This week – 28 January 1290

Dervorguilla de Balliol died at Barnard Castle, Northumberland. With her death, her fourth and youngest son, John, inherited her lands in Galloway as well as other lands in Scotland and England. Also, he now had a more secure claim to the throne of Scotland as the senior heir of the Huntingdon line of Scotland. David, earl of Huntingdon, and brother of William I, had died in 1219, leaving one son and three daughters. John, earl of Huntingdon and Chester died childless in 1237 and his inheritance was divided between his sisters, the eldest of whom, Margaret, had married Alan, lord of Galloway and by him had two daughters, Christina and Dervorguilla. The younger sister, Isabel, had married Robert Bruce IV; while the third, Ada, married Henry of Hastings. The offspring from these matches had the most legitimate claims to the throne after the death of the Maid of Norway in late 1290.