Baliol

Baliol, an Anglo-Norman family that played a prominent part in Scottish history. Its founder, Guido or Guy, held Baillieu, Harcourt, and other fiefs in Normandy, and from Rufus, whose father he had followed to England, received broad possessions in Durham and Northumberland. Bernard, his son, built the fortress of Barnard Castle; and his great-grandson, John, about 1263 founded Balliol College, Oxford. He died in 1269, and was survived till 1290 by his widow, Devorguila, the daughter and co-heiress of Alan, Lord of Galloway, and the great-great-granddaughter of David I.—Their son, JOHN DE BALIOL, born in 1249, succeeded in her right to the lordship of Galloway, as well as to his father's vast possessions in England and Normandy. On the death of the Maid of Norway in 1290, he became a competitor for the crown of Scotland, and his claim was pronounced superior to that of the other principal competitor, Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale. The arbiter was Edward I. of England, who found this a fit opportunity for asserting his claim as lord-paramount of Scotland. That claim was acknowledged by the Scottish Estates in submitting the contest to his decision; and, consistently with this ignominious submission, Baliol, before and after his coronation at Scone (1292), swore fealty to Edward as his feudal superior. He was soon made to feel that his sovereignty was merely nominal, and, abject as he had shown himself, the indignities which he experienced at length roused him to an assertion of his rights as king. In 1295 he took upon him, by the advice of his nobles, to conclude an alliance with France, then at war with England. This act of revolt was followed by speedy chastisement. Edward invaded Scotland with a large force; defeated the Scottish troops; took Baliol prisoner, and compelled him formally to surrender his crown, July 7, 1296. Baliol was confined for three years at Hertford and in the Tower, enjoying, however, a limited freedom and something of royal state. In 1302 he was permitted to retire to his estates in Normandy, where he died in 1315, the year after Bannockburn. The estimate by his subjects of this poor-spirited prince was significantly indicated by the nickname of 'Toom Tabard,' or Empty Jacket.—EDWARD, his son, in 1332 made himself momentarily conspicuous in history by his daring and successful invasion of Scotland. Accompanied by the 'disinherited barons,' who were bent on recovering their forfeited Scottish estates, he landed with 3400 followers at Kinghorn in Fife; defeated the Earl of Fife; pushed boldly into the country; and at Dupplin Moor in Perthshire, on the night of 12th August, surprised and routed 30,000 men under the new regent Mar, who himself was slain, with 13,000 besides. On 24th September, seven weeks from the date of his landing, he was crowned king of Scotland at Scone. He had not enjoyed the kingly dignity for full three months, when he was surprised in his camp at Annan by Archibald Douglas, and nearly lost his life as well as the crown he had so recently assumed. His subsequent career is the very reverse of what might have been anticipated from so adventurous a beginning, being marked only by weakness, servility, and misfortune. He died near Doncaster in 1367, and with him ended the house of Baliol.