Kent Past
The History of Kent
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Saint Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was born c. 1118 in Cheapside, London, to Gilbert Beket of Thierville
and Matilda (with a familiar name of Roheise or Rosea) of Mondeville near Caen. Gilbert,
a knight's son, had taken the trade of mercer but in London was a property-
A rich friend of
Thomas father, Richer de L'Aigle, was attracted to Thomas's sisters. He often invited
Thomas to his estates in Sussex. There, Thomas learned to ride a horse, hunt, behave
like a gentleman and engage in popular sports, such as jousting. Beginning when he
was 10, Becket received a brilliant education in civil and canon law at Merton Priory
in England and then in 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 recommended him to King Henry II when the important office of Lord Chancellor
became vacant. Henry accordingly appointed Becket as Chancellor in 1155.
Henry 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 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 implicate Becket further as
a secular man, he became an accomplished and extravagant courtier and a cheerful
companion to the king's pleasures. Thomas was devoted to Henry'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 to live in Becket's household, it being 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. An emotional attachment to Becket as a foster-
He achieved his final position
of power as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, several months after the death
of Theobald. Henry intended to further his influence by directing the actions of
Thomas, his loyal appointee, and diminish the independence and influence of the Church
in England. The famous transformation of Becket into an ascetic occurred at this
time.
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
clergymen, which accelerated antipathy between the two great offices. Attempts by
King Henry to foment the opinion and influence of the other bishops 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 political repercussions.
King Henry II presided over
the assemblies at Clarendon Palace on 30 January 1164. In sixteen constitutions,
he sought less clerical independence and a weaker connection with Rome. He employed
all his skills to induce their consent and was apparently successful with all but
the Primate.
Finally, even Becket expressed his willingness to agree to the substance
of the Constitutions of Clarendon, but he still refused to sign the documents. This
meant war between the two powers. 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 Lord Chancellor's office. Convicted on
the charges, Becket stormed out of the trial and fled to the Continent.
Henry pursued
the fugitive archbishop with a series of edicts, aimed at Becket and all his friends
and supporters; 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 sought
to exercise the prerogatives of the Church, particularly the weapons of excommunication
and interdict, but Pope Alexander III, though sympathising with him in theory, favoured
a more diplomatic approach. Differences thus arose between Pope and Archbishop and
legates were sent in 1167 with authority to act as arbitrators.
Becket's firmness
seemed about to meet with its reward when, in 1170, the Pope was on the point of
fulfilling his threats and excommunicating Henry II. 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.
In June 1170, the archbishop of York and the bishops
of London and Salisbury held the coronation of Henry the Young King in York. This
was a breach of Canterbury's privilege of coronation. In November 1170, Becket excommunicated
all three. While the three bishops fled to the king in Normandy, Becket continued
to excommunicate his opponents in the church. Soon word of this reached Henry.
After
these reports of Becket's activities, Henry is said to have raised his head from
his sickbed and roared a lament of frustration. The King's exact words are in doubt
and several versions have been reported. The most commonly quoted, as handed down
by oral tradition, is 'Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?', but according
to historian Simon Schama this is incorrect: he accepts the account of the contemporary
biographer Edward Grim, writing in Latin, who gives us 'What miserable 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-
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