formerly known as Lothian to Edward and paid homage to him as liege lord. With no serious support in Scotland, he was deposed again in 1334, and restored again in 1335, and finally deposed in 1336 by those loyal to David II. All realistic hopes of Edward's restoration were lost when David II returned from France in June 1341.

He returned to Scotland after the defeat of David II at Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346, raising an insurrection in Galloway, and speedily penetrated to the central parts of the kingdom. However, he gained no permanent footing.

On 20 January 1356, Balliol surrendered his claim to the Scottish throne to Edward III in exchange for an English pension. He spent the rest of his life living in obscurity. He died in 1367, at Wheatley, Doncaster, Yorkshire, England. The location of his grave is believed to be under a Doncaster Post Office.

Ancestry

Family of Edward Balliol

16. Eustace de Balliol               8. Hugh de Balliol                       17. Ada de Fontaines               4. John, 5th Baron de Balliol                             18. Aleaume de Fontaines               9. Cecilia de Fontaines                       19. Laurette de Saint-Valérie               2. John Balliol, King of Scots                                   20. Lochlann, Lord of Galloway               10. Alan, Lord of Galloway                       21. Elena de Morville               5. Dervorguilla of Galloway                             22. David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon               11. Margaret of Huntingdon                       23. Maud of Chester               1. Edward Balliol                                         24. Hamelin de Warenne, Earl of Surrey               12. William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey                       25. Isabel de Warenne, 4th Countess of Surrey               6. John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey                             26. William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke               13. Maud Marshal                       27. Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke               3. Isabella de Warenne                                   28. Hugh IX of Lusignan               14. Hugh X of Lusignan                       29. Agathe de Preuilly               7. Alice de Lusignan                             30. Aymer of Angoulême               15. Isabella of Angoulême                       31. Alice of Courtenay

References

Secondary

• Paterson, R. C. Edward Balliol, in Military History, April, 2003.
• Ramsay, J. H., Edward Balliol's Scottish Campaign in 1347, in English Historical Review, vol. 25 1910.
• Reid, R. C., Edward de Balliol, in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Antiquarian and Natural History Society, vol. 35 1956-7.
• Webster, B., Scotland without a King, 1329–1341, in Medieval Scotland, Crown, Lordship and Community, ed A. Grant and K. J. Stringer, 1993.

Edward Balliol House of Balliol Born: ? c. 1282 Died: November 1364
Titles in pretence
Preceded by John Balliol	— TITULAR — King of Scots 1314–1364 Reason for succession failure: First War of Scottish Independence	Rights passed to Edward III of England