408 John Balliol
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND WEALTHSome of this time was probably devoted to scientific stud-
ies. Various works of a medical nature have been ascribed
to him, such as a collection of medicinal prescriptions, a
treatise on diseases of the eye, and another on the forma-
tion of the fetus. But his laboratory activities in the papal
palace also may have focused on alchemy. His friendship
with Arnold de Villanova (ca. 1240–1311), a famous
physician, astrologer, and alchemist, lent some credence
to this theory. When he died on December 4, 1334, the
pontiff left behind a vast sum of money and a mass of
priceless jewels. It was commonly asserted among the
alchemists of the day that the money, jewels, and 200
huge ingots were all made by the late pope. In the papal
treasury at his death he did leave 750,000 florins—a vast
sum at the time. The story of this unbounded wealth grad-
ually spread. One of the pope’s medieval biographers cred-
ited him with having made an enormous quantity of
GOLD. The wealth accumulation must be more accurately
based on his fiscal and administrative skills.
See alsoAVIGNON AND THEAVIGNONESE PAPACY; SPIRI-
TUALFRANCISCANS.
Further reading: Norman Housley, The Avignon
Papacy and the Crusades, 1305–1378(Oxford: Claren-
don Press, 1986); Guillaume Mollat, The Popes and
Avignon, 1305–1378,trans. Janet Love (1949; reprint,
New York: T. Nelson, 1963); Yves Renouard, Avignon
Papacy, 1305–1403, trans. Denis Bethell (London:
Faber, 1970); Brian Tierney, Origins of Papal Infallibility,
1150–1350: A Study on the Concepts of Infallibility,
Sovereignty and Tradition in the Middle Ages(Leiden:
E. J. Brill, 1972).
John Balliol (ca. 1249–1315)king of Scotland
Born perhaps as early as 1245 as the son of Count John of
Harcourt (d. 1269) and a descendant, through the female
line, of King DAVIDI, John Balliol was proclaimed king of
Scots with the support of King EDWARDI of ENGLAND.He
crowned at Scone in 1292. Edward actually intended to
be the overlord of SCOTLAND, but John took advantage of
Edward’s Welsh wars to secure his and Scotland’s inde-
pendence from the Crown. But in 1296, Edward defeated
him during an invasion attempt in England and then con-
quered a large part of Scotland. Edward held John captive
in England. Many other Scots, however, refused to accept
his deposition and continued to recognize him as the
legitimate king. A regency for him was established in
northwestern Scotland and acted in opposition to Edward
until 1306, when ROBERTI THEBRUCEwas proclaimed
king. John died, forgotten, and in retirement in 1315 in
Normandy.
See alsoWALLACE,WILLIAM;WILLIAMI THE LION,
KING OFSCOTLAND.
Further reading:A. D. M. Barrell, Medieval Scotland
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000).
John Chrysostom, Saint SeeCHRYSOSTOM,JOHN.John Duns Scotus SeeDUNSSCOTUS,JOHN,BLESSED
(DOCTOR SUBTIBILIS).John Hunyadi SeeHUNYADI,JOHNCORVINUS.John Hus SeeHUS,JOHN.John Lackland (1167–1216) third Angevin king of
England
Born on December 24, 1167, in Oxford, John was the
youngest son of King HENRY II and ELEANOR OF
AQUITAINE. When Henry first assigned provinces to his
sons, John received no share, hence his nickname “Lack-
land.” He grew up in an atmosphere of family feuds,
rebellion, and treachery. During his youth, his mother
was his father’s prisoner, and his brothers constantly
quarreled with their father and among themselves. They
even allied with the most dangerous enemy of their
house, the kings of FRANCE. In 1176 John, as his father’s
favorite, was betrothed to Isabelle, the richly endowed
coheir of the earl of Gloucester. A year later Henry made
him lord of IRELAND. John, however, repaid Henry’s affec-
tion and support by joining his brother RICHARDI LION-
HEART, and PHILIPII AUGUSTUSof France against him in- This was the final blow to his sick father. When
Richard I Lionheart became king in 1189 and was prepar-
ing to go on CRUSADE, he made lavish grants to John in
England and made him count of Mortain in NORMANDY,
but Richard excluded him from any real role in the
English government.
John tried by every means to obtain power in En-
gland or recognition as Richard’s heir. He put himself at
the head of the opposition to Richard’s chancellor,
William Longchamp (d. 1197), the bishop of Ely, and
chased him out of the country but failed to win over the
Council of Regency. Richard’s return resulted in John’s
total defeat, but he eventually regained Richard’s favor
and most of his personal property through the media-
tion of their mother.
JOHN AS KING
On Richard’s death on April 6, 1199, John was accepted
as ruler in NORMANDYand England. He was crowned
king at Westminster on May 27, Ascension Day.
But ANJOU, Maine, and BRITTANY declared Arthur
(1187–1203), the son of his older brother Geoffrey, who
had died in 1186. Philip II Augustus of France, as lord,
claimed to have the power to adjudicate matters con-
cerning these French fiefs. In May 1200 at Le Goulet,
Philip recognized John as heir to Richard’s lands in
return for substantial concessions and a large payment
as a “relief.”