In Norman French his name was Johan de Bailliol;[2] in Middle Scots it was Jhon Ballioun, and in Scottish Gaelic, Iain Bailiol.

[8][9] In 1284 Balliol had attended a parliament at Scone, which had recognised Margaret, Maid of Norway, as heir presumptive to her grandfather, King Alexander III.

[10] Following the deaths of Alexander III in 1286 and Margaret in 1290, John Balliol was a competitor for the Scottish crown in the Great Cause,[6] as he was a great-great-great-grandson of David I through his mother (and therefore one generation further than his main rival Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale, grandfather of Robert the Bruce, who later became king), being senior in genealogical primogeniture but not in proximity of blood.

[6] Edward I, who had coerced recognition as Lord Paramount of Scotland, the feudal superior of the realm, steadily undermined John's authority.

He demanded homage to be paid towards himself, legal authority over the Scottish king in any disputes brought against him by his own subjects, contribution towards the costs for the defence of England, and military support was expected in his war against France.

The Scots soon tired of their deeply compromised king; the direction of affairs was allegedly taken out of his hands by the leading men of the kingdom, who appointed a council of twelve — in practice, a new panel of guardians — at Stirling in July 1295.

When his baggage was examined at Dover, the Royal Golden Crown and Seal of the Kingdom of Scotland, with many vessels of gold and silver, and a considerable sum of money, were found in his chests.

Edward I ordered that the crown be offered to the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury and that the money be returned to Balliol for the expenses of his journey.

[15] This claim came to look increasingly tenuous, as Balliol's position under nominal house-arrest meant that he could not return to Scotland nor campaign for his release, despite the Scots' diplomatic attempts in Paris and Rome.