John Balliol, the son of Devorguilla Balliol and John, 5th Baron de Balliol, was the king of Scotland, crowned on St. Andrew's Day in 1292, until 1296. His father founded Balliol College in the University of Oxford. It was one of the first colleges founded in Oxford.

King John was known as Toom Tabard (Empty Jacket, ie. Puppet). His dates are not known with certainty: he was born either about 1240 or in 1249/1250. He died between March 4, 1313 and January 4, 1314. He was survived by his son Edward Balliol.

He was selected from thirteen candidates as King of Scots by Edward I of England, following the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway in 1290. His claim was based upon being a great-great-great-grandson of David I. Edward then treated Scotland as a vassal state, and humiliated his appointee. John finally stood up for himself and his nation and set up the first international treaty of alliance, the Auld Alliance, between Scotland, Norway and France. In response Edward invaded Scotland, brutally commencing the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Edward defeated John and forced him to abdicate, placing Scotland under the administration of English officials. John was imprisoned in the Tower of London at first but eventually released on condition that he took up exile in France. This left Scotland without a monarch for ten years, until the ascension of Robert the Bruce in 1306.

Marriage and children

John married Isabella de Warenne, daughter of John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey and Alice de Lusignan. Her maternal grandparents were Hugh X de Lusignan and Isabella of Angouleme, widow of John I of England. They had four children:

• Agness Maud Balliol. Married Bryan FitzAlan, Baron of Bedale.
• Anne Balliol.
• Edward Balliol, King of Scotland. Never married.
• Henry Balliol (d. 16 December, 1332). Married Lena of Scotland. Killed in the Battle of Annan.

Notable son-in-law

His daughter Agness Maud Balliol was married to Bryan FitzAlan, Baron of Bedale. They were parents to Agness MaudFitzAlan (born 1298) who married Sir Gilbert Stapleton, Knight of Bedale (1291 - 1324). Gilbert is better known for his participation in the assassination of Piers Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall. They had two sons.