An overview of Thomas Becket's life and how he became a martyr.

1. THOMAS A. BECKETT
Janie Harris
7th period

2. EARLY LIFE
• Born: 1118 in Cheapside, London to a merchant class family
• Educated at: Merton Priory, then in a City of London school,
then in Paris
• His mother died when he was 21
• Became a city clerk and accountant
• His father introduced Theobald, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
to him.
• He spent most of his time surrounded by very important,
powerful people.
• Theobald sent him to study civil and canon law at Bologna and
Auxerre.
• Description of him: tall, dark hair, pale face, great memory and
wit, splendid at arguing, agreeable, and un-influencable

3. LIFE AS A CHANCELLOR
• 1154: Theobald appointed Thomas Archdeacon of Canterbury
• Theobald recommended him to Henry II to be Chancellor.
Henry II agreed
• Thomas proved to be loyal and helped improve London. This
made him one of Henry II’s favorite people.
• He then showed his abilities, repaired the Tower of London,
conducted embassies, and raised and leaded troops into war
• 1161: Theobald died. Henry II hoped to appoint Thomas to
Archbishop, so he would have complete control over the
church, just as Henry I had.

4. LIFE AS ARCHBISHOP
• Thomas tried to warn Henry II not
to appoint him, but Henry ignored
the warnings and Thomas was
elected.
• Thomas then embraced the
program of the papacy and its
canon law – immediately resigning
the chancellorship
• Henry was not happy about this
• 1163: Thomas began opposing a
tax proposal and excommunicating
a leading baron
• Henry II and Thomas began
arguing over how clerks stood trial

5. ARGUING WITH HENRY II
• 1164: Henry tried to imprison Thomas or to force the
resignation of the Archbishop by summoning Thomas
to trial
• Thomas fled in disguise to Louis VII of France. Pope
Alexander III took him in. His exile lasted 6 years.
• Henry II took all the Archbishop’s land and exiled
Thomas’s family
• Thomas struck back by threatening excommunication
of those close to Henry
• Henry then rewrote parts of the Constitutions of
Clarendon and removed England from papal obedience
(not longer ruled by the Pope)
• The Pope excommunicated all involved
• Henry met with Thomas and both agreed Thomas
should return to Canterbury and take his old jobs back.
• Thomas returned- many were happy about this but
other excommunications went on that angered Henry
with his return

6. BECOMING A MARTYR
• Henry, in anger, said some violent words
toward Thomas.
• These violent words were taken literally
by knights in his presence
• The knights ran to Canterbury where they
forced their way into Thomas’s presence
• They followed him into the Cathedral
trying to convince him to resolve the
“unjust” excommunications
• 1170: They argued more and at twilight
they killed him by stabbing him multiple
times with their swords in the Cathedral
• His last words were about accepting death
in defense of the Church of Christ

7. AFTER HIS DEATH
• A few days after Thomas’ death- his tomb became a goal of pilgrimage
• 1173: He was sanctified by Alexander III
• 1174: Henry repented at Canterbury and was forgiven by the Church.
• Thomas’s shrine became one of the most famous in Europe
• Thomas was portrayed in different pieces of art, and churches were dedicated to
him in western European Churches.
• He was looked on as a “blissful martyr” who had died a hero
• Henry VII then violated his shrine, burned his bones, and erased his name from all
service books.
• After this Thomas was looked to as a hero to Catholics and a traitor to Protestants
• On December 29 th he is celebrated with a feast

8. SOURCES
"Saint Thomas Becket." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
Academic Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2011. Web. 03 Nov. 2011.