The community of the realm in Scotland, 1249–1424
History, law and charters in a recreated kingdom
King Edward (1332-56)
By Matthew Hammond
CITE THIS PAGE: Matthew Hammond, 'King Edward (1332-56)', The community of the realm in Scotland, 1249 -1424: History, law and charters in a recreated kingdom, 21 Nov. 2019, https://cotr.ac.uk/social-network-analysis-political-communities-and-social-networks/networks-balliol-kings-john-1292-96-edward-1332-56/king-edward-1332-56/
King John's son, Edward Balliol, was crowned at Scone on 24 September 1332, after an invasion underwritten primarily by David Strathbogie, dispossessed earl of Atholl, and Henry Beaumont, who claimed the earldom of Buchan by marriage. Duncan, earl of Fife, a relative of Strathbogie, filled his traditional role in the inauguration ceremony, with the bishop of Dunkeld, an Atholl ally, taking the traditional place of the bishop of St Andrews. That attempt to establish Balliol kingship was beaten back by the end of the year, but Edward III supported a fresh invasion in 1333 with the proviso that he would annex much of southern Scotland to England.
On this page, you will find a graph of the beneficiaries of Edward's gifts; the sociogram of his charter witnesses, together with a table of their centralities; and a division of his reign into two periods of activity, 1) the most successful period of his attempted reign in the 1330s, and 2) the denouement of the whole scheme in the 1150s.
Beneficiaries of gift transactions of Edward Balliol, king of Scots
Charter witness networks of Edward Balliol, king of Scots
There are 13 witnessed charters of Edward Balliol as king of Scots in the network. There are 58 witnesses to these charters. Laymen are in blue and clerics are in green.
View Edward Balliol, king of Scots' charter witness network on the People of Medieval Scotland database.
Table: witnesses to documents of Edward Balliol, king of Scots, by degree
| PoMS ID | Name | Status | Degree | Weighted Degree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22611 | Ralph de Neville (d. 1367) | L | 37 | 133 |
| 23392 | Gilbert de Umfraville, titular earl of Angus (d. 1381) | L | 31 | 127 |
| 24067 | John Stirling, knight (mid 14C) | L | 29 | 130 |
| 305 | Unknown, abbot of Kelso | C | 26 | 144 |
| 18234 | Henry de Beaumont, titular earl of Buchan | L | 25 | 41 |
| 23161 | David of Strathbogie, titular earl of Atholl (d. 1335) | L | 25 | 41 |
| 18522 | Alexander de Mowbray, knight | L | 24 | 37 |
| 24002 | Thomas, bishop of Durham (d. 1381) | C | 24 | 120 |
| 24055 | Lionel of Antwerp, duke of Clarence, titular earl of Ulster (d. 1368) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24056 | John of Gaunt, earl of Richmond (d. 1399) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 23505 | Henry, duke of Lancaster, earl of Derby and Lincoln (d. 1361) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24059 | Roger de Mortimer, earl of March (d. 1360) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24060 | Ralph, earl of Stafford (d. 1372) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 5936 | Unknown, abbot of Melrose | C | 24 | 120 |
| 7220 | Unknown, abbot of Jedburgh | C | 24 | 120 |
| 7221 | Unknown, abbot of Dryburgh | C | 24 | 120 |
| 24004 | Henry de Percy (III), knight (d. 1368) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24061 | John de Mowbray (d. 1368) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24062 | Walter, lord of Manny | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24063 | John Charleton, lord of Powys (d. 1360) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24064 | John Grey, lord of Rutherfield | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24065 | Geoffrey de Say (mid 14C) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24066 | William de Latimer | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24068 | Thomas de Rokeby | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24069 | Robert of Harley, knight | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24070 | William de Warenne, knight (mid14C) | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24030 | William of Auldburgh | L | 24 | 120 |
| 24058 | William de Bohun, earl of Northampton (d. 1360) | L | 24 | 96 |
| 19422 | Richard Talbot, knight | L | 20 | 34 |
| 24041 | William Melton, archbishop of York (d. 1340) | C | 13 | 13 |
| 24042 | Richard of Bury, bishop of Durham (d. 1345) | C | 13 | 13 |
| 24043 | John Kirkby, bishop of Carlisle (d. 1352) | C | 13 | 13 |
| 20442 | John de Warenne, earl of Surrey (d.1347) | L | 13 | 13 |
| 5981 | Patrick (V), earl of March and Moray (d.1369) | L | 13 | 13 |
| 23112 | Thomas of Wake, knight | L | 13 | 13 |
| 18683 | William de Montague, keeper of Berwick | L | 13 | 13 |
| 23012 | Henry de Percy (II), knight (d. 1352) | L | 13 | 13 |
| 22813 | Robert of Lauder, justiciar of Lothian | L | 13 | 13 |
| 17148 | Duncan (IV), earl of Fife (d.1353) | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23393 | Henry de Ferrers (14C) | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23395 | Eustace Maxwell, knight | L | 7 | 7 |
| 22928 | John Lindsay, bishop of Glasgow (d. 1334x36) | C | 7 | 7 |
| 23153 | Alexander of Kinninmonth, bishop of Aberdeen (d. 1344) | C | 7 | 7 |
| 16590 | William Sinclair, bishop of Dunkeld (d.1337) | C | 7 | 7 |
| 23149 | Alexander Seton, knight (mid 14C) | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23300 | William Keith, marischal of Scotland | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23391 | Thomas Uhtred, knight | L | 6 | 14 |
| 24031 | Matthew MacLellan, knight | L | 6 | 6 |
| 24032 | Patrick Mac Con Ulad (MacCulloch), knight | L | 6 | 6 |
| 24033 | Roger de Mowbray, knight (mid14C) | L | 6 | 6 |
| 24034 | Gilbert Mac Con Ulad (MacCulloch) | L | 6 | 6 |
| 24035 | Dougal mac Dubgaill (MacDowall) (mid14C) | L | 6 | 6 |
| 24036 | John, son of Matthew MacLellan | L | 6 | 6 |
| 24037 | John de Rereyk | L | 6 | 6 |
| 18549 | John Felton, keeper of Alnwick | L | 4 | 4 |
| 24025 | Thomas Surtees, knight | L | 2 | 2 |
| 24028 | Adam Perceval, knight | L | 2 | 2 |
| 24029 | Henry of Haverington, knight | L | 2 | 2 |
Edward Balliol's charter activity, 1332-39
There are 7 charters of King Edward Balliol dating to most active period of his reign, between 1332 and 1339. This network comprises 29 witnesses. This sociogram illustrates the importance of Edward's two chief backers, David Strathbogie, titular earl of Atholl, and Henry Beaumont, titular earl of Buchan, as well as his other close knightly supporters, like Richard Talbot, Alexander Mowbray, and Henry de Percy.
View Edward Balliol, king of Scots' 1332-39 charter witness network on the People of Medieval Scotland database.
Table: Witnesses to Edward Balliol's 1332-39 charter network
| PoMS ID | Name | Gender | Status | Degree | Weighted Degree |
| 18234 | Henry de Beaumont, titular earl of Buchan | M | L | 25 | 41 |
| 23161 | David of Strathbogie, titular earl of Atholl (d. 1335) | M | L | 25 | 41 |
| 18522 | Alexander de Mowbray, knight | M | L | 24 | 37 |
| 19422 | Richard Talbot, knight | M | L | 20 | 34 |
| 24041 | William Melton, archbishop of York (d. 1340) | M | C | 13 | 13 |
| 24042 | Richard of Bury, bishop of Durham (d. 1345) | M | C | 13 | 13 |
| 24043 | John Kirkby, bishop of Carlisle (d. 1352) | M | C | 13 | 13 |
| 20442 | John de Warenne, earl of Surrey (d.1347) | M | L | 13 | 13 |
| 5981 | Patrick (V), earl of March and Moray (d.1369) | M | L | 13 | 13 |
| 23112 | Thomas of Wake, knight | M | L | 13 | 13 |
| 18683 | William de Montague, keeper of Berwick | M | L | 13 | 13 |
| 23012 | Henry de Percy (II), knight (d. 1352) | M | L | 13 | 13 |
| 22611 | Ralph de Neville (d. 1367) | M | L | 13 | 13 |
| 22813 | Robert of Lauder, justiciar of Lothian | M | L | 13 | 13 |
| 17148 | Duncan (IV), earl of Fife (d.1353) | M | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23392 | Gilbert de Umfraville, titular earl of Angus (d. 1381) | M | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23393 | Henry de Ferrers (14C) | M | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23395 | Eustace Maxwell, knight | M | L | 7 | 7 |
| 22928 | John Lindsay, bishop of Glasgow (d. 1334x36) | M | C | 7 | 7 |
| 23153 | Alexander of Kinninmonth, bishop of Aberdeen (d. 1344) | M | C | 7 | 7 |
| 16590 | William Sinclair, bishop of Dunkeld (d.1337) | M | C | 7 | 7 |
| 23149 | Alexander Seton, knight (mid 14C) | M | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23300 | William Keith, marischal of Scotland | M | L | 7 | 7 |
| 23391 | Thomas Uhtred, knight | M | L | 6 | 14 |
| 24067 | John Stirling, knight (mid 14C) | M | L | 5 | 10 |
| 18549 | John Felton, keeper of Alnwick | M | L | 4 | 4 |
| 24025 | Thomas Surtees, knight | M | L | 2 | 2 |
| 24028 | Adam Perceval, knight | M | L | 2 | 2 |
| 24029 | Henry of Haverington, knight | M | L | 2 | 2 |
Edward Balliol's charter activity, 1352-56
There are 6 charters of Edward Balliol as king of Scots dating to the years between 1352 and 1356. There are 33 witnesses in the network. This network is in fact broken into just two social events, 1) a grant of land made in Galloway on 29 Nov. 1352, witnessed mainly by Galwegian lords, and 2) a parliament of King Edward III held at Roxburgh in January 1356, producing five witnessed charters between the 20th and 27th, witnessed by mainly by English nobles. The distinctive pattern formed by these documents is also clearly visible in the network graph for the whole of Edward's reign at the top of this page.
View Edward Balliol, king of Scots' 1352-56 charter witness network on the People of Medieval Scotland website.
Table: Witnesses to Edward Balliol's 1352-56 charter network
| PoMS ID | Name | Gender | Status | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 305 | Unknown, abbot of Kelso | M | C | 26 |
| 24002 | Thomas, bishop of Durham (d. 1381) | M | C | 24 |
| 24055 | Lionel of Antwerp, duke of Clarence, titular earl of Ulster (d. 1368) | M | L | 24 |
| 24056 | John of Gaunt, earl of Richmond (d. 1399) | M | L | 24 |
| 23505 | Henry, duke of Lancaster, earl of Derby and Lincoln (d. 1361) | M | L | 24 |
| 24059 | Roger de Mortimer, earl of March (d. 1360) | M | L | 24 |
| 24060 | Ralph, earl of Stafford (d. 1372) | M | L | 24 |
| 23392 | Gilbert de Umfraville, titular earl of Angus (d. 1381) | M | L | 24 |
| 5936 | Unknown, abbot of Melrose | M | C | 24 |
| 7220 | Unknown, abbot of Jedburgh | M | C | 24 |
| 7221 | Unknown, abbot of Dryburgh | M | C | 24 |
| 24004 | Henry de Percy (III), knight (d. 1368) | M | L | 24 |
| 24061 | John de Mowbray (d. 1368) | M | L | 24 |
| 22611 | Ralph de Neville (d. 1367) | M | L | 24 |
| 24062 | Walter, lord of Manny | M | L | 24 |
| 24063 | John Charleton, lord of Powys (d. 1360) | M | L | 24 |
| 24064 | John Grey, lord of Rutherfield | M | L | 24 |
| 24065 | Geoffrey de Say (mid 14C) | M | L | 24 |
| 24066 | William de Latimer | M | L | 24 |
| 24067 | John Stirling, knight (mid 14C) | M | L | 24 |
| 24068 | Thomas de Rokeby | M | L | 24 |
| 24069 | Robert of Harley, knight | M | L | 24 |
| 24070 | William de Warenne, knight (mid14C) | M | L | 24 |
| 24030 | William of Auldburgh | M | L | 24 |
| 24058 | William de Bohun, earl of Northampton (d. 1360) | M | L | 24 |
| 24031 | Matthew MacLellan, knight | M | L | 6 |
| 24032 | Patrick Mac Con Ulad (MacCulloch), knight | M | L | 6 |
| 24033 | Roger de Mowbray, knight (mid14C) | M | L | 6 |
| 24034 | Gilbert Mac Con Ulad (MacCulloch) | M | L | 6 |
| 24035 | Dougal mac Dubgaill (MacDowall) (mid14C) | M | L | 6 |
| 24036 | John, son of Matthew MacLellan | M | L | 6 |
| 24037 | John de Rereyk | M | L | 6 |