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Posted: 04 Aug 2023

Taken: 03 Aug 2023

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From •
A HISTORY OF WESTERN SOCIETY •
Vol., I •
Authors •
Mckay, Hill, Bukler •

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The Martyrdom of Thomas Becket

Becket’s murder evoked many illustrations in the thirteenth century. This illumination faithfully follows the manuscript sources: while one knight held off the archbishop’s defenders, the other three attacked. With a powerful stroke, the crown of Becket’s head was slashed off and his brains scattered on the cathedral floor ( Walter Art Gallery. Baltimore0

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 Dinesh
Dinesh club
One aspect of Henry’s en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_II_of_England judicial reforms encountered stiff resistance from an unexpected source: a friend and former chief advisor whom Henry had made archbishop of Canterbury – Thomas Becket. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket . . . .

In the 1160s many literate people accused of crimes claimed “benefit of clergy,” even though they were not clerics and often had no intention of being ortadined. Benefit of clerty gave the accused the right to be tried in church courts, which meted out mild punishments. . . . . In 1164 Henry II insisted that everyone, including clerics, be subjected to the royal courts. Becket vigorously protested that church law required clerics to be subject to church courts. When he proceeded to excommunicate one of the king’s vassals, the issue became mor complicated. Because no one was supposed to have any contact with an excommunicated person. It appears that the church could arbitrarily deprive the king of necessary military forces. This disagreement between Henry II and Becket dragged on for years. The king grew increasingly bitter that his appointment of Becket had proved to be such a mistake. Late in December 1170, in a fit of rage, Henry expressed the wish that Becket be destroyed. Four knights took the king at his word, went to Canterbury and killed the archbishop in his cathedral as he was leaving evening services.

What Thomas Becket could not achieve in life, he gained in death. The assassination of an archbishop in his own church during the Christmas season turned public opinion in England and throughout western Europe against the king. Within months, miracles were recorded at Becket’s tomb, and in a short time Canterbury Cathedral became a major pilgrimage and tourist site. Henry had to back down. He did public penance for the murder and gave up his attempts to bring clerics under the authority of the royal court. ~ Page 321

A History of Western Society
9 months ago. Edited 9 months ago.

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