On This Day In History: Archbishop Thomas Becket Murdered – On Dec 29, 1170

AncientPages.com - One of the most famous murders of the Middle Ages took place on December 29, 1170, when four knights of King Henry II of England silently entered Canterbury Church to kill the Archbishop, Thomas Becket (c.1120 - 1170).

Santa Maria della Passione church in Milan, Italy. Left side nave - 05 - Chapel of Saint Francis of Assisi. Giuseppe Vermiglio, Funerals of Saint Thomas Becket (1625). Picture by Giovanni Dall'Orto, February 26 2008 - CC BY-SA 3.0)

The knights - followers of Henry II, King of England, over the rights and privileges of the Church - believed the king wanted Becket out of the way.

It was a time of controversy with the monarchy over authority held by the Church and the state.

Thomas Becket, the son of a prosperous London merchant., was born around 1120. He was well educated and quickly became an agent to Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, who sent him on several missions to Rome. Knowing Becket's talents, King Henry II made him his chancellor, and the two became close friends. When Theobald died in 1161, Henry made Becket archbishop.

The king and his archbishop's friendship was seriously tested when it became clear that Becket would now stand up for the Church in its disagreements with the king.

14th-century depiction of Becket with King Henry II. Unknown author - Liber Legum Antiquorum Regum, British Library Cotton MS Claudius D. II, f.73  - Source of this file.  

In 1164, realizing the extent of Henry's displeasure, Becket fled into exile in France and remained in exile for several years. He returned in 1170.

On this day in 1170, four knights confronted archbishop Becket, slashing at him with their swords and injuring those who came to help him. Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.

Becket was made a saint in 117,3, and his Canterbury Cathedral shrine became an important pilgrimage destination.

It was the time of controversy with the monarchy over authority held by the church and state.

Thomas Becket, the son of a prosperous London merchant., was born in around 1120. He was well educated and quickly became an agent to Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, who sent him on several missions to Rome. Knowing Becket's talents King Henry II made him his chancellor and the two became close friends. When Theobald died in 1161, Henry made Becket archbishop.

The king and his archbishop's friendship was seriously tested when it became clear that Becket would now stand up for the church in its disagreements with the king.

In 1164, realizing the extent of Henry's displeasure, Becket fled into exile in France and remained in exile for several years. He returned in 1170.

On this day in 1170, four knights confronted the archbishop Becket, slashing at him with their swords and injuring those who came to help him. Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.

Becket was made a saint in 1173 and his shrine in Canterbury Cathedral became an important destination of pilgrimage.

Updated on December 27, 2022

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