The Collapse of Balliol’s Scotland

The early 14th century was a period of intense turmoil and power struggles in Scotland, with the kingdom deeply entrenched in conflicts with England. At the heart of this period was the rise and fall of John Balliol, the brief but pivotal reign of a Scottish king whose legacy was largely shaped by his contested rule and the relentless battles along the Scottish-English border. The collapse of Balliol’s Scotland is not just a tale of a failed monarch, but also a reflection of the wider political, military, and territorial struggles that defined Scotland’s medieval history.