Back in England, by the late Middle Ages, royal control was often cemented through impressive spectacles. The Magna Carta of 1215, forced upon King John by rebellious barons, was a desperate attempt to curb royal excess. John would later be humiliated again by a French invasion, narrowly averted after his death. His son, Henry III, ruled amid fresh rebellions, commissioning treasures like the illuminated rolls of Henry III, which beautifully chronicled royal ceremonies and gifts.

Art, Clothing, and Everyday Curiosities

The Middle Ages weren’t just about castles and cathedrals. They were also an age of finger painting on manuscripts, with monks carefully applying pigments using the tips of their fingers or brushes of fine animal hair.

As for clothing, medieval people did wear undergarments—contrary to modern myths. Linen chemises or shirts, braies (loose underpants), and later corset-like stays were common for support and hygiene. Wealth dictated fabric and cut, but even peasants had basic under-linens to protect costly outer garments.

The Medieval Identity Crisis

Interestingly, the English didn’t always think of themselves as a single people. The medieval identity crisis—torn among Norman, Saxon, Celtic, and later Plantagenet loyalties—helped shape everything from local rebellions to fierce border clashes. Even legends like King Arthur, blending Brittonic heroism with French chivalry, reveal a patchwork sense of nationhood that only slowly unified shutdown123