John (Balliol) de Balliol (bef. 1208 - bef. 1268)

Born before 1208 in Barnard Castle, Durham, England

Ancestors

Husband of Devorguilla (Galloway) de Balliol — married 1233 in Galloway, Wigtownshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died before 24 Nov 1268 at about age 60 in Barnard Castle, Durham, England

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Biography

John Balliol was the son of Hugh Balliol and Cecily Fontaines.

He was the fifth of his family to hold the feudal barony of Barnard Castle in county Durham. In addition to Barnard Castle, he also held estates at Bailleul and Harcourt in France.

Sometime Regent of Scotland, he was an ardent supporter of King Henry III in the Baron's War against Earl Simon de Montfort.

Sir John de Balliol (Royal Ancestry) held the following offices:

Sheriff of Cumberland 1248

Keeper of Carlisle and Nottingham Castles

Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire 1261-4

Regent of Scotland

Keeper of the Honour of Peverel

Keeper of the City of London.

By the mid-13th century, he and his wife had become very wealthy, principally as a result of inheritances from Dervorguilla's family. This wealth allowed Balliol to play a prominent public role, and, on Henry III's instruction, he served as joint protector of the young king of Scots, Alexander III. He was one of Henry III's leading counselors between 1258 and 1265.

Following a dispute with the Bishop of Durham, he agreed to provide funds for scholars studying at Oxford. Support for a house of students began in around 1263; further endowments after his death, supervised by Dervorguilla, resulted in the establishment of Balliol College.

Inq. p.m. 26 Nov., 53 Hen. Ill (1268) (Yorks. Inquisitions, Record Series, i, 107)^[1]

Family

John married Dervorgilla de GALLOWAY 1233 Galloway, WIG, Scotland^[2]

John and Dervorgilla had ten children together:

• Hugh de BALIOL m Agnes de Valance, a daughter of William de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, and died without issue.
• Cecilia de BALIOL mar. John de Burgh. Together they had 3 daughters, Devorguilla, and Hawise, and a daughter who became a nun.
• Alexander de BALIOL heir to his brother Hugh; mar. Eleanor de Genovra. Alexander the next heir also died without issue.
• Eleanor de BALIOL
• Mary de BALIOL mar. John Comyn of Badenoch
• Ada de BALIOL mar. William de Lindsay.
• Alan de BALIOL died s.p. v. p.
• John de BALIOL John was eventual heir.
• William de BALIOL
• Margaret de BALIOL said to have married Thomas Multon, of Gillesland

• Fine Rolls for 13 Henry III (Apr 1229)

John de Balliol, son and heir of Hugh de Balliol, has made fine with the king by £150 for his relief of 30 knights’ fees that Hugh de Balliol, his father, held of the king in chief, namely 100s. for each fee. He is to render a moiety of which fine to the king at Michaelmas in the thirteenth year and the other moiety at Easter in the fourteenth year, so that if there are more than 30 knights’ fees that Hugh held of the king in chief and that John ought to hold of the king, John will answer for the relief of those fees. And if there are less than the aforesaid 30 fees, the aforesaid fine will be assessed for him as it ought to be assessed.^[3]

Burial of Sir John de Balliol: reported as being buried with his wife in Sweetheart Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, but possibly only his heart was buried with his wife Devorguille per Sweet Heart Abbey website.^{[4] [5]}

Sources

1. ↑ Clay, JW: Extinct Northern Peerages, page 5, VI - https://archive.org/stream/extinctdormantpe00clay#page/5/mode/2up
2. ↑ hofundssonAnces.ged
3. ↑ Fine Rolls 13 Henry III, Apr 1229.#181.[1]
4. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 16 January 2020), memorial page for John I de Balliol (1200–25 Oct 1268), Find A Grave: Memorial #85736567, citing Sweetheart Abbey, New Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland; Maintained by Kat (contributor 47496397).
5. ↑ " Sweetheart Abbey", Undiscovered Scotland http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/newabbey/sweetheartabbey/index.html

See also:

• Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry 2011 2nd ed. Vol. II. Lanvallay 3., John De Burgh, Page 577-578.
• Royal Ancestry 2013 Vol. I p. 229-232
• GeneaJourney.com
• Pedigree Resource File CD 49 Publication: (Salt Lake City, UT: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2002)
• Ancestral File (TM) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SAINTS June 1998 (c)
• The Peerage
• Wikipedia: John de Balliol, father of Hawise de Burgh.[2]