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Thomas Becket

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   Thomas Becket of Canterbury
   13th century manuscript illumination, an early depiction of Becket's
   assassination
   'Archbishop and Martyr'
   Born c. 1118, London
   Died December 29, 1170, Canterbury
   Venerated in Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion
   Beatified February 21, 1173
   Major shrine Canterbury Cathedral
   Feast December 29
   Attributes Sword, Being murdered, dressed in chancellor's robe and neck
   chain
   Patronage Exeter College, Oxford; Portsmouth; Arbroath Abbey; secular
   clergy
   Controversy argumentative
   Saints Portal

   (St.) Thomas Becket (c 1118 – December 29, 1170) was Archbishop of
   Canterbury from 1162 to 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by
   both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church. He engaged in a
   conflict with King Henry II over the rights and privileges of the
   Church and was assassinated by followers of the king in Canterbury
   Cathedral. He is also commonly known as Thomas à Becket, although this
   form may not have been contemporary.

Early life

   Thomas Becket was born in circa 1118 at Cheapside, London, to Gilbert
   of Thierceville, Normandy, and Matilda (with a familiar name of Roheise
   or Rosea) of Caen. His parents were of the upper-middle class near
   Rouen.

   One of Thomas's father's rich friends, Richer de L'Aigle, was attracted
   to the sisters of Thomas. He often invited Thomas to his estates in
   Sussex. There, Thomas learned to ride a horse, hunt, behave, and engage
   in popular sports such as jousting. Beginning when he was 10, Becket
   received an excellent education in civil and canon law at Merton Priory
   in England, and then overseas at Paris, Bologna, and Auxerre. Richer
   was later a signatory at the Constitutions of Clarendon against Thomas.

   Upon returning to the Kingdom of England, he attracted the notice of
   Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, who entrusted him with several
   important missions to Rome and finally made him archdeacon of
   Canterbury and provost of Beverley. He so distinguished himself by his
   zeal and efficiency that Theobald commended him to King Henry II when
   the important office of Lord Chancellor was vacant.

   Henry, like all the Norman kings, desired to be absolute ruler of his
   dominions, both Church and State, and could find precedents in the
   traditions of the throne when he planned to do away with the special
   privileges of the English clergy, which he regarded as fetters on his
   authority. As Chancellor, Becket enforced the king’s danegeld taxes, a
   traditional medieval land tax that was exacted from all landowners,
   including churches and bishoprics. This created both a hardship and a
   resentment of Becket among the English Churchmen. To further implicate
   Becket as a secular man, he became an accomplished and extravagant
   courtier and a cheerful companion to the king's pleasures. Young Thomas
   was devoted to his master's interests with such a firm and yet
   diplomatic thoroughness that scarcely anyone, except perhaps John of
   Salisbury, doubted his allegiance to English royalty.

   King Henry even sent his son Henry, later the "Young King", to live in
   Becket's household, it being the custom then for noble children to be
   fostered out to other noble houses. Later that would be one of the
   reasons his son would turn against him, having formed an emotional
   attachment to Becket as a foster-father. Henry the Young King was
   reported to have said Becket showed him more fatherly love in a day
   than his father did for his entire life.

Primacy

   Thomas achieved his final position of power as the Archbishop of
   Canterbury in 1162, several months after the death of Theobald. King
   Henry intended to further his influence by directing the actions of
   Thomas, his loyal appointee, and diminish the independence and
   affluence of the Church in England. The infamous transformation of
   Becket into an ascetic occurred at this time. The hagiographers of the
   Saint portray his virtuous behaviour variously as (a) already part of
   his daily life (e.g. hair shirts worn under his courtier clothes) or
   (b) driven to devotion by Henry's lustful design or (c) motivated by
   self-interest and his own power grab. Most accounts of Thomas's early
   days as Archbishop are written after his death and are likely
   influenced by the political environment that existed then. The
   implications of Thomas's canonization for the Pope as well as the King
   translated to real political gain or loss for each

   A rift grew between Henry and Thomas as the new Archbishop dropped his
   Chancellorship and consolidated the landed revenues of Canterbury under
   his control. So began a series of legal conflicts, such as the
   jurisdiction of secular courts over English clergy that accelerated
   antipathy between the two great offices. Attempts by King Henry to
   foment the opinion and influence of the other Bishoprics against Thomas
   began in Westminster in October 1163, where the King sought approval of
   stated royal privileges. This led to Clarendon where Thomas was
   officially asked to sign off on the King’s rights or face a complicated
   nuance of political repercussion.

The constitutions of Clarendon

   King Henry II presided over the assembly at Clarendon Palace on January
   30, 1164. He presented his demands in sixteen constitutions. What the
   King sought was less clerical independence and a weaker connection with
   Rome; he employed all his arts to induce their consent and was
   apparently successful with all but the Primate.

   Finally even Becket expressed his willingness to agree to the
   constitutions, the Constitutions of Clarendon; but when it came to the
   actual signature, he defiantly refused. This meant war between the two
   powers. Henry endeavoured to rid himself of his antagonist by judicial
   process and summoned him to appear before a great council at
   Northampton on October 8, 1164, to answer allegations of contempt of
   royal authority and malfeasance in the Lord Chancellor's office.
   Depiction of Thomas Becket's assassination and funeral, from a French
   casket made about 1180 for Prior Benedict — a witness to the murder —
   to take some of the saint's relics to Peterborough Abbey when he became
   Abbot there
   Depiction of Thomas Becket's assassination and funeral, from a French
   casket made about 1180 for Prior Benedict — a witness to the murder —
   to take some of the saint's relics to Peterborough Abbey when he became
   Abbot there

   Henry pursued the fugitive archbishop with a series of edicts, aimed at
   all his friends and supporters as well as Becket himself; but Louis VII
   of France received him with respect and offered him protection. He
   spent nearly two years in the Cistercian abbey of Pontigny, until
   Henry's threats against the order obliged him to move to Sens again.

   Becket regarded himself as in full possession of all his prerogatives
   and desired to see his position enforced by the weapons of
   excommunication and interdict. But Pope Alexander III, though
   sympathizing with him in theory, favoured a milder and more diplomatic
   way of reaching his ends. Differences thus arose between pope and
   archbishop, which became even more bitter when legates were sent in
   1167 with authority to act as arbitrators. Disregarding this limitation
   on his jurisdiction, and steadfast in his principles, Becket treated
   with the legates at great length, still conditioning his obedience to
   the king by the rights of his order.

   His firmness seemed about to meet with its reward when at last ( 1170)
   the pope was on the point of fulfilling his threats and excommunicating
   the whole of Britain. At that point, Henry, alarmed by the prospect,
   held out hopes of an agreement that would allow Thomas to return to
   England and resume his place. However, both parties were holding to
   their former ground, and the desire for a reconciliation was only
   apparent.

Assassination

   A Seal of the Abbot of Arbroath, depicting murder of St Thomas.
   Arbroath Abbey was founded 8 years after the death of St Thomas and
   dedicated to him; it became the wealthiest abbey in Scotland.
   A Seal of the Abbot of Arbroath, depicting murder of St Thomas.
   Arbroath Abbey was founded 8 years after the death of St Thomas and
   dedicated to him; it became the wealthiest abbey in Scotland.
   The burial of Becket
   The burial of Becket

   The tension between the two men would only be relieved by catastrophe.
   Passionate words from the angry king, reputedly either "Will no one rid
   me of this turbulent priest?", "Who will rid me of this meddlesome
   priest?", "Who will revenge me of the injuries I have sustained from
   one turbulent priest?", or even "What a band of loathsome vipers I have
   nursed in my bosom who will let their lord be insulted by this low-born
   cleric!", were interpreted as a royal command, and four knights—
   Reginald Fitzurse, Hugh de Moreville, William de Traci, and Richard
   Brito—set out to plot the murder of the archbishop. On Tuesday,
   December 29, 1170, they carried out their plan. Becket was murdered
   inside Canterbury Cathedral itself, in a spot near a door to the
   monastic cloister, the stairs into the crypt, and the stairs leading up
   into the quire of the cathedral, where the monks were chanting vespers.
   Several contemporary accounts of the murder exist; of particular note
   is that of Edward Grim, who was himself wounded in the attack.

   Most historians agree that Henry didn't actually intend Becket to be
   murdered, despite his harsh words. Following his murder, it was
   discovered that Becket had worn a hairshirt under his archbishop's
   garments. Soon after, the faithful throughout Europe began venerating
   Becket as a martyr, and in 1173—barely three years after his death—he
   was canonized by Pope Alexander in Saint Peter's church in Segni. On
   July 12, 1174, in the midst of the Revolt of 1173–1174, Henry humbled
   himself with public penance at Becket's tomb (see also St. Dunstan's,
   Canterbury), which became one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in
   England until it was destroyed during the Dissolution of the
   Monasteries (1538 to 1541).

   In 1220, Becket's remains were relocated from this first tomb to a
   shrine in the recently completed Trinity Chapel. The pavement where the
   shrine stood is today marked by a lighted candle. Modern day
   archbishops celebrate the Eucharist at this place to commemorate
   Becket's martyrdom and the translation of his body from his first
   burial place to the new shrine.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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