Toom Tabard
We will be exploring the:
Defeat and capture of King John Balliol.
Reasons why he failed as King.
Capture of John Balliol 1296
Elgin
Whilst Edward was
invading Scotland King
John had fled to Aberdeen
Banff
Aberdeen At
Perth Edward received
letters of submission from
King John
Montrose
Perth
Stirling
Edinburgh
Dunbar
8 July Balliol
surrendered in person
at Montrose
Berwick
Toom Tabard: Empty Coat
Edward held a ceremony in which he:
• Renounced the treaty made with France
• Ripped Balliol’s royal crest from his jacket and threw it on
the floor
• Toom Tabard – Empty Coat
• Removed Balliol’s crown
• Broke Balliol’s seal of office
Balliol was imprisoned
in the Tower of
London
What eventually became of Balliol…
• After a request from the Pope he was sent to
France in 1299
• 1301 he was released to live on his land in
France
• Many Scots hoped he would return to Scotland
• However, he died in France in 1313
ACTIVITY 1
You will be completing a map of Scotland
which details the defeat and capture of King
John Balliol.
You must:
• Ensure you take note of all points
• Use your own words!
Describe the defeat & capture of John Balliol.
Edward strips Balliol of his
title and crown.
Balliol made an
alliance with
France – against
Edward.
Balliol surrenders to Edward
Edward pursued
Balliol to the
north of
Scotland.
Balliol renounced
his homage to
Edward.
Many Scottish
nobles did not
support Balliol e.g.
Bruce.
Edward defeated Balliol’s
army at Dunbar.
Edward destroyed Berwick;
shock to Scots.
Balliol’s men attack the
north of England.
ACTIVITY 2
You will be completing a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board which will act
as a revision diagram for the following key questions:
• Explain the reasons why Balliol was chosen as King?
• Explain the reasons why Balliol failed as King?
You will be completing the first question independently; try to
use your own knowledge (without looking in your jotter) as much
as possible!
For the second, work with a partner to decipher the puzzle.
First pair finished – correctly – wins a prize 
Explain the reasons why Balliol failed as King…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
John Balliol had accepted Edward I as his overlord.
John Balliol had been bullied by King Edward e.g. orders, legal decisions overturned.
John Balliol refused King Edward’s order to join him in a war against France
John Balliol withdrew his homage to King Edward
John Balliol had made an alliance with the King of France against Edward i.e.
treason
King Edward defeated John Balliol at Dunbar
King Edward forced John Balliol to surrender to him
King Edward had stripped John Balliol of his crown and title
Not all the Scots supported Balliol in his campaign against King Edward. E.g. Bruce
Plockton High School
Explain the reasons why Edward I chose Balliol to
become King of Scots?
• Balliol agreed to pay homage to King Edward
• Balliol agreed that Edward was Overlord of Scotland
• Balliol was descended from the eldest daughter of Earl
of Huntingdon
• Balliol was nearest heir of Margaret, Maid of Norway
• Several Scots nobles felt they should be King; there
was fear of civil war.
Plockton High School
Source C is an extract from a textbook published in 2003.
John Balliol’s final humiliation happened when King Edward
publicly stripped him of his title. Consequently, John Balliol is
often described as “toom tabard”. In fact, he did not get this
nickname until after his final defeat. The Bruces, who never
supported him, encouraged the idea that Balliol had never
been fit to be a king. Even before his final defeat, the Scottish
nobles had appointed twelve men to force Balliol to stand up
to King Edward. They realised that by himself Balliol was
unable to stop Edward interfering in the government of
Scotland.
Assess the usefulness of Source C as evidence of why Balliol failed
as King of Scots.
(5)