Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury and was murdered in his own cathedral by knights who believed they were doing the king's will. Born in London around 1120 to a Norman merchant family, he was educated in Paris and served in the household of Archbishop Theobald, who sent him to study law at Bologna and Auxerre. Henry II made him Chancellor of England in 1155, and the two became close. Becket lived magnificently, hunted, and led troops in Toulouse, and was an entirely effective royal servant. Henry had him made archbishop in 1162 expecting the church to be brought to heel through him. Becket resigned the chancellorship immediately, adopted an ascetic life, and became the church's advocate against the crown. The dispute was over jurisdiction: whether clerics accused of serious crimes could be tried in royal courts. The Constitutions of Clarendon in 1164 asserted that they could, along with limits on appeals to Rome; Becket assented and then repudiated his assent. He fled to France and spent six years in exile, excommunicating royal officials from abroad. A reconciliation of sorts was patched up in 1170, and he returned and promptly excommunicated the bishops who had crowned Henry's son in his absence. Henry, in Normandy, said something in exasperation — the famous version about a turbulent priest is a later formulation. Four knights crossed to England and killed Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170, striking off the crown of his skull. Europe was appalled. He was canonised within three years, Canterbury became one of the great pilgrimage sites, and Henry did public penance in 1174.
- Lived: 1120 CE – 1170 CE
- Nationality: English
- Roles: religious_leader, statesman
