The Puppet King
How Edward Baliol Sold Out Scotland to the English Crown
In the turbulent aftermath of the Wars of Scottish Independence, a new figure emerged to claim the throne: Edward Baliol, son of John Baliol, the deposed king who had once bowed before Edward I of England. With his father’s legacy of submission and a thirst to reclaim his family’s lost prestige, Edward Baliol was the perfect candidate for English manipulation.
In 1332, backed by disinherited Anglo-Scottish nobles known as the "Disinherited," and with the full military support of Edward III of England, Baliol crossed into Scotland. He seized power with stunning speed after defeating Scottish forces at the Battle of Dupplin Moor, and was crowned king at Scone. But the ink on his regnal title was barely dry before he gave away what kings were supposed to protect.
Unlike Robert the Bruce—who fought tirelessly to establish Scotland’s sovereignty—Baliol’s rule was rooted not in legitimacy or patriotism, but in personal ambition and foreign debt. His gratitude to Edward III, who had financed his coup and legitimized his claim, would become one of the darkest chapters in Scottish history.
Selling a Nation: The Partition of Scotland
By 1334, Edward Baliol’s position was already tenuous. A Scottish counter-resistance was rising, loyal to the child king David II, and led by fierce patriots like Sir Andrew Murray and Archibald Douglas. Needing continued English support to hold onto his shaky throne, Baliol resorted to an act of unprecedented betrayal.
On June 12, 1334, at a Parliament in Newcastle, Baliol signed a formal deed transferring vast portions of Scotland to Edward III, to be permanently annexed to the English crown. The lands he ceded were not remote or marginal—they were Scotland’s heartlands:
Berwick, the wealthy border town and vital trade port
Roxburgh, a key fortress on the Tweed
The forests and castles of Jedburgh, Selkirk, and Ettrick
The entire county and city of Edinburgh
The shires of Haddington, Linlithgow, and Peebles
And finally, Dumfriesshire, including the strategic Castle of Dumfries
These lands—many of them formerly held by Bruce’s staunchest allies—were handed to English lords and loyalist collaborators. The likes of Lord Henry Percy and Edward de Bohun were granted control over Annandale, Moffatdale, and Lochmaben, cementing English authority deep in Scottish territory.
It wasn’t just land. It was identity, sovereignty, and national pride that Baliol had auctioned off for military support and temporary power.
The Resistance Responds: Scotland Refuses to Kneel
To the English, Baliol’s cession looked like checkmate. But they had miscalculated the enduring power of Scottish nationalism. Although Scotland was fragmented, weary, and war-torn, the memory of Wallace, Bruce, and Bannockburn still burned bright.
Sir Andrew Murray, recently escaped from English captivity, immediately raised the flag of resistance. Though Baliol had legally signed away half the kingdom, in practice he ruled little more than a few fortified strongholds. Most Scots still viewed him as an imposter—"a king made by English steel, not Scottish will."
Even as Edward III moved to formalize his control—appointing sheriffs, justices, and treasurers for the newly acquired lands—his plans unraveled. Murray’s guerrilla campaigns harassed English garrisons, reclaimed castles, and emboldened the Scottish people.
In the winter of 1334, Edward himself marched north with an army to stabilize Baliol’s regime, but was driven back by famine and the bitter cold. The Scots had adopted a scorched-earth policy, denying the invaders food and shelter. It was Bruce’s strategy revived, and it worked.
Within months, Baliol fled again. He would return several times, each time less relevant, less respected, and more of a liability to his English patrons.
Legacy of a Traitor: A Name Condemned
In 1356, having failed to secure his throne despite decades of English backing, Edward Baliol abdicated and surrendered his claims in exchange for a pension from Edward III. He faded into obscurity and died without honor.
His name became synonymous with betrayal. Unlike Bruce, whose reign symbolized defiance and national unity, Baliol’s epitaph was written in shame. He had handed over Scotland’s soul—its lands, castles, and people—to a foreign king, for a crown that was never truly his.
But the people refused to be sold. From Dumfries to Edinburgh, ordinary Scots defied Baliol’s betrayal with resilience and resistance. Their fight reclaimed the towns and castles he had ceded. Their memory of freedom survived longer than any treaty or royal signature.
The story of Edward Baliol is not just a warning about ambition and weakness. It is a testament to a nation's refusal to be bought. He was a king in name, a traitor in deed, and a puppet whose strings were cut by the very people he tried to deceive.
McDowall, W. (1867). History of the burgh of Dumfries: With notices of Nithsdale, Annandale, and the Western Border. A. & C. Black.
