Thomas Becket's Death Analysis

This essay will consider whether Thomas Becket’s fight with secular authority (such as the king) ended with his murder in Canterbury Cathedral on the 29th December 1170 . Becket was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by King Henry II from 1162 until his death , and came into conflict with him over clerical privilege, with Henry believing that the Church was subject to the laws of the land, whilst Becket maintained that ‘the church was above the law’ . This led to Becket’s murder at the hands of some of the king’s followers, and his subsequent canonisation in 1173 . Whilst it is possible to argue that Becket’s fight with secular authority ended with his death, his legacy and later, similar disputes by other figures may present the idea that Becket’s fight continued even after he was murdered. In this essay, three elements will be considered: Becket’s death and its impact on …show more content…
Furthermore, in response to the news, he is said to have shut himself in his room for three days and refused to see anyone , showing his genuine remorse at being the probable cause of Becket’s murder. On the other hand, it can be argued that Becket’s fight with secular authority did end two years after his death, with his 1172 reconciliation with the church , where he made various promises, such as that to allow the clergy and laity who were ‘in exile for the cause of Saint Thomas’ to ‘freely and peacefully’ return home . However, Richardson and Sayles argued that it is ‘impossible to believe the tragic outcome of the controversy… materially affected the relations between Church and State’ , presenting the idea that Becket’s death did not end the Church’s fight against secular authority, and that the reconciliation with papal authority and the church was only temporary. Furthermore, the ‘Great Rebellion’ in 1173, in which his sons, wife, and the kings of France and Scotland revolted against him , led