Balliol College had been founded in about…

Balliol College had been founded in about 1263 (leading some to argue that it is the University's oldest college, a claim contested by University College and Merton College) by John I de Balliol under the guidance of the Bishop of Durham.

After his death in 1268, his widow, Dervorguilla of Galloway (their son and grandson will both become Kings of Scotland) had made arrangements to ensure the permanence of the college in that she provided capital and in 1282 formulated the college statutes, documents that survive to this day.