Thomas A. Becket was an Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century. He stood up to the king in matters of the church and fled to France after falling out of favor with the king. Upon his return, he was confronted and murdered by several knights who believed that the king would desire it.
Most people forget that for the majority of his life, prior to his elevation the the titular head of the English church as the Arch Bishop of Canterbury (a position he neither sought nor wanted, and later tried to resign to Pope Alexander the III and was refused) Thomas Becket was one of the King Henry II's most ardent supporters and confidants. He held, with distinction, the secular position of Chancellor under the monarch and was a warrior who fought at the side of the king in many foreign wars. At its root though, the reason for Becket's assination was the battle between Henry and himself with respect to the primacy of the monarch over the Church. Henry codified his greivances in the 16 constitutions of Clarendon presented on January 30, 1164. The three most important of which endeavored the sever the clergy from the direct control of the Papacy in Rome, subjected clergy to secular courts for ajudication of greivances, and effectively ended the clergy's independance from the monarchy among other things, allowing taxation of the Church. In October of 1164 because of Becket's refusal to sumbit to the edicts of Clarendon he was summoned before the king to answer charges of Contempt of the Crown and Malfeasance in office (from the time he had served as the King's Chancellor). The result was a fine imposed by the crown in excess of 30,000 pounds of silver. The charges were baseless but as Becket could not raise the princely sum he fled to the north of France. Ultimately, an accord, brokered by agents of the Pope, was reached whereby many of the provisions of Claredon were accepted by Beckett in principle and he returned to England. Be it Henry's or Becket's intractabilty, historians differ in their opinion, but indisputably old differances resurfaced and ultimately Henry sent four of his knights, Reginald Fitzurse, William de Tracey, Hugh de Morville and Richard le Breton to kill his former friend in the Chancel of his own church.
Yes, Thomas Becket's middle name was in fact Edward.
Thomas Becket was and Archbishop and therefore took a vow of chastity. He had no wife.
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Thomas Becket expelled the Barons, Bishops and Archbishop of York, because he was furious with them for supporting the King while he was hiding from Henry II. See the related link below.
Thomas Becket. A martyr and canonised in 1173, and his shrine in Canterbury Cathedral
The holy blissful martyr in The Canterbury Tales is Saint Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury who was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales includes a pilgrimage to Canterbury in honor of Saint Thomas Becket.
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.
Anyone who dies for their religious beliefs is classed as a martyr, not just in the Christian Church but in many other religions as well.
Thomas Becket, also known as Thomas à Becket, was the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century. He clashed with King Henry II over the rights and privileges of the church. Becket was ultimately murdered by followers of the King, which led to his sainthood and the veneration of his memory as a martyr.
After the death of Thomas Becket, hordes of pilgrims transformed Canterbury Cathedral into a shrine. Several miracles were said to occur at the tomb of the martyr and he was soon canonized.
Thomas Becket was one of the best known. Joan of Arc was another. There were many others, including, according to people of the time, King Edward the Martyr of England.
No, Thomas Becket was not a missionary.
Thomas Becket was a matyr because : 1 he had a chance to run away but didn't take it 2 as he was being slaughtered he didn't give in and kept on praying 3 he said that he would die for this Church to have freedom
Thomas Becket was born on December 21, 1118.
Canterbury cathedral was the location of the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket.
Thomas Becket's middle name was Edward.