The murder of Thomas à Becket is perhaps the most renowned event of Henry II’s reign. In my last post, I explored Henry’s attempts to increase control through the legal reforms implemented during his reign and the English move into Ireland. Yet, Henry’s dealings with the Church were also instrumental to this. Unlike the Catholic Church, Henry believed in the Divine Right of the King to rule. This meant that Henry believed that Kings were appointed by God and therefore could not be challenged or deemed as subordinate to another power. This clashed with the views of the Church and continually created tensions between the two throughout Henry’s reign.
In June 1162, Henry appointed Thomas à Becket as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Becket having been the King’s chancellor since January 1155. As the Chancellor acted as the King’s personal chaplain, his secretary-general and the keeper of the royal archives, Henry and Thomas became close friends. Thus, through the appointment of Thomas à Becket, Henry hoped that he could enforce reforms of the role of the Church with Thomas’ support. As such, in 1164 Henry proposed the Constitutions of Clarendon which were intended to reassert the power of the monarchy over the Church in England.
What did Henry want to achieve through the Constitutions of Clarendon (1164)?
- The King should have the power to excommunicate Royal officials.
- The Crown would have full control over the communications between the English clergy and Rome.
- Clerics who had already been tried by Church courts could be re-arrested and re-tried in royal courts, in essence overriding the say of the church and suggesting that ‘all free subjects should be treated alike’.
Contrary to Henry’s expectations, Thomas rejected the Constitutions of Clarendon. Fearing his loss of favour with the King, he attempted to flee England but was recognised as he attempted to get on a boat to France, preventing his escape. As a result, Thomas was brought to trial in Northampton in October 1164, not on the charge of his attempt to leave the country without Royal permission, but under 3 other accusations:
- Failing to answer the King’s summons
- The improper use of funds when he acted as chancellor
- Treason – as he had tried to appeal to the Pope for help, therefore going over the head of the King
Following the trial Becket fled to Flanders with his follower Herbert of Bosham and settled at the Cistercian abbey of Pontigny in France. By 1169, Henry wanted to invite Becket to return to England as he required him in his capacity as the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the coronation of his son Henry the Younger, wishing to ensure the legitimacy of his succession. Consequently, the two met at Montmirail on the border of the French and Angevin territories, yet it did not end as Henry had wished, Becket maintaining his original stance. As a result, Henry the Younger’s coronation was instead presided over by the Archbishop of York in June 1170.
The next time the King and the Archbishop met was on 22nd July 1170 where Henry persuaded Becket to return to England. Becket was met with much hostility upon his arrival, from both those within the King’s inner circle and members of the Church who perceived Becket’s escape following his trial as cowardly. Ignoring warnings against his increasing outspokenness, Becket continued to challenge Henry, condemning the Bishops who had taken part in Henry the Younger’s coronation. It is recorded that in a moment of anger and frustration, Henry cried, “Will no one rid me of this turbulent Priest?” – a statement which is often cited as the motivation for Becket’s murder. Schama suggests that Henry’s shout, ‘what miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household who allow their lord to be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric!’, was the most instigative element in the Archbishop’s murder, suggesting that no one present would have mistaken Henry’s wish to be rid of Becket.
As such, on 29th December 1170, Sir Reginald FitzUrse, William de Tracy, Richard le Bret and Hugh de Morville, four of the King’s most loyal Knights, rode to Canterbury, intending to silence the Archbishop. Becket was warned of their arrival at the Cathedral, yet he left the Cathedral door open so that his congregation would continue to arrive and observe all which ensued. With two attendants as witnesses, the Knights murdered Becket at half past four in the afternoon, slicing open his head and removing his brain (some juicy info I’m sure KS3 pupils would love!). The murdered monk was canonised within a year and a half of his murder.
Henry was said to be so crippled by guilt and grief for the death of his once close friend that in July 1174 he crawled bare feet and shirtless up the nave of Canterbury Cathedral in an act penitence, asking the now Saint for forgiveness, and suffering five lashes from each monk who tended his shrine as punishment.
Brief timeline1154: Henry is crowned as King of England1155: Thomas à Becket is appointed as Henry’s chancellor1162: Thomas becomes the Archbishop of Canterbury1164: Henry proposes the Constitutions of ClarendonThomas is put on trial at NorthamptonThomas escapes to Flanders1169: Henry and Thomas meet at Montmirail1170: On the 29th December Thomas is murdered in Canterbury Cathedral
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