John Baliol - Ruled 1292-1296 Born: 1250
Died: 1313 Marriage: ? Children: ?
After the death or Margaret,
Maid of Norway in 1290, there were thirteen claimants to the throne. Rather
than risk civil war, they agreed to settle it in court while England kept the
peace and Edward Longshanks (Edward I of England) waited to pick up the pieces.
Although his plans to have his son marry Margaret were frustrated, he had
subjugated Wales, expelled the Jews from England and now saw his chance to
capture Scotland as well. The result was that John, a descendant of David
I (as were other claimants, notably Robert
Bruce) became king.
His father, Sir John de Baliol, of Norman stock and a
native of Durham, had been one of the guardians of Alexander
III and his bride, the daughter of Henry III, during their childhood
marriage. He founded Baliol College, Oxford; and having sided with Henry III
against his barons, the latter seized upon his lands. He died in 1269. Edward I, who had decided in favour of Baliol, required that John do homage to
him at Newcastle for his kingdom - something previous Scottish kings had largely
refused or avoided. Baliol, irritated by this and knowing the indignation of the
Scots at such a suggestion, made an alliance with the French and renounced
Edward's overlordship. Edward was already at war with France over Gascony.
Conflict was the inevitable result and the Scots were defeated in battle at
Dunbar in 1296. Baliol surrendered, was publicly stripped of his crown, sceptre,
ring and sword and sent, with his son, to the Tower of London. The intercession
of the pope having procured his release, he retired to his estates in France,
where he died, blind and all-but forgotten in 1313 or 1314.
Scotland was then without a king for ten years.
Edward I decided to teach the Scots a lesson in humility. His troops rampaged
all over the country with fire and sword, earning Edward the title malleus
Scotorum (hammer of the Scots). He attempted to subjugate it as a province,
as he had done with Wales, which never recovered. He removed the Stone of
Destiny from Scone to Westminster, where it stayed for 800 years. However,
Edward reckoned without Scottish bloody-mindedness, fierce national pride and
the emergence of a champion. William Wallace routed the English at the
Battle of Stirling in 1297. He later flayed the skin from an English
tax-gatherer and wore it as a belt. Edward's second invasion the next year, in
which he personally led 10,000 troops, beat the Scots at Falkirk. Wallace, in
hiding, was betrayed, captured and taken to London where he was hanged, disembowelled
and quartered, his remains later displayed in four different
towns. This only united the Scots in their hatred of the English and their king
and paved the way for Robert Bruce to renounce
his fealty to Edward, band Scotland together and repel the invaders.
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