Thomas Becket: life of week

Summary

History Extra Podcast: "Life of the Week – Thomas Becket" Summary

In this engaging episode of the History Extra Podcast, hosted by Immediate Media and featuring historian Michael Staunton, listeners embark on a comprehensive journey through the tumultuous life of Thomas Becket. As one of medieval England's most renowned martyrs and saints, Becket's transformation from a loyal royal chancellor to a steadfast archbishop and eventual martyr is meticulously explored. This summary captures the key discussions, insights, and conclusions drawn from the in-depth conversation.

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1. Introduction: Thomas Becket’s Significance

The episode opens with the host highlighting Thomas Becket's prominence in medieval history. Becket is introduced as a figure whose life was dramatically overshadowed by his falling out with King Henry II, culminating in his murder in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.

Notable Quote:

"Thomas Becket was the person who was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 by four knights who claimed to be acting on behalf of the King."
— Michael Staunton [01:27]

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2. Early Life and Upbringing

Michael Staunton delves into Becket’s origins, noting his birth in London to Norman parents around 1118–1120. Despite his family's declining fortunes, Becket's ascent from a commoner to a significant ecclesiastical and political figure is discussed.

Key Points:

• Born to a merchant family in London.
• Educated at a grammar school in Merton and furthered his studies in Paris.
• Returned to England amidst family financial decline, initially working as an accountant.
• Becket's non-noble background made his rise remarkable and somewhat controversial.

Notable Quote:

"What was unusual about him for somebody who became as famous as he did was that he wasn't from a noble background."
— Michael Staunton [03:04]

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3. Rise to Power: From Chancery to Archbishop

Becket's career trajectory took a significant turn when he became the Royal Chancellor under King Henry II. His practical abilities and administrative prowess earned him the King's trust, setting the stage for his later appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Key Points:

• Appointed as Royal Chancellor, originally responsible for the King’s chaplaincy.
• Developed a close friendship with Henry II, becoming a key advisor.
• His lifestyle, including hunting and having a pet wolf, contrasted with typical ecclesiastical figures.

Notable Quote:

"Henry II sees you as his right-hand man in all of this."
— Michael Staunton [11:28]

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4. Transformation into Archbishop of Canterbury

Becket's appointment as Archbishop marked a pivotal shift from his secular role to a staunch religious leader. This transition is analyzed, with Staunton exploring whether it was a genuine spiritual awakening or a strategic move influenced by political circumstances.

Key Points:

• Appointment influenced by Archbishop Theobald's desire to monitor Henry II.
• Reports of Becket adopting a more pious lifestyle, though Staunton questions the extent of this transformation.
• Faced with the expectations of being both a loyal servant to the king and a defender of the Church.

Notable Quote:

"Thomas's dramatic conversion is debated, with some biographers suggesting he truly embraced a life of spiritual contemplation."
— Michael Staunton [15:06]

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5. Rising Tensions: Conflict with Henry II

The core of the episode centers on the escalating tensions between Becket and King Henry II. Staunton outlines the gradual deterioration of their relationship, stemming from Henry's attempts to assert royal authority over the Church and Becket's unwavering support for ecclesiastical independence.

Key Points:

• Henry II's reforms aimed at strengthening royal authority clashed with Church autonomy.
• Key issues included taxation of clerics and the handling of clerical crimes.
• Becket's refusal to conform to Henry’s demands led to mutual distrust and conflict.

Notable Quote:

"It wasn't an immediate break; there were early signs where Henry tried to implement new taxes and Becket resisted."
— Michael Staunton [16:09]

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6. The Climax: Becket’s Murder

The narrative builds to the infamous murder of Thomas Becket. Staunton provides a detailed account of the events leading up to the assassination, the motivations of the knights involved, and the chaotic scene within Canterbury Cathedral.

Key Points:

• In October 1164, Henry II summoned Becket to a trial, leading to heightened tensions.
• Becket’s bold actions, including excommunications, intensified the rift.
• On December 29, 1170, four knights killed Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, claiming to act on the King’s wishes.

Notable Quote:

"'Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?' is the famous phrase attributed to Henry II, though not documented at the time."
— Michael Staunton [34:50]

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7. Aftermath and Canonization

Following Becket's death, the aftermath reveals significant political and religious repercussions. Staunton discusses Henry II's reaction, the swift canonization of Becket, and the establishment of Canterbury as a major pilgrimage site.

Key Points:

• Henry II faced severe backlash, including pressure from the Pope and public outcry.
• Becket was canonized within two years, solidifying his legacy as a saint and martyr.
• The murder catalyzed reforms in the relationship between the Church and the monarchy.
• Becket’s legacy endured through pilgrimages and literary works like Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

Notable Quote:

"One of the main reasons that the cult of St. Thomas becomes so widespread is that Henry II begins to promote it himself."
— Michael Staunton [45:57]

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8. Legacy and Historical Impact

Concluding the episode, Staunton reflects on Thomas Becket's enduring legacy. He underscores Becket's complex character, the wealth of historical documentation available, and the broader insights his story provides into 12th-century England and the medieval Church.

Key Points:

• Becket remains a symbol of ecclesiastical resistance against royal overreach.
• His life illustrates the intricate power dynamics between Church and state.
• The plethora of records, including letters and eyewitness accounts, makes Becket one of the most well-documented figures of the Middle Ages.
• His story continues to resonate, offering valuable lessons on power, integrity, and sacrifice.

Notable Quote:

"Thomas Becket was a fascinating figure, embodying both the complexities of ecclesiastical authority and the political machinations of his time."
— Michael Staunton [47:28]

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Conclusion

This episode of History Extra Podcast offers a thorough and nuanced exploration of Thomas Becket's life, his rise to power, his conflict with King Henry II, and his ultimate martyrdom. Through Michael Staunton’s expert analysis, listeners gain a deep understanding of Becket's significance in medieval history and his lasting impact on the relationship between the Church and the English monarchy.

For those intrigued by historical narratives and the intricate interplay of power and faith, this episode serves as a compelling account of one of history’s most enduring figures.

Transcript

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[Host]

Hello and welcome to Life of the Week from History Extra, where leading historians delve into the lives of history's most intriguing and significant figures. Thomas Becketts is probably medieval England's most famous martyr and saint. Yet the circumstances of his life are overshadowed by his infamous friendship turned feud with King Henry II and his shocking murder in Canterbury Cathedral one winter's evening in 1170. I spoke to historian and author Michael Staunton to chart how from lowly origins, Becket rocketed to power, dramatically switching from close royal ally to the thorn in Henry II's side.

[Interviewer]

Thomas Becket is a really famous name in the annals of history. Give us a brief 60 second introduction.

[Historian]

To who he was to most people.

Both in the Middle Ages and now.

Thomas Becker was the person who was.

Murdered in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 by four knights who claimed to.

Be acting on behalf of the King. You may know the phrase who will.

Rid me of this turbulent priest? Or who will rid me of this troublesome priest? They were the words that Henry II is supposed to have said, condemning Thomas to death.

But the reason why his death became.

Such a shock to everybody and why he became the most famous English saint.

Of the period was because he had.

Lived a very remarkable life.

He come from a background as a commoner. He rose up through the ranks to.

Be royal, chancellor and friend of the King. He then became Archbishop of Canterbury, engaged in a very bitter dispute with the King that culminated in his murder in Canterbury Cathedral.

[Interviewer]

Now if we were to go right back to the start of his life, what do we know about his birth, his early life and upbringing?

[Historian]

So Thomas was a Londoner. His parents came from Normandy.

He was born in either 1118 or 1120.

He came from a fairly well off background.

His father was a merchant, his father had fortunes that were, call him downwardly mobile.

When Thomas was born, he was a very rich merchant.

He was born just beside Oak in.

The City of London. But over time his father's fortunes began to decline.

Thomas was not poor, but what was unusual about him for somebody who became as famous as he did was that.

He wasn't from a noble background.

Sometimes people refer to him as Thomas Abeket.

He was never actually called that in.

The Middle Ages, it's a later invention.

There's a legend that was told of him not long after his death that.

Claimed that his father was actually a.

Crusader who had been rescued from prison.

By a Saracen princess, and that his.

Mother was actually that Saracen princess that.

Followed Gilbert Becket to England.

None of this is true. His mother was from Normandy and she.

Certainly wasn't a princess. But this kind of story is told of people whose later life was very illustrious and people trying to explain how could somebody have become this great in if they didn't come from a noble background.

And it's something that runs through Thomas.

Life, the fact that he was a commoner, even if from a comfortable background, it's something that was always held against him.

And you can see traces of that.

Background in his own behaviour.

[Interviewer]

Later on, obviously, he rose to hold such a significant position. What was his education like? What was his career path into that?

[Historian]

Thomas was educated in a grammar school.

In Merton and then in London he.

Went and studied in Paris, which wasn't yet the University of Paris, but it.

Was a very important center of education, and he went there at a very exciting time. But we actually know very little about.

What happened there, because he dropped out.

At around the age of 20 and.

It seems he returned to England. His mother had died, his father's fortunes.

Were declining, and he seems at a loss. One of his biographers says that he.

Just did nothing for a year, and then eventually he found himself some employment.

Presumably through the agency of his father.

He became an accountant. He was working for a financier in.

The City of London, and he may have also been working for a sheriff.

So he was literate, but he was no intellectual.

He obviously had a lot of practical ability, because sometime after this he gets.

His big break, which is that he.

Gets an introduction to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Theobald. Archbishop Theobald.

In this way, Thomas, though he was.

A very unusual person in the way.

His life turned out, in other ways.

He was very representative of the time.

Because at this time In England, the.

Mid 12th century, there's a demand for people who are literate, who are smart.

Who have practical abilities, who can work.

For archbishops, kings, bishops, lords and so on.

It's a time when bureaucracies are developing.

When literacy is increasing, when more and more things are being written down. Communication is by letter rather than just by word of mouth.

So Thomas fitted into this, even though.

He had never finished his degree in Paris. He had enough of that education, he.

Had enough of that practical ability to appeal to somebody as important as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

And this is when we first really.

Hear about him as a clerk to Archbishop Theobald and one of his leading clerks.

[Interviewer]

Beyond his skills and capabilities. Do we get a sense of Thomas Becket's personality at this time?

[Historian]

There are descriptions of him at this.

Time, and they describe what he looked like.

They say he had a long nose.

They say that he had a stammer, for example.

They talk about how he had a.

Very good memory, that he had a.

Great sense of smell, things like that.

What's striking about all of these descriptions is that there's no very strong sign.

Of him as being a religious figure, of being particularly pious in any way.

It's more about that this was a young man in a hurry. This is somebody who gained the admiration of his boss, the Archbishop, but also.

Somebody who provoked rivalry. There were a lot of other people.

Within the Archbishop's court later came to be of great significance to Thomas life, and they apparently persecuted him.

You can see certain traits that you see later on.

You can see this practical ability, but.

You can also see a certain difficulty.

Sometimes of getting on with people.

[Interviewer]

And this is obviously a really significant thread throughout his life. How did Thomas then rise to prominence under Henry ii?

[Historian]

To explain that, I need to give.

A little bit of background about Henry II himself.

And Henry II was a really remarkable figure. Henry came to the throne age 21.

Now, Henry's grandfather had been King Henry.

I, who died in 1135.

Henry I was a very powerful, very vigorous king. He really established the foundations of a strong English kingship.

But after his death, there was a succession dispute. He had designated his daughter Matilda to succeed him.

There was certain opposition to Matilda, and.

As it turned out, another relative, Stephen, took the throne. So Stephen was king from 1135 to.

1154, and this period is often known.

As the period of the anarchy. It was a time of civil war when Matilda challenged him for the throne. So Henry II is brought up always.

With the belief that the throne has.

Been stolen from his family.

And he's been brought up with this.

Sense that he must regain it and.

He must restore the crown to its rightful place. So he actually invades England at the age of 14. He grows up in Anjou and Normandy.

His father is the Count of Anjou.

So in his teens, he's trying to regain the throne.

Meanwhile, other people within the realm are also disillusioned with the way things have gone. So they start to support a transition.

To the rule of Henry Plantagenet, as he's known at this time who will then become King. Henry II in 1154, one of the.

Main brokers of an agreement that Stephen.

Will hold the throne until his death.

But then he will be succeeded by Henry is Archbishop Theob.

And we can guess that Henry II.

Had met Thomas in these negotiations. Thomas is likely to have been involved in these negotiations.

So when Henry comes to the throne in December 1154, we can imagine that.

He'S looking for senior administrators. He talks to Theobald and Theobald probably.

Says, I know exactly the man.

So Theobald, from his point of view.

Would have liked his own man to.

Be there, keep a check on Henry.

Make sure that he doesn't do anything against the Church.

So he appoints Thomas as Royal Chancellor. Now, Royal Chancellor is originally the job.

Of running the chaplaincy for the King. And then it comes to take over the writing office.

And again, with what I was saying.

About the importance of administration, it becomes.

A very important position.

But it becomes even more important because.

Of the friendship that develops between Henry and Thomas.

Accounts of Henry II's early life as King they say that immediately on becoming.

King at the age of 21, he.

Takes a very vigorous sort of approach to kingship. He's aiming to turn back the clock.

To the way things were 19 years.

Before, when his grandfather was king and.

There was a strong ruler in England. He threatens any potential opponents. He goes to war against them if.

They stand up to him.

He brings in various kinds of reforms.

He wants to bring back law and order. And they say that Thomas is his.

Right hand man in all of this.

So Thomas had all of these real.

Duties as an administrator, but he's also.

A member of the court.

He's one of those people that Henry talks to.

He's a number of years older than.

Henry and he's presumably giving him advice in all of this.

And by all accounts he enjoys this time very much.

The descriptions of him as Chancellor describe how he took to the lifestyle that.

He enjoyed hunting and hawking.

He had a pet wolf.

He went on an embassy to Paris where he had a number of different carriages.

One would only carry his clothes, clothes.

Of silk and so on.

Another that only carried ale, where every.

Horse that pulled the carriage would have.

A pet monkey chained to it.

That he had all of these esquires.

Who would walk in front dressed in bright clothing.

He went to war when Henry tried.

To take the city of Toulouse in southern France.

And I should add that Henry II.

At this point was ruler not only.

Over England, but over roughly half of.

France, through his marriage to Eleanor of.

Aquitaine, heiress to much of southern France. Sir Thomas was involved in warfare, he fought in battle, though apparently he didn't kill anybody.

He was a very secular sort of figure and a very effective figure, as.

Far as we can tell.

[Interviewer]

How, then does this shift happen from becoming a very prestigious secular figure to a very prestigious religious one?

[Historian]

Henry ii, as I said, was trying.

To turn back the clock in various ways. He addressed certain things, like he tries.

To strengthen and extend his domain, so.

He'S doing all of these reforms, but the one area that he has addressed.

Is reforming the King's relationship with the Church.

And he hasn't done that because Thomas.

Former patron, by now, the very elderly Archbishop Theobald is still alive. So he's clearly waiting until Theobald dies to bring in these reforms.

If he's looking around himself, he can.

See that there's the Bishop of London.

There'S bishops of various other places, the Archbishop of York. All of these might be learned, they.

Might have certain qualities, but none of.

Them quite has the quality that Thomas has, which is apparently loyalty and also.

This kind of practical ability. He's a churchman, but he doesn't seem to go over the top in his piety.

He seems perfect.

So the accounts of how this happened.

And of course they're all written in retrospect, they're written after the murder and they're written by people who are trying.

To promote Thomas as a saint.

They describe various scenes where Thomas is.

Approached and he's told, you know, the King wants you to be Archbishop. One account, he's playing chess and he's.

Interrupted and he looks down his florid.

Clothes, and he says, me, this is.

You know, somebody dressed like this, somebody with my kind of lifestyle. Do you really think that this is going to work? Others say that he said, if I'm.

Made Archbishop, there will never be peace between me and the King, our friendship.

Will fall apart again.

A retrospective judgment.

So officially, it's meant to be the monks of Canterbury and the bishops of.

England who choose their archbishop. Really, Henry gave them direction that you.

Can choose anybody as long as it's my Chancellor. And that's what happened.

And then you have one of the.

Most debated aspects of Thomas life, which is what happened to him when he became Archbishop of Canterbury.

Lots of people have different theories.

What his biographers tell us is that.

On becoming archbishop, he underwent a dramatic conversion.

He put off the old man and.

He put on Jesus Christ.

They say that he started to become.

More dedicated to Prayer.

They say that he changed his diet.

They say that beneath his official garb.

He wore a monastic habit, and beneath.

That he wore a hair shirt.

So that is a rough cloth that.

Would cut into his skin.

So that, in a way, he was.

Purging himself of his secular life.

Not everybody believes this.

Also, of course, you see him falling out with the King, so certainly something happened.

But what that is, there are various theories.

[Interviewer]

As you've just hinted at this stage, the motivations and aims and ideas start to become a bit misaligned between Henry and Thomas. Can you just explain the main points of friction between the two?

[Historian]

Yeah.

So it happened slowly.

It wasn't an immediate break.

There were some early signs there. So, for example, Henry II had wanted.

Thomas to continue as Chancellor when he.

Became Archbishop, but Thomas resigned his office.

Henry was away in his French lands for much of the next year or.

So after Thomas had become archbishop in 1162. So that was part of the reason why it didn't really blow out in the open.

It starts with a few small issues.

Like, say, on matters of taxation, where.

Henry tries to introduce a new form.

Of tax and Thomas refuses and the King backs down, or Thomas excommunicates one of Henry's leading men and he's challenged on this and Thomas backs down. But the real issue came to be.

Focused on a matter of law and order.

So Henry in general was trying to.

Restore royal authority, was trying to develop the King's law in England.

And one stumbling block was, to his mind, the number of clerics who were committing really serious crimes like murder. They were being tried in church courts.

They weren't being handed over to a royal court, they weren't suffering a severe punishment.

So this is the central issue that.

Really sparked things, and historians call it.

The issue of criminus clerks.

But really behind it, there were so many other things.

And I've said that, you know, Henry II was trying to turn back the clock to 11:35, the time of his.

Grandfather, but it's very difficult to turn back the clock 19 years without actually being quite radical.

So what Henry II was doing was.

Pushing against certain trends that had developed in recent decades.

And one of those was that the.

Church had gained more independence in various ways.

The royal authority had been weak, so.

Various senior clerical figures had gained more independence.

Another development during this time is the.

Growth of the reach of the papacy. And this was happening all over Europe. So they're getting involved in disputes.

So say you have one bishop having.

A dispute with another bishop, they'll often.

Appeal to the Pope. And this is something, again, that Henry II finds to be outrageous in relation.

To his own authority.

You're going over my head to the Pope. So there's a range of these things.

Where it basically comes down to Henry's.

Desire to turn back the clock, to assert royal authority against Church authority, and Thomas refusal to accept this. There's a few particular moments when this clash happens. The most serious is when the King.

Demands that Thomas accepts what he calls.

The customs of the realm. That is basically saying, I want you.

To accept that the crown and the.

Church should have the same relationship that it had in the time of my grandfather.

That's a very vague, woolly sort of way of doing things.

It's fine to accept one particular thing, but you're basically saying, I'm going to.

Keep you to a certain kind of relationship with the crown.

More seriously, when Thomas gave a tentative exception of these royal customs, the King.

Demanded that the customs be put in writing.

And then he refused again.

It's part of this trend, the trend towards formalization of relationships, development in law.

Putting things in writing.

But Thomas says, you know, this is.

Not something that I can agree with.

Forever and put in writing.

So through all of this, you have Thomas still with most of the other people in the Church behind him. But this then starts to fray.

He's alienated the King.

He's also alienated a number of people within the Church. If you look at it from the.

Point of view of people within the.

Church, the vast majority would have had the same principle as Thomas, that Henry's.

Actions were a violation of their rights.

But they would have looked at his.

Tactics in a different way.

Many of them thought, well, it's actually more effective to behave in a more diplomatic manner, to give in a little.

Bit to the King.

So Henry starts to work on some.

Other figures within the Church, tries to.

Detach them from Thomas, and he's clearly trying to put pressure on Thomas to.

Get him to resign his office.

And this comes to a culmination in October 1164. So Henry summons Thomas to trial at Northampton. And this is a big trial with all of the senior clergy, all of.

The main nobles, all of the important people in the kingdom.

Henry ii, first of all, he refuses.

To send a proper summons to him.

Then he refuses to meet him when.

They'D arranged to meet.

And then he starts to bring all.

Of these trumped up charges against him.

For example, he accuses him of embezzlement.

Of funds that he held when he was Chancellor.

But then on the last day of the trial, when it looks like Thomas is going to be condemned, Thomas decides.

That he's going to fight back.

What he does is he gets up.

In the morning and he goes and says Mass.

Now that's perfectly normal, but what's unusual.

Is the Mass that he says. He says the Mass of St Stephen and that wasn't the feast day for that time.

The reason he does this is that Stephen was the first Christian martyr. And the liturgy for that Mass is.

All about being brought before kings and.

Tyrants and being persecuted.

And then he carries his own cross, which is normally carried before him by his crossbearer.

He carries it into the chamber and some of the other bishops actually try.

To grab it from him. The Bishop of London, Gilbert Folliott, says.

He was always a fool and he always will be.

So you're seeing all of these divisions coming out.

Thomas makes a speech in which he.

Raises the issues to something beyond just a charge of embezzlement or even about.

The so called criminist clerks.

And he says, effectively, this is a.

Battle between good and evil. This is a battle between God and a worldly tyrant. And as his sentence is being given.

He gets up from his seat, taking.

His cross and he walks out, refusing to hear the sentence.

He goes back to his lodgings.

And that night, the middle of the night, he escapes from Northampton, makes his.

Way by a circuitous route to the.

Coast, travels across the channel and finds himself at the beginning of an exile that will last for a number of years, until a month before his death.

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[Interviewer]

How did this exile in France affect him politically and personally?

[Historian]

So the first thing he tries to.

Do is to get support.

He goes to the King of France and he gets his wholehearted support for.

The King of France. Henry II's enemy is my friend, and his trouble is something to be encouraged apart from anything else.

King Louis of France was once married to Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is now married to Henry ii. But there are other more strategic reasons as well.

Then he goes and sees the Pope. The Pope is now in exile in France. At this time there are two Popes, there's one Pope, Alexander, and there's another.

Pope that is generally known to history.

As an anti pope who's been put.

Up by the German Emperor.

Alexander has fled from Rome, he's in France.

And Thomas goes and sees him and.

He presents his whole case to him.

And Alexander is a very clever and canny politician.

What Alexander says is, as you would.

Expect from a Pope, he says, you know, you are fighting our fight.

Anything that you've done wrong, you know.

You should be absolved of any of those faults and I'm very much behind you.

But Alexander also says, now I want.

To send you to a Cistercian monastery in the middle of nowhere.

And he's effectively saying, you go there.

And you keep quiet.

Because of course, Alexander had to depend.

On the support not only of the French king, but on Henry ii. So he didn't want to offend him either.

So Thomas goes off into exile and.

Our accounts of what happened by sympathetic.

Biographers, they say that this was the time that he, for the first time, Thomas, was really able to immerse himself in a life of spiritual contemplation.

That he read commentaries on the Psalms.

That he would meditate on the Bible, on the teachings of the early church fathers.

But at the same time, after about a year, Thomas clearly believes that his.

Time of rest and recuperation and devotion to the contemplative life has come to an end.

By this point, the Pope has given him new position.

As well as being Archbishop of Canterbury, he is Papal legate.

And what that means is that he.

Acts on the Pope's behalf in England.

So he has certain powers.

The most important of these, of the.

Most damaging of these powers, is the.

Power of excommunication, or suspension. So you can suspend a bishop from office, for example.

You can also excommunicate people.

And when Thomas was given this power.

He didn't hesitate to use it. So he went to the city of Vezelae. He says mass there in the cathedral.

He'S giving a sermon.

Then, to everybody's surprise, he announces the excommunication of a number of not only.

Certain allies of the king, some of.

His closest ministers, but also some senior church figures. And this causes tremendous shock. If you imagine in this kind of society, where so much depends on personal.

Communication, personal interaction, what excommunication says is.

That nobody is supposed to have any.

Dealings with that person, and you can.

Be excommunicated yourself if you have dealings with that person. So this is really the first shot.

Across the bows by Thomas.

He's in a defensive position, but he's saying, I have a certain amount of.

Power and I'm going to use it. And the real threat behind this is that King Henry will be excommunicated.

And that's a very serious threat.

It's possible if a king is excommunicated.

That people will turn against him, that you'll have rebellions.

This eventually happened with King John in.

The early 13th century.

So it's of great concern to the King, and the King and the Pope.

And Thomas start to become involved in negotiations. So you have various negotiations, various meetings.

Sometimes between their representatives, sometimes face to face, and.

And the Pope is putting pressure on Henry to, you know, drop these customs. If you just drop these customs and.

Let Thomas return to Canterbury, everything will be fine.

Trying to persuade Thomas as well. And they nearly get there a number of times. There's one point where they're in total agreement. And then Thomas says, but I now.

Demand the kiss of peace from the King.

The kiss of peace was a ritual.

That would normally seal an agreement where.

The two figures would kiss. It was a signal to their supporters.

That peace has been made.

But Thomas knew that Henry II had.

Sworn an oath that he would never give the kiss of peace to Thomas, no matter what.

So he was asking for the one.

Thing that he couldn't give him.

So you have to wonder how much either of these people really wanted peace.

It had come down to something that.

Was about their honor, and that's why it took such a long time for it to be resolved. And the final way that it was resolved was you could look at it.

As being an aspect of Henry II's psychology. Henry II was obsessed with the succession issue.

He saw how it was dealt with in France. In France, they had a very smooth.

Succession of father to son in recent times.

And one reason for this is that.

They made their successor. They crowned them as co king during their lifetimes.

So that's what he wanted to do with his son, Henry.

The only problem with this was who was it that crowned the King? It was the Archbishop of Canterbury and.

The Archbishop of Canterbury was obviously not available at this time. Summer of 1170, Henry decided to go ahead and do it anyway.

So he recruits some of Thomas enemies among the bishops.

The Bishop of London, the Bishop of.

York, who had been one of those.

Rivals in Theobald's court when they were.

Much younger, the Bishop of Salisbury, a.

Few others, and they carry out the.

Coronation of Henry the young king immediately. This causes outrage throughout Europe, throughout the Christian world.

This is a real violation of the rights of Canterbury. And Henry decides to make peace.

He says to Thomas, you can come.

Back to Canterbury fully restored, I will.

Grant you peace, I'll instruct my men.

To grant you peace and we'll drop.

All of this about the royal customs.

And Thomas agrees.

[Interviewer]

So Thomas is back in Canterbury, he's back in England, but as we know, he famously was murdered in 1170.

[Historian]

How did this go down when they made peace? There was that agreement, but from Thomas's side, he was hearing from some of.

His people in England and he was.

Hearing, you know, they're not actually restoring estates. For a number of years, while Thomas had been in exile, the lands of.

Canterbury had been given over to basically Henry's cronies. And these were very, very hostile to Thomas.

The various people who he had excommunicated.

There were also these bishops who were.

Involved in the coronation of the young king.

So Thomas was also still furious at.

Their participation in this ritual without his permission.

And as he was about to cross.

Back to Canterbury, and he hadn't been there for more than six years, he was coming back to his cathedral, to his diocese, to his people.

The last thing he did was he sent ahead in a boat, he sent.

Letters to England excommunicating or suspending the various bishops who were involved in the coronation of the young Henry.

So he really did sign his own.

Death warrant by doing this.

So he comes back to Canterbury and the word is going round about what.

He'S done, about how he's excommunicated these.

Bishops he's met by some very hostile.

Officers of the King.

There's a very dangerous atmosphere around Canterbury.

Thomas himself returns to Canterbury and he's.

Greeted as this returning hero.

And on Christmas Day, comes back at.

The start of December.

On Christmas Day, he preaches in the cathedral as usual. And then after the sermon, what does he do?

He excommunicates more supporters of Henry II and more people who he's seen as enemies. Meanwhile, these bishops who he's excommunicated, they've made their way over to Normandy, where.

Henry II is spending Christmas, and they.

Tell him the story.

And Henry explodes into anger.

Now, Henry was famous for his anger.

There's a story about how somebody in his company once praised the King of.

Scotland and said, he's a great warrior, isn't he?

And Henry got so angry that he.

Rolled on the ground and actually chewed his mattress in fury.

So he was noted for his anger. Anger could also be strategic. At times, anger could be something that king could use to cow his opponents. But there seems little doubt at his anger.

And the famous phrase is, who will.

Rid me off this turbulent priest? Or who will rid me of this troublesome priest? Now, there's no record of those words being said at the time.

The words are actually a bit more interesting. I think in various accounts you have various expressions.

So he talks about this man who.

Came to my court with a knapsack.

On his back and a limping mule, and I gave him everything.

I raised him up from nothing to this height.

And now look what he does.

He lifts up his heel and he kicks me in the teeth and he.

Says, and who are these drones around me who have done nothing to avenge this?

So at this, four relatively young knights.

Decide to set out from Normandy and carry out what they believe are the King's wishes.

So these four knights make their way to Canterbury, and early evening of 29th.

Of December, they come in and they ask for an audience with the archbishop.

So what they say to him is, why did you excommunicate these bishops? Why are you trying to reopen the conflict? Why are you trying to take away.

The crown from the young king?

And he says, none of these things are the case.

I didn't excommunicate them.

I'm actually just carrying out.

I'm doing it on behalf of.

Of the Pope.

I have nothing against the young king.

I want peace. But the King has violated his side of the agreement, all of these things. So they go out in a fury and they arm themselves Outside, they put on full armor.

At this point, the various clerks and monks of Thomas, they see the danger and they want to move him into the cathedral. The cathedral was sanctuary.

There was this recognition that you do.

Not come in and try to inflict.

Any harm on somebody. When they're within the sanctuary of the.

Church, apparently unwillingly, according to the biographers.

They drag him into the church and.

Then they start to hear the noise of. They lock the door, but they start.

To hear the noise of a door being cut down.

This is the knights.

And the knights appear.

And if you can imagine, it's about.

4Pm on a winter's evening, the monks.

Have been singing vespers, break off singing vespers. When they see Thomas being dragged in.

There are various members of the public.

Local Canterbury people there as well.

And the doors burst open and you see these knights and they're in full armor. You just see their eyes, their swords are unsheathed and they shout out, where is Becket?

Traitor to the king.

Now that reference to Becket, that's recalling.

His commoner origins in London, they should call him, where is the Archbishop? Where is Thomas?

And he says, here I am.

And they approach him, they again start.

To say to him, why do you.

Want to take away the crown from the young king? All of these things.

And he says, you know, none of those things are true. One of them apparently taps him on.

The shoulder with his sword and says, flee, you're a dead man. He says, I won't flee.

He says, I fled once before, like a timid priest, I fled to France.

I'm now going to stand here and defend my church.

Now, these are, are obviously all words.

Reported afterwards, but a number of those.

People who wrote about him were present in the cathedral.

Many of them were hiding behind altars.

As they admit themselves, but they were.

There, they were looking at what happens.

So what were the knights trying to do? It seems very likely that they weren't trying to kill him, they were trying.

To arrest him, but they tried to.

Drag him outside the church so that.

They could then arrest him and take him to Normandy.

But of course, if you come into.

A church fully armed, things can happen. And it seems that there was a kind of a tussle as they tried.

To drag Thomas out of the church.

He resisted.

In one account, he actually pushed one.

Of the knights, knocked him on the ground. And at this point, the first knight, Ranulph de Brock, swung his sword and.

Cut the top of Thomas head.

The other knights piled on.

According to his biographers, he said a last prayer as he fell on his.

Knees and then he lay dead on the ground.

So here you have the Archbishop of Canterbury, one of the most famous people.

In Europe, the former friend of the King, killed by men who claimed to be acting on behalf of the King in the most important church in the kingdom and in the sanctuary of that church.

[Interviewer]

It's an astonishing tale, and it's one that has a long debate surrounding it, whether this was an active order from Henry or whether it was a confused message. Could you just touch on this debate?

[Historian]

One thing that we can see is.

The reaction of Henry II to this. Henry II was a very clever politician and by all accounts, Henry II was.

Utterly shocked, very upset, shut himself up.

In a room for a number of days and refused to speak to anybody.

And, you know, we can see that.

There was probably something genuine there about hearing about the death of his former friend. Certainly we can say that Henry knew the political fallout that he would face from this.

So while certainly Henry II realized that.

Something must be done about Thomas Becket, this is not what he would want to have happened.

It was a political disaster for him.

The Pope apparently refused to even look.

At anybody English for a time after this.

He demanded the reports come to the Pope.

They gradually filter through the French Church.

And people start calling for what's called.

An interdict on Henry II's lands.

And what that means is that effectively.

The Church goes on strike, so there.

Are no Church services and the Church influences public opinion. If the King has lost the support of the Church, it's very, very difficult to have popular support. So at this point, you have this.

Very concerted campaign against Henry.

Now, in the immediate aftermath of the murder, people in Canterbury are very nervous.

The knights seem to be, you know.

Perfectly happy at what they've done.

They're rejoicing.

They charge out of the cathedral shouting, king's men.

We're King's men.

But after a fairly short time, the tide really turns against them. People start to claim that Thomas was.

A martyr, that he was a saint.

They start to record that his blood has had a miraculous effect in curing people. On the night of the murder, apparently.

One local man who witnessed it, he.

Dipped his clothes in some of Thomas blood that lay on the floor.

He brought it back, put it in a bath for his wife, who was cured of paralysis.

So Henry is under this incredible pressure and the Pope starts to demand that he does penance.

What he does actually is he goes to Ireland. He'd been maybe planning this anyway.

There are various things he wants to.

Deal with there in the winter of 11, 1172.

There's a certain element of getting away from it all.

And then he comes back and he.

Realizes that this pressure is so great.

That he must accept penance.

The knights, as well as this, they're sentenced to go and fight in the Holy Land.

It does seem that they actually went.

There and they died there.

Henry II took a longer time to become reconciled to the Church, but eventually.

He makes an agreement with them where he says, I will go on crusade.

I will do all of these things for the Church. Though I didn't carry it out, I acknowledge that my rash words were blameworthy.

While all of this is happening, pilgrims.

Start to come to Canterbury.

They start to come in bigger and bigger numbers.

People start to record the miracles.

The stories spread.

You start to get people coming from France, from Germany, from Italy, from further.

Afield, who all hear about Thomas as a saint. Within two years of Thomas's death, he's canonized by the Pope, which is a remarkably quick time.

So Henry II hasn't got away from.

All of this yet.

It's still the case that people are.

Talking about Thomas, they're looking back and they're saying, well, well, doesn't this show?

Thomas was right. We criticized him.

We thought, some of us thought, the.

Monks of Canterbury said, we thought he wasn't really a religious enough archbishop.

But now look, we can see that.

He was genuinely this supporter of the Church.

People said, you know, Thomas was criticized.

For being too vigorous in his opposition to Henry ii. And now you can see he was right in all of this, this. So the next thing that happens is that Henry, finding himself for the first time in his career, at a disadvantage, at a serious disadvantage, he becomes the.

Target of a rebellion.

So in the year 1173, you have.

A rebellion against him. He's having military successes, but he still sees himself as very vulnerable. So who does he turn to for assistance?

He turns to Thomas Becket. He goes to Thomas Becket's tomb and.

He walks into the city of Canterbury barefoot. He's ceremonially whipped by the monks of.

Canterbury, and he spends the night in.

Penance before the tomb of Thomas. As he's leaving the next day, the.

News arrives that the King of Scotland.

Who has rebelled against him, has been captured. And it seems that this is the beginning of the end of the revolt.

So from then on, Henry and his.

Supporters are able to say, I've been forgiven, Thomas has been reconciled to me.

He has given me this victory because.

I did penance to him.

And one of the main reasons that the cult of St. Thomas, Thomas Sanctity, becomes so widespread is that Henry II.

Starts to become one of the main people to promote it.

[Interviewer]

What would you say Thomas Becket's legacy is then?

[Historian]

It's interesting because some of those who knew him and some of those who were staunch supporters of him said they.

Were disappointed that he didn't have a greater legacy.

People writing maybe 15, 20 years after his murder, they looked around and they said, everybody praises Thomas as a saint. But does anybody follow Thomas?

Does anybody really actually uphold his values?

Who's really fighting for the church? So in a certain way, Thomas as a political figure was somewhat neutered in.

The aftermath of his murder.

But at the same time, he became England's greatest saint.

Canterbury becomes this very important center of.

Pilgrimage, and it continued as such throughout the Middle Ages.

Of course, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales set around.

A pilgrimage to Canterbury until, at the.

Time of Henry VIII, the cult of.

St. Thomas was suppressed. His tomb was destroyed.

Later on, Thomas becomes a kind of a disputed figure, particularly with, say, becoming a figure that Catholics would point to.

In struggles against Protestants in England in particular.

But more generally, and right up to this time, I think one of the.

Most important legacies about Thomas is that.

Because he was such a fascinating figure.

And because so many people, even before.

His death, knew that something dramatic was.

Going on, we have his letters, we.

Have letters written to him. We have numerous lives of Thomas, many.

Of them by eyewitnesses.

We have the biggest collection of miracles.

For anybody in the Middle Ages. Apart from the Virgin Mary, there are.

Very few medieval people that we know as much about as Thomas Becket.

Most medieval people, we have a fairly black and white picture of them.

Because we have all of this material.

We'Re able to see somebody who is a complex figure. We're able to see the good and.

The bad about him.

You can see why people were divided.

You can see that, you know, maybe.

Some people do change their minds. They do change the course of their lives. And the other thing is, this story tells us a great amount about the.

12Th century and about England in the Middle Ages.

We can see all of these aspects, how the Church works, how the crown works, how power works. We can see things like traveling, how.

People travel in the Middle Ages.

We can see the kinds of rituals. We can see things like friendships, enmities between people. We can see about the idea of the saints.

We can see the idea of the.

Supernatural, and we can see all of.

That in the story of Thomas Becket.

[Host]

That was Michael Staunton professor of Medieval History at University College Dublin and author of Thomas Becket and His World.