Edward was the eldest son of John Balliol and Isabella de Warenne. As a child, Edward was betrothed to Isabelle of Valois, the eldest daughter of Charles, Count of Valois (1271–1325) and his first wife Marguerite of Anjou (1273–1299). His father John resigned his title as King of Scotland in 1296, and it was likely this that caused the King of France to break the marriage contract and betroth Isabelle instead to John son of Arthur II, Duke of Brittany.
Following his father's abdication, Balliol was a prisoner in the Tower of London until 1299, when he was released into the custody of his grandfather John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey. Balliol could possibly have been involved in the "Soules Conspiracy", a plot to depose king Robert I and possibly to install Balliol on the throne led by William II de Soules.[2][3]: 298 Balliol possibly married Margaret of Taranto, daughter of Philip I, Prince of Taranto around 1331. If this marriage did take place, it was childless and had been annulled by the time Balliol made his bid for the Scottish crown in 1332.[4]
Edward Balliol was crowned at Scone on 24 September 1332, but three months later he was forced to flee 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.[8]
In early 1333, Edward III openly declared his support for Balliol as king. Balliol returned to Scotland with Edward and an English army in the summer, capturing Berwick and defeating the Scottish forces at the Battle of Halidon Hill. Balliol, under the Treaty of Newcastle (1334), then ceded the whole of the district formerly known as Lothian to Edward and paid homage to him as liege lord while staying in Blackfriars friary in Newcastle upon Tyne. He was also betrothed to Edward III's sister Joan of the Tower, who was already married to David II.[3]: 335 Despite David II fleeing Scotland for France, Balliol's position was still not secure, and infighting between his supporters along with frequent fighting from pro-Bruce forces caused Balliol to flee Scotland once again.[3]: 338 In November 1334, Edward III and Balliol invaded again, but unable to bring the Scots to battle, they retreated in February 1335. On 30 November 1335, a pro-Balliol army under the command of Strathbogie was defeated at the Battle of Culblean, which was the effective end of Balliol's attempt to overthrow the King of Scots.[9]
In early 1336, a truce was proposed with intervention from Philip VI of France. The truce would have recognized Balliol as king and allowed him to marry princess Joan, and David II would become his heir. David however, rejected the treaty.[3]: 343 Edward III and Balliol returned again in July 1336 with a large English army and advanced through Scotland, first to Glasgow and then to Perth, destroying the surrounding countryside as they went but by late 1336, the Scots had regained control over virtually all of Scotland, and by 1338 the tide had turned against the usurper.[10]
Edward Balliol returned to Scotland after the defeat of King David II at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346 and with a small force raised an insurrection in Galloway in a final attempt to gain the crown of Scotland. He only succeeded in gaining control of some of Galloway, with his power diminishing there until 1355.[11]
Final years
Engraving of Edward Balliol from the 18th century
On 20 January 1356, Balliol surrendered his claim to the Scottish throne to Edward III in exchange for an English pension.[12] He spent the rest of his life living near Yorkshire and died childless in January 1364,[13] at Wheatley, Doncaster. The location of his grave has been speculated to be under a Doncaster Post Office.[14]
^Barrow, Prof. G.W.S. (2005). Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 240, 276, 309–310.
^ abcdBeam, Amanda (2017). The Political Ambitions and Influences of the Balliol Dynasty, c. 1210–1364. Birlinn Limited.
^Beam, Amanda (2003). "One Funeral and a Wedding: The Neglected History of Scotland's Forgotten Kings". History Scotland: 22–23.
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Beam, Amanda (2008). The Balliol Dynasty, 1210–1364. Edinburgh: John Donald.
Campbell, James (1965). "England, Scotland and the Hundred Years War in the fourteenth century". In Hale, J. R.; Highfield, J. R. L.; Smalley, B. (eds.). Europe in the Late Middle Ages. London: Faber and Faber.
Dalrymple, David (1776–1779). Annals of Scotland: From the Accession of Malcolm III Surnamed Canmore to the Accession of Robert I. London: J. Murray.
Nicholson, Ranald (1965). Edward III and the Scots: The Formative Years of a Military Career, 1327–1335. London: Oxford University Press.
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 1956–1957.
Summerson, Henry; Trueman, Michael; Harrison, Stuart (1998), "Brougham Castle, Cumbria", Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Research Series (8), Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, ISBN1-873124-25-2
Webster, B., "Scotland without a King, 1329–1341", in Medieval Scotland, Crown, Lordship and Community, ed A. Grant and K. J. Stringer, 1993.
