Thomas Becket “Thomas a Becket” redirects here. For other uses, see Thomas a Becket (disambiguation). Thomas Becket (/ˈbɛkɪt/; also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London,[1] and later Thomas à Becket;[note 1] 21 December c. 1118 (or 1120) – 29 December 1170) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He engaged in conflict with Henry II of England over the rights and privileges of the Church and was murdered by followers of the king in Canterbury Cathedral. Soon after his death, he was Stained glass window of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral canonised by Pope Alexander III. small landowner or a petty knight.[1] Matilda was also of 1 Sources Norman ancestry,[2] and her family may have originated near Caen. Gilbert was perhaps related to Theobald of Bec, whose family also was from Thierville. Gilbert be- The main sources for the life of Becket are a number gan his life as a merchant, perhaps as a textile merchant, of biographies that were written by contemporaries. A but by the 1120s he was living in London and was a prop- few of these documents are by unknown writers, al- erty owner, living on the rental income from his prop- though traditional historiography has given them names. erties. He also served as the sheriff of the city at some The known biographers are John of Salisbury, Edward point.[1] They were buried in Old St Paul’s Cathedral. Grim, Benedict of Peterborough, William of Canterbury, William fitz Stephen, Guernes of Pont-Sainte-Maxence, One of Becket’s father’s wealthy friends, Richer de Robert of Cricklade, Alan of Tewkesbury, Benet of St L'Aigle, often invited Thomas to his estates in Sussex Albans, and Herbert of Bosham. The other biogra- where Becket was exposed to hunting and hawking. Ac- phers, who remain anonymous, are generally given the cording to Grim, Becket learned much from Richer, who pseudonyms of Anonymous I, Anonymous II (or Anony- was later a signatory of the Constitutions of Clarendon [1] mous of Lambeth), and Anonymous III (or Lansdowne against Thomas. Anonymous). Besides these accounts, there are also two Beginning when he was 10, Becket was sent as a student to other accounts that are likely contemporary that appear Merton Priory in England and later attended a grammar in the Quadrilogus II and the Thómas saga Erkibyskups. school in London, perhaps the one at St Paul’s Cathedral. Besides these biographies, there is also the mention of He did not study any subjects beyond the trivium and the events of Becket’s life in the chroniclers of the time. quadrivium at these schools. Later, he spent about a year These include Robert of Torigni's work, Roger of How- in Paris around age 20. He did not, however, study canon den's Gesta Regis Henrici Secundi and Chronica, Ralph or civil law at this time and his Latin skill always remained Diceto's works, William of Newburgh's Historia Rerum, somewhat rudimentary. Sometime after Becket began and Gervase of Canterbury's works.[3] his schooling, Gilbert Beket suffered financial reverses, and the younger Becket was forced to earn a living as a clerk. Gilbert first secured a place for his son in the busi- 2 Early life ness of a relative – Osbert Huitdeniers – and then later Becket acquired a position in the household of Theobald [1] Becket was born about 1118,[4] or in 1120 according to of Bec, by now the Archbishop of Canterbury. later tradition.[1] He was born in Cheapside, London, on Theobald entrusted him with several important missions 21 December, which was the feast day of St Thomas the to Rome and also sent him to Bologna and Auxerre Apostle. He was the son of Gilbert Beket and Gilbert’s to study canon law. Theobald in 1154 named Becket wife Matilda.[note 2] Gilbert’s father was from Thierville Archdeacon of Canterbury, and other ecclesiastical of- in the lordship of Brionne in Normandy, and was either a fices included a number of benefices, prebends at Lincoln 1 2 5 ASSASSINATION Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral, and the office of Clarendon. Provost of Beverley. His efficiency in those posts led to King Henry II presided over the assemblies of most of Theobald recommending him to King Henry II for the vacant post of Lord Chancellor,[1] to which Becket was appointed in January 1155.[7] As Chancellor, Becket enforced the king’s traditional sources of revenue that were exacted from all landowners, including churches and bishoprics.[1] King Henry even sent his son Henry to live in Becket’s household, it be- ing the custom then for noble children to be fostered out to other noble houses. The younger Henry was reported to have said Becket showed him more fatherly love in a day than his father did for his entire life. 3 Primacy Becket was nominated as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, several months after the death of Theobald. His 14th-century depiction of Becket with King Henry II election was confirmed on 23 May 1162 by a royal coun- cil of bishops and noblemen.[1] Henry may have hoped the higher English clergy at Clarendon Palace on 30 Jan- that Becket would continue to put the royal government uary 1164. In sixteen constitutions, he sought less clerical first, rather than the church. The famous transformation independence and a weaker connection with Rome. He of Becket into an ascetic occurred at this time. employed all his skills to induce their consent and was apparently successful with all but Becket. Finally, even • Becket enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury Becket expressed his willingness to agree to the substance from a Nottingham Alabaster in the Victoria & Al- of the Constitutions of Clarendon, but he still refused to bert Museum formally sign the documents. Henry summoned Becket to appear before a great council at Northampton Castle • on 8 October 1164, to answer allegations of contempt of royal authority and malfeasance in the Chancellor’s office. • Convicted on the charges, Becket stormed out of the trial • and fled to the Continent.[1] Henry pursued the fugitive archbishop with a series of Becket was ordained a priest on 2 June 1162 at Canter- edicts, aimed at all his friends and supporters as well bury, and on 3 June 1162 was consecrated as archbishop as Becket himself; but King Louis VII of France of- by Henry of Blois, the Bishop of Winchester and the other fered Becket protection. He spent nearly two years suffragan bishops of Canterbury.[1] in the Cistercian abbey of Pontigny, until Henry’s threats against the order obliged him to return to Sens. A rift grew between Henry and Becket as the new arch- Becket fought back by threatening excommunication and bishop resigned his chancellorship and sought to recover interdict against the king and bishops and the king- and extend the rights of the archbishopric. This led to dom, but Pope Alexander III, though sympathising with a series of conflicts with the king, including that over him in theory, favoured a more diplomatic approach. the jurisdiction of secular courts over English clergymen, Papal legates were sent in 1167 with authority to act as which accelerated antipathy between Becket and the king. arbitrators.[1] Attempts by King Henry to influence the other bishops against Becket began in Westminster in October 1163, In 1170, Alexander sent delegates to impose a solution where the King sought approval of the traditional rights to the dispute. At that point, Henry offered a compro- of the royal government in regard to the church.[1] This mise that would allow Thomas to return to England from led to Clarendon, where Becket was officially asked to exile.[1] agree to the King’s rights or face political repercussions. 5 Assassination 4 The Constitutions of Clarendon In June 1170, Roger de Pont L'Évêque, the archbishop Main article: Becket controversy of York, along with Gilbert Foliot, the bishop of Lon- For more details on this topic, see Constitutions of don, and Josceline de Bohon, the bishop of Salisbury, 3 he accepts the account of the contemporary biographer Edward Grim, writing in Latin, who gives us “What mis- erable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric?"[12] Many variations have found their way into popular culture. Whatever Henry said, it was interpreted as a royal com- mand, and four knights,[9] Reginald fitzUrse, Hugh de Morville, William de Tracy, and Richard le Breton,[1] set out to confront the Archbishop of Canterbury. On 29 December 1170 they arrived at Canterbury. Ac- cording to accounts left by the monk Gervase of Can- terbury and eyewitness Edward Grim, they placed their weapons under a tree outside the cathedral and hid their mail armour under cloaks before entering to challenge A Seal of the Abbot of Arbroath, showing the murder of Becket. Becket. The knights informed Becket he was to go to Arbroath Abbey was founded 8 years after the death of St Winchester to give an account of his actions, but Becket Thomas and dedicated to him; it became the wealthiest abbey in Scotland. refused. It was not until Becket refused their demands to submit to the king’s will that they retrieved their weapons and rushed back inside for the killing.[13] Becket, mean- crowned the heir apparent, Henry the Young King, at while, proceeded to the main hall for vespers.