Alien

In medieval England, alien was a legal category for a foreign-born person who was not an English subject. It was not simply a description of someone whose language or customs seemed unfamiliar. Legal status mattered because foreign-born residents did not automatically enjoy the same rights as English subjects.

The authorities described people considered non-English as aliens. This was a legal category, not a description of how unfamiliar they were with English life. A long-established resident could still be treated differently from an English neighbour.

The medieval English category ‘alien’ meant a non-native-born resident. It should not be read as a modern nationality label. England and Scotland were separate kingdoms, while the position of people from Wales, Ireland and the Channel Islands depended partly on their relationship with the English Crown.