BBC - History - Thomas Becket z Thomas Becket © Becket was a 12th century chancellor and archbishop of Canterbury whose murder resulted in his canonisation. Thomas Becket was born in around 1120, the son of a prosperous London merchant. He was well educated and quickly became an agent to Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, who sent him on several missions to Rome. Becket's talents were noticed by Henry II, who made him his chancellor and the two became close friends. When Theobald died in 1161, Henry made Becket archbishop. Becket transformed himself from a pleasure-loving courtier into a serious, simply-dressed cleric. The king and his archbishop's friendship was put under strain when it became clear that Becket would now stand up for the church in its disagreements with the king. In 1164, realising the extent of Henry's displeasure, Becket fled into exile in France, and remained in exile for several years. He returned in 1170. On the 29 December 1170, four knights, believing the king wanted Becket out of the way, confronted and murdered Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.

Becket was made a saint in 1173 and his shrine in Canterbury Cathedral became an important focus for pilgrimage. The 29th of December 1170 AD, Thomas A Becket murdered Thomas A Becket murdered Canterbury , Kent The 29th of December 1170 AD Historians are divided on the nature of Thomas ï¿½ Becket , or more properly it seems Thomas Becket, the ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ being a later addition to his name. The church and some others argue he was the great martyr standing up for the clergy against a king seeking to reduce its power and empty its coffers. Another viewpoint has him as making a play for personal power, a self-centred man unable to deal diplomatically with the political pressures his office inevitably encountered. There are even concerns about his handling of the riches that went through his hands as Chancellor, his ostentation while travelling on his duties reflecting huge personal wealth. Thomas was born in 1118 to a family of merchants of French origin. Though not aristocratic he was well connected, and it is likely his father was Sheriff of London at one time.

Educated first at Merton Priory, then in Paris, Bologna and Auxerre, Thomas rose inexorably, first in the household of Richer de lï¿½Aigle, then as the employee of Theobald the Archbishop of Canterbury for whom he undertook various sensitive commissions overseas. Thomas was made Archdeacon of Canterbury and Provost of Beverley by Theobald, though he was not ordained for several more years. When the post of Lord Chancellor became open the young Henry II appointed the capable Becket, and his choice was well rewarded as the new appointee supervised tax collection from laity and clergy with great zeal. Thomas was highly thought of by Henry, who entrusted him with the care and upbringing of the heir to the throne. Legend has it that when Theobald died in 1161 Thomas warned Henry not to appoint him in his stead, as the church rather than crown would be his new master. Henry ignored this, and lived to regret it. Thomas was hastily ordained and then made a bishop the following morning, and archbishop later the same day.

Thomas resisted the crownï¿½s attempts in 1163 to impose greater authority on the clergy by removing the right for clerics to be tried for their crimes before a church court. Relations between King and Archbishop deteriorated to such an extent that Thomas fled into exile in France for six years, pressuring the Pope to excommunicate Henry and even the entirety of England. Several key church supporters of the king were indeed excommunicated. With Pope Alexander about to expel Henry from the church a compromise was supposedly reached, and Thomas in November 1170 returned to Canterbury. But Becketï¿½s refusal to remove the taint of excommunication from the Bishops of London and Salisbury led the King to anger against him once more. There are a myriad variations on the words said to have been uttered to his courtiers by an exasperated Henry, but the best known version is: ï¿½Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?ï¿½ Whether this was a deliberate demand for action or merely a cry of frustration was debated afterwards, but four knights took it at face value and travelled from Henryï¿½s base in France to Kent.

On the evening of 29th December 1170 the four assassins ï¿½ Richard le Breton, Reginald Fitznurse, William de Tracey and Hugh de Moreville ï¿½ cornered Becket in Canterbury Cathedral . There were several witnesses to the attack who related how Thomas faced his attackers with dignity, commending his soul to god. The knights hacked at the prelate until one sliced the top of his head open. They fled the bloody scene with their job done. Henry lost prestige throughout Europe because of the attack, and faced a rebellion three years later with some of his people having lost faith in him. Thomas was made a saint in 1173, and Henry was forced by circumstances to do penance at his tomb in the summer of 1174, a tomb that became a shrine and place of pilgrimage for the English and even for those from other kingdoms. The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170 The Murder Of Thomas Becket, 1170 Printer Friendly Version >>> A sword's crushing blow extinguished the life of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, on a cold December evening as he struggled on the steps of his altar.

The brutal event sent a tremor through Medieval Europe. Public opinion of the time and subsequent history have laid the blame for the murder at the feet of Becket's former close personal friend, King Henry II. Becket was born in 1118, in Normandy the son of an English merchant. His family was well off, his father a former Sheriff of London. Becket benefited from his family's status first by being sent to Paris for his education and from there to England where he joined the household of Theobold, the then Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket's administrative skills, his charm, intelligence and diplomacy propelled him forward. The archbishop sent him to Paris to study law and upon his return to England made him Archdeacon of Canterbury. A Medieval Mass Becket's big break came in 1154, when Theobold introduced him to the newly crowned King, Henry II. The two hit it off immediately, their similar personal chemistries forming a strong bond between them. Henry named Becket his Chancellor. Archbishop Theobold died in 1161, and Henry immediately saw the opportunity to increase his influence over the Church by naming his loyal advisor to the highest ecclesiastical post in the land.

Henry petitioned the Pope who agreed. There was only one slight hindrance. Becket, busy at court, had never been ordained. No problem, Becket was first invested as a priest. The next day he was ordained a Bishop, and that afternoon, June 2, 1162, made Archbishop of Canterbury. If King Henry believed that by having "his man" in the top post of the Church, he could easily impose his will upon this powerful religious institution, he was sadly mistaken. Becket's allegiance shifted from the court to the Church inspiring him to take a stand against his king. In those days, the Church reserved the right to try felonious clerics in their own religious courts of justice and not those of the crown. Henry was determined to increase control of his realm by eliminating this custom. In 1163, a Canon accused of murder was acquitted by a church court. The public outcry demanded justice and the Canon was brought before a court of the king. Becket's protest halted this attempt but the action spurred King Henry to change the laws to extend his courts' jurisdiction over the clergy. Becket vacillated in his support of the king, finally refusing to agree to changes in the law.

His stand prompted a royal summons to Henry's court at Northampton and the king's demand to know what Becket had done with the large sums of money that had passed through his hands as Chancellor. "Who will rid meddlesome priest?" Seeing the writing on the wall, Becket fled to France where he remained in exile for six years. The two former friends appeared to resolve their dispute in 1170 when King Henry and Becket met in Normandy. On November 30, Becket crossed the Channel returning to his post at Canterbury. Earlier, while in France, Becket had excomunicated the Bishops of London and Salisbury for their support of the king. Now, Becket remained steadfast in his refusal to absolve the bishops. This news threw King Henry (still in France) into a rage in which he was purported to shout: "What sluggards, what cowards have I brought up in my court, who care nothing for their allegiance to their lord. Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest." The king's exact words have been lost to history but his outrage inspired four knights to sail to England to rid the realm of this annoying prelate.

They arrived at Canterbury during the afternoon of December 29 and immediately searched for the Archbishop. Becket fled to the Cathedral where a service was in progress. The knights found him at the altar, drew their swords and began hacking at their victim finally splitting his skull. The death of Becket unnerved the king. The knights who did the deed to curry the king's favor, fell into disgrace. Several miracles were said to occur at the tomb of the martyr and he was soon canonized. Hordes of pilgrims transformed Canterbury Cathedral into a shrine. Four years later, in an act of penance, the king donned a sack-cloth walking barefoot through the streets of Canterbury while eighty monks flogged him with branches. Henry capped his atonement by spending the night in the martyr's crypt. St. Thomas continued as a popular cultist figure for the remainder of the Middle Ages. ADVERTISMENT Observations of a Monk Edward Grim, a monk, observed the attack from the safety of a hiding place near the altar. He wrote his account some time after the event. Acceptance of his description must be qualified by the influence that Becket's sainthood had on Grim's perspective.

However, the fundamentals of his narrative are no doubt true. We pick up the story after the knights have stormed into the cathedral. "The murderers followed him; 'Absolve', they cried, 'and restore to communion those whom you have excommunicated, and restore their powers to those whom you have suspended.' "He answered, 'There has been no satisfaction, and I will not absolve them.' 'Then you shall die,' they cried, 'and receive what you deserve.' 'I am ready,' he replied, 'to die for my Lord, that in my blood the Church may obtain liberty and peace. But in the name of Almighty God, I forbid you to hurt my people whether clerk or lay.' "Then they lay sacrilegious hands on him, pulling and dragging him that they may kill him outside the church, or carry him away a prisoner, as they afterwards confessed. But when he could not be forced away from the pillar, one of them pressed on him and clung to him more closely.

Him he pushed off calling him 'pander', and saying, 'Touch me not, Reginald; you owe me fealty and subjection; you and your accomplices act like madmen.' "The knight, fired with a terrible rage at this severe repulse, waved his sword over the sacred head. 'No faith', he cried, 'nor subjection do I owe you against my fealty to my lord the King.' The murder of from a contemporary manuscript "Then the unconquered martyr seeing the hour at hand which should put an end to this miserable life and give him straightway the crown of immortality promised by the Lord, inclined his neck as one who prays and joining his hands he lifted them up, and commended his cause and that of the Church to God, to St. Mary, and to the blessed martry Denys. Scarce had he said the words than the wicked knight, fearing lest he should be rescued by the people and escape alive, leapt upon him suddenly and wounded this lamb who was sacrificed to God on the head, cutting off the top of the crown which the sacred unction of the chrism had dedicated to God; and by the same blow he wounded the arm of him who tells this.

For he, when the others, both monks and clerks, fled, stuck close to the sainted Archbishop and held him in his arms till the one he interposed was almost severed. "Then he received a second blow on the head but still stood firm. At the third blow he fell on his knees and elbows, offering himself a living victim, and saying in a low voice, 'For the Name of Jesus and the protection of the Church I am ready to embrace death.' "Then the third knight inflicted a terrible wound as he lay, by which the sword was broken against the pavement, and the crown which was large was separated from the head. The fourth knight prevented any from interfering so that the others might freely perpetrate the murder.

"Let us away He will rise no more." "As to the fifth, no knight but that clerk who had entered with the knights, that a fifth blow might not be wanting to the martyr who was in other things like to Christ, he put his foot on the neck of the holy priest and precious martyr, and, horrible to say, scattered his brain and blood over the pavement, calling out to the others, 'Let us away, knights; he will rise no more.' References: Abbot, Edwin A., St. Thomas of Canterbury (1898); Compton, Piers, The Turbulent Priest (1964); Hollister, Warren C., Medieval Europe: a short history (1975) How To Cite This Article: "The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170" EyeWitness to History, (1997). King Henry II was the father of Richard-the- Lionhearted and of King John of Magna Carta fame. King Henry VIII destroyed the shrine dedicated to Thomas Becket at Canterbury.

December 29 - Historical Events - On This Day On This Day Historical Events on December 29 Full Calendar Weddings & Divorces Assassination 1170 Thomas Becket , Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II; subsequently martryed Archbishop of Canterbury 1503 Battle of Garigliano: Spanish army under General Cordoba defeats French forces 1539 St Jacob's Church burns after being hit by lightning 1541 Isabella of Poland & King Ferdinand of Austria sign Treaty of Gyalu Event of Interest 1558 Charles V , King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor, buried in El Escorial, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor 1705 Prosper Jolyot's "Idomenée," premieres in Paris 1708 Great Alliance occupies Gent 1778 British troops occupy Savannah, Georgia 1782 1st nautical almanac in US published by Samuel Stearns, Boston 1786 French Revolution: The Assembly of Notables is convoked 1812 The USS Constitution under the command of Captain William Bainbridge, captures the HMS

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1813 British burn Buffalo, NY during War of 1812 1835 The Treaty of New Echota is signed, ceding all the lands of the Cherokee east of the Mississippi River to the United States 1837 Canadian militia destroy Caroline, a US steamboat docked at Buffalo 1837 Steam-powered threshing machine patented, Winthrop, Maine 1841 King/grand duke Willem II installs Order of Eikenkroon 1845 Texas admitted as 28th state of the Union 1848 Gas lights 1st installed at White House (Polk's administration) 1851 1st American Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) chapter opened in Boston Massachusetts.

1852 Emma Snodgrass arrested in Boston for wearing pants Event of Interest 1864 Fire Dept celebrates 1st annual ball 1867 1st telegraph ticker used by a brokerage house, Groesbeck & Co, NY 1876 11 passenger cars crash in a ravine near Ashtabula Ohio, 92 die 1890 US 7th Cavalry massacre 200+ captive Sioux at Wounded Knee, SD 1891 Edison patents "transmission of signals electrically" (radio) 1895 Dr L S Jameson begins failed raid on Johannesburg 1899 British fleet seizes German Imperial Mail Steamer Bundesrath accused of carrying contraband 1900 General Viljoen surprise attack British garrison to Helvetia 1903 French Equatorial Africa separates into Gabon, Chad & Ubangi-Shari 1906 Montreal Wanderers beat New Glasgow (NS) for Stanley Cup (2nd of 1906) 1908 Patent granted for a 4-wheel automobile brake, Clintonville, Wisc 1911 Proclamation restores "De

i Gratia" from Canada's coins 1911 San Francisco Symphony forms Election of Interest 1934 1st collegiate basketball doubleheader (Madison Square Garden) 1934 Federico Garcia Lorca's "Yerma" premieres in Madrid 1934 Japan renounces Wash Naval Treaty of 1922 & London Treaty of 1930 1937 2nd Irish constitution comes into effect; Irish Free State renamed Erie 1937 Lou Thesz beats Everett Marshall in St Louis, to win National Wrestling Ass.World heavyweight title - youngest ever 1937 Pan Am starts service between San Francisco and Auckland, New Zealand 1938 Construction on Lake Washington Floating Bridge, Seattle, begins 1939 First flight of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber prototype 1940 Germany drops its 1st incendiary bombs on London during the Blitz 1940 NFL Pro Bowl: Chicago Bears beats NFL All-Stars 28-14 1944 Belgian Nazi Leon Degrelle sentenced to death Event of Interest 1965 CBS purchases NFL TV rights for 1966-

68 at $18.8 million per year 1965 Supremes release "My World is Empty Without You" 1965 54th Davis Cup: Australia beats Spain in Sydney (4-1) 1966 Pirate Radio Phoenix, 1st transmission (Worcester, Mass) 1967 Star Trek's "Trouble With Tribbles" 1st airs 1967 Turkish-Cypriot government forms in Cyprus 1968 Balt Colts beat Cleveland Browns 34-0 in NFL championship game 1968 Israeli commandos destroy 13 Lebanese airplanes 1968 NY Jets beat Oakland Raiders 27-23 in AFL championship game 1969 NY Times reports Curt Flood will sue baseball & challenge the reserve clause 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act (United States) signed into law by President Richard M.

Nixon 1972 Eastern Tristar Jumbo Jet crashes near Everglades killing 101 1972 Life magazine ceases publication 1972 Test Cricket debut of Jeff Thomson & Max Walker v Pakistan at MCG 1972 President of Sinn Féin Ruairi O Bradaigh is arrested and held under new legislation in Republic of Ireland 1974 Murray Schisgal's "All Over Town" premieres in NYC 1974 AFC Championship Game: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Oakland Raiders 24-13 1974 NFC Championship Game: Minnesota Vikings beat Los Angeles Rams 14-10 1975 11 killed, 75 hurt by terrorist bomb at LaGuardia Airport in NYC 1977 Ronald Ribman's "Cold Storage" premieres in NYC 1978 Shah of Iran, asks Shapour Bahktiar to form a civilian government 1978 Spain constitution goes into effect 1978 Test Cricket debut of Allan Robert Border, v England at the MCG 1979 Red Army beats NY Islanders 3-2 at Nassau Coliseum 1980 Shuttle

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speed) 1994 B737-400 flies into a mountain at Edremit East Turkey, 54 killed 1994 Bangladesh government of Zia resigns 1994 Last Dutch electro-magnetic telephone exchange shuts down 1994 Shane Warne takes a hat-trick v England at cricket MCG 1996 "Dreams & Nightmares" closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC 1996 "Skylight" closes at Royale Theater NYC after 1996 "Taking Sides" closes at Atkinson Theater NYC 1997 Carquest Bowl 8: Georgia Tech beats West Virginia, 35-30 1997 Hong Kong begins slaughtering all its chickens to prevent bird flu 1997 Orville Lynn Majors, 36, arrested for many deaths under his care 1997 Russia signs agreement to build a $3B nuclear power plant in China 1997 Cricket Women's World Cup: Australia defeats New Zealand by 5 wickets 1998 Leaders of the Khmer Rouge apologize for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed over a million people

 2001 Mesa Redonda shopping center fire, Lima, Peru, at least 291 killed.

2003 50th National Film Awards (India): "Mondo Meyer Upakhyan" wins the Golden Lotus NFL Record 2007 Tom Brady sets a then-NFL record, throwing his 50th TD pass, and the New England Patriots become the first team in NFL history to finish the regular season 16-0.

NFL Quarterback 2012 200 people are executed by the Syrian army in Homs 2012 21 security personnel are killed by Pakistani Taliban near Peshawar 2012 5 people are killed in a Tupolev Tu-204 plane crash in Moscow 2013 The volcano, Chaparrastique, erupts in El Salvador 2013 16 people are killed and 40 are wounded by a suicide bomb attack at Volgograd-1 railway station, Russia 2013 Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says barrel bombs on Aleppo have killed 517 people since 15th December 2015 Ebola epidemic in Guinea declared over by WHO, 2,500 died over 2 years Event of Interest 2016 US President Barack Obama retaliates against Russia for hacking American computer systems and trying to influence the 2016 presidential election by ejecting 35 Russian spies and imposing sanctions 44th US President The Death of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral By Ben Johnson | Comments Murder in the cathedral.

Thomas Becket, a London merchant’s son, was a complex person – in his youth he was a normal ebullient young man, stormy and proud, selfish and arrogant, vain, and anxious to please, but in later life, became one of the most pious and devout Archbishops of the 12th century. Despite differences in their status Thomas’s greatest friend was Henry, who was later to become King Henry II of England. They hunted and played chess together, people said the two men ‘had but one heart and one mind’. When at the age of 21 Henry became king, Becket became his Chancellor. Both furious workers, they laboured tirelessly to bring law and order to Henry’s realm. It was during Henry’s reign those legal terms such as ‘trial by jury’ and ‘assizes’ (sittings) became so familiar in the English language. The king’s judges travelled the country administering the common law – the law of all free men. The exception to this was the Church, which had its own courts and own laws. Priests who murdered or raped could avoid common-law justice by claiming ‘benefit of clergy’, the right to be tried in the bishop’s court.

The worst that could happen here was to be issued with a severe penance or exceptionally, expulsion (defrocking) from the priesthood. Much of the power in the country at that time was enjoyed and exploited by the rich bishops and abbots of the Church. And, whilst the Church swore loyalty to the king, they also insisted that their true allegiance was to God and his earthly representative, the Pope in Rome. On the death of his Archbishop of Canterbury in May 1161, Henry saw his chance of bringing the Church to heel, by promoting his best friend Thomas to the newly vacated post. With the donning of his archbishop’s robes however, Becket’s whole demeanour seems to have changed, as he appeared to have experienced a religious conversion. ‘Born again’ Thomas changed completely – from then on he wore a sackcloth shirt which reached to his knees, and swarmed with all forms of wildlife. He had a very sparse diet, and his accustomed drink was water. King Henry and Becket remained good friends until they clashed over clerical privilege. Henry stated that the church was subject to the law of the land, but Becket insisted that the Church was above the law.

Their confrontation came to a head at Northampton Castle in October 1164, when supporters of Henry questioned Thomas’s loyalty to his king by accusing him of being a ‘Traitor’. Some harsh words were exchanged …‘Whoremonger!’, ‘Bastard!’, and other such choice expressions, before Thomas made a strategic withdrawal …to France! Thomas spent some six years in exile before things calmed down sufficient for him to return to Canterbury. Preaching from the cathedral on Christmas Day 1170, Thomas again displayed his stormy temperament when he excommunicated some of his fellow bishops with the words …’May they all be damned by Jesus Christ!’ Henry became incensed when he heard of this outburst and is said to have uttered the fateful words “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest!” Four of Henry’s knights, probably not the brightest of men, took this as a summons to action, and left for Canterbury immediately. They reached Canterbury Cathedral on December 29th, where they found Becket before the High Altar, as he had gone there to hear Vespers. One of the knights approached him, and struck Becket on the shoulder with the flat of his sword.

It seems that the knights did not at first intend to kill Becket, but as he stood firm after the first blow, the four attacked and butchered him. It is recorded that they cracked open his skull spilling his brains onto the cathedral floor! Henry was horrified when he heard the news as he believed that it was his words that had been the cause of Becket’s death. As an act of penitence he donned sackcloth and ashes, and starved himself for three days. Becket was immediately hailed as a martyr and canonised in 1173, and his shrine in Canterbury Cathedral became famous throughout Christendom. Unfortunately this shrine was totally destroyed at the Reformation in 1538, but his tomb can be seen in St. Thomas’s in Trinity Chapel behind the high altar. Tweet If you enjoyed this article, you might also like... The Hereford Mappa Mundi - Great world maps were an English speciality in the Middle Ages and were drawn on cloth, walls or animal skin. Only the Hereford World Map – Mappa Mundi – has survived complete and is believed to be the world’s largest medieval map.

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1515) 1619 Antoine Arnauld, French lawyer (Philippica), dies 1630 Jan Baptist Stalpart van der Wiele, RC pastor/lyricist, dies at 51 1634 John Albert Vasa, Polish bishop (b. 1612) 1661 Antoine Gérard de Saint-Amant, French poet (b. 1594) 1689 Olfert Dapper, Amsterdam historian/geographer, buried 1689 Thomas Sydenham, English physician (b. 1624) 1731 J Brook Taylor, English mathematician, dies at 46 1737 Joseph Saurin, French mathematician (b. 1659) 1785 Johann Heinrich Rolle, composer, dies at 69 1785 Johan Herman Wessel, Norwegian poet (b.

1742) 1815 Saartjie Baartman, Hottentot Venus, dies in Paris 1821 Jean-Baptiste Dumonceau de Bergendael, S Neth general, dies at 61 1822 Albert Christoph Dies, composer, dies at 67 1825 Giuseppe Maria Gioacchino Cambini, composer, dies 1825 Jacques-Louis David, French painter (Death of Marat), dies at 77 1835 Charles-Joseph Tolbecque, composer, dies at 29 1836 Johann Baptist Schenk, composer, dies at 83 1847 William Crotch, composer, dies at 72 1871 Ferdinand Marcucci, composer, dies at 71 1877 Willem Sassen, Dutch attorney general on Curacao (Affair-S), dies 1890 Big Foot, Sioux Indian chief, dies at Wounded Knee 1891 Leopold Kronecker, German mathematician, dies at 68 1894 Christina Rossetti, English poet, dies at 6

4 in London 1897 William James Linton, American wood engraver and political reformer.

(b. 1812) 1898 Georg Goltermann, composer, dies at 74 1915 Charles Beach Hawley, composer, dies at 57 1916 Grigori Rasputin, Russian faith healer/intriguer, murdered at 45 1924 Carl Spitteler, Swiss writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1845) 1925 Félix E Vallotton, Swiss painter/writer (Chaste Susanne), dies at 60 1926 Rainer M Rilke, Austrias songwriter/writer (Wise Queen), dies at 51 1929 Wilhelm Maybach, German automobile designer (b. 1846) 1933 Joh Georghe Duca, premier of Romania, murdered 1937 Don Marquis, American author (b.

1878) 1942 Frank D Adams, Canadian geologist, dies at 83 1943 William H Singer, US painter/collector (Singer Museum), dies at 75 1947 Joseph Cuvelier, Belgian historian/general, dies at 78 1952 Beryl Rubinstein, composer, dies at 54 1953 Violet MacMillan, American Broadway theatre actress(b. 1887) 1956 Martin Albertz, German theologist (Jesus Christ's Church), dies at 73 1957 Tom Richmond, cricketer (Notts leg-spinner took 2-86 in Eng Test), die 1958 Doris Humphrey, US dancer/choreographer (Dances of Women), dies at 63 1959 Robin Humphrey Milford, composer, dies at 56 1960 Eden Phillpotts, British writer (b. 1862) 1960 Philippe Panneton, Quebec physician, diplomat and writer (b.

1895) 1964 Bernard von Brentano, German writer (Big Cats), dies at 63 1964 Miroslav Krejci, composer, dies at 73 1965 Kusaku Yamada, composer, dies at 79 1967 Paul Whiteman, US orchestra leader (Fabulous Dorseys), dies at 77 1968 Austin Farrer, English theologian and philosopher (b. 1904) 1970 John de Mol, Dutch accordionist, dies at 58 1970 Marie Menken, American experimental filmmaker and socialite (b. 1909) 1970 William King Gregory, American palaeontologist (mammalian teeth, evolutionary theory), dies at 94 1971 Stuart Holmes, dies of stomach ailment at 87 1972 Fritz Behrend, composer, dies at 83 1975 Euell Gibbons, American outdoorsman and proponent of natural diets (b. 1911).

1976 Ivo van Damme, Belgian 800/1500 m sprinter (Oly-silver-76), dies at 22 1980 Roy Engle, actor (Police Chief-My Favorite Martian), dies at 67 1980 Tim Hardin, American singer (Bird on a Wire), dies of a drug overdose at 39 1980 Nadezhda Mandelstam, Russian writer (b. 1899) 1981 Guido Provoost, Belgian historian, dies at 41 1981 Miroslav Krleža, Croatian writer (b.

1893) 1982 Sol C Siegel, US film producer (High Society), dies at 79 1984 Leo Robin, lyricist, dies of heart failure at 84 1986 Andrei Tarkovski, Russian director (Stalker), dies at 54 1986 John Antill, Australian composer (Corroboree), dies at 82 Person of Interest 1995 Madeleine Barot, resistance heroine, dies at 86 1995 Nello Celio, president of Switz (1972), dies at 81 1996 Alma Birk, journalist/politician, dies at 77 1996 Daniel Raphaeautl Mayer, journalist/resistance leader, dies at 86 1996 Mireille Hartuch, singer/songwriter, dies at 90 1996 Oswald Szemerenyi, philologist, dies at 83 1996 Peggy (Margaret McCrorie) Herbison, politician, dies at 89 1996 Robert Morris, lawyer, dies at 8

1 1996 Willaim Brown, British TV executive, dies at 67 1996 William Thomas Pennar Davies, poet author/theologian, dies at 85 1997 (Hanlon) Pat Clarke, cyclist, dies at 82 1997 Robert Steel, academic, dies at 82 1998 Jean-Claude Forest, writer and illustrator of comics (Barbarella) (b.

1930) 1998 Jeanne Stern, German screenwriter (The Condemned Village), dies at 90 1999 Leon Radzinowicz, British criminologist (b. 1906) 2001 Takashi Asahina, Japanese conductor (b. 1908) 2003 Earl Hindman, American actor (b. 1942) 2003 Dinsdale Landen, English actor (b. 1932) 2003 Bob Monkhouse, English comedian and game show host (b. 1928) 2004 Liddy Holloway, New Zealand actress (b. 1947) 2004 Ken Burkhart, American baseball player (b. 1915) 2004 Julius Axelrod, American biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1912) 2005 Gerda Boyesen, Norwegian-born body psychotherapist (b. 1922) 2007 Phil O'Donnell, Scottish footballer (b.

1972) 2007 Kevin Greening, British radio presenter (b. 1962) 2008 Freddie Hubbard, American jazz trumpet player (b. 1938) 2009 "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, American former professional wrestler and football player (b. 1960) 2009 Akmal Shaikh, British drug trafficker, executed by lethal injection in the People's Republic of China (b. 1956) 2010 Bill Erwin, American actor (b.

1914) 2011 Bobby Purify [Robert Lee Dickey], American soul singer (I'm Your Puppet), dies at 72 Person of Interest 2012 Tony Greig , English cricket captain, all-rounder (1972-77) and commentator, dies from a heart attack at 66 Cricketer and Commentator 2012 Jean Topart, French actor, dies at 90 2013 Wojciech Kilar, Polish composer, dies from cancer at 81 2015 Frank Malzone, American MLB player (Boston Red Sox), dies at 85 2016 Ferdi Kübler, Swiss cyclist (Tour de France 1950), dies at 97 Thomas Becket - History Learning Site Thomas Becket Citation: C N Trueman "Thomas Becket" historylearningsite.co.uk. The History Learning Site, 5 Mar 2015. 20 Oct 2016. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was killed in December 1170. Becket’s death remains one of the most famous stories associated with Medieval England.

In Medieval England the Church was all powerful. The fear of going to Hell was very real and people were told that only the Catholic Church could save your soul so that you could go to Heaven. The head of the Catholic Church was the pope based in Rome. The most important position in the church in Medieval England was the Archbishop of Canterbury and both he and the king usually worked together. A king of England could not remove a pope from his position but popes claimed that they could remove a king by excommunicating him – this meant that the king’s soul was condemned to Hell and people then had the right to disobey the king. For people in England , there was always the real problem – do you obey the king or the pope ? In fact, this was rarely a problem as both kings and popes tended to act together as both wanted to remain powerful. On two occasions they fell out – one involved the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, and the other Henry VIII. In 1162, Henry II, king of England, appointed Thomas Becket, as Archbishop of Canterbury. This was the most important religious position in England. No-one was surprised by Henry’s choice as both he and Thomas were very good friends.

They enjoyed hunting, playing jokes and socialising together. Becket was known to be a lover of wine and a good horse rider. Henry II loved to ride as well but his personality was troubled by his fearsome temper. He tried to keep his temper under control by working very hard as it distracted him from things that might sparked off his temper. Henry II also controlled a lot of France at this time. William the Conqueror had been his great-grandfather and he had inherited his French territories as a result of this. When Henry was in France sorting out problems there, he left Becket in charge of England – such was his trust in him. Becket became Henry’s chancellor – the most important position in England after the king. When the Archbishop of Canterbury died in 1162, Henry saw the chance to give his close friend even more power by appointing him Archbishop of Canterbury – the most important church position in England. Why would Henry do this ? In Henry’s reign, the Church had its own courts and any member of the Church could decide to be tried in a Church court rather than a royal court. Church courts usually gave out easier punishments to churchmen who had done wrong. Henry believed that this undermined his authority.

As king, he was concerned that England was becoming too lawless – there was too much crime. He believed that Church courts did not set a good example as they were too soft on offenders. For example, a royal court would blind or cut off the hand of a thief; a Church court might send a thief on a pilgrimage. Henry hoped that by appointing his good friend Becket, he might have more of a say in how the Church punished offenders. He hoped that Becket would do as he wished and toughen up the sentences passed out by Church courts. Becket did not want the job. As chancellor, he was as powerful as he wished to be. He also had an excellent relationship with Henry, and he did not want to spoil this. In fact, on being offered the post, Becket wrote to Henry that “our friendship will turn to hate.” However, Henry persuaded Becket and he agreed in 1162 to the appointment. His letter was indeed to become prophetic. The post of Archbishop changed Becket.

He dropped his luxurious lifestyle; he ate bread and drank water, he had a luxury bed but preferred to sleep on the floor; he wore the rich clothes of an archbishop, but underneath the fine tunics he wore a horse hair shirt – very itchy and unpleasant to wear. He gave his expensive food to the poor. In 1164, the first sign of a split between Henry and Thomas occurred. Henry passed a law which stated that any person found guilty in a Church court would be punished by a royal court. Becket refused to agree to this, and knowing of Henry’s temper, he fled abroad for his own safety. It took six years before Becket felt safe enough to return to England. However, they quickly fell out again when Becket asked the pope to excommunicate the Archbishop of York who had taken sides with the king. This was a very serious request and a very serious punishment for someone who could claim that he was only being loyal to the king. Henry was furious when he found out what Becket had done. He is said to have shouted out “will no-one rid me of this troublesome priest ?” Four knights heard what Henry had shouted and took it to mean that the king wanted Becket dead.

They rode to Canterbury to carry out the deed. The knights were Reginald FitzUrse, William de Tracey, Hugh de Morville and Richard le Breton. On December 29th 1170 they killed Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. After killing him, one of the knights said “Let us away. He will rise no more.” Becket’s body was still on the cathedral floor when people from Canterbury came in and tore off pieces of his clothes and then dipped these pieces in his blood. They believed that they would bring them luck and keep evil away. The burial of Becket Where Becket died quickly became a place of pilgrimage. The pope quickly made him a saint. Henry II asked the pope for forgiveness and he walked bare foot to Canterbury to pray at the spot where Becket was killed. Monks whipped him while he prayed. People left valuables at the spot of his death. It became a shrine to him and people claimed that a visit to the shrine left them free of illness and disease. No-one dared to touch the valuables there until Henry VIII shut down the monasteries and churches and took away any valuables he wanted.

It took 21 carts to remove the valuables from Becket’s shrine at Canterbury Cathedral. Canterbury Cathedral - Treasures of Heaven Treasures of Heaven Saints, Relics, and Devotion in Medieval Europe Shrines & Places Canterbury Cathedral 12th-14th century, Canterbury, England Above: Floor plan of Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. To the right are the later additions of Trinity and Corona Chapels. Select the blue circles to view QuickTime VR panoramas of this building. Left: Window from the Cathedral showing pilgrims traveling to Canterbury. Bottom left: Pilgrim badges and ampullae from the shrine of St. Thomas Becket. Photos courtesy The British Museum. Between 1171 and 1177 the monks at Christchurch cathedral in Canterbury, England, recorded hundreds of stories attesting to the miracle working properties of the remains of Thomas, their former Archbishop . Thomas's blood, dutifully gathered by those who were present at the scene of his murder on the night of December 29, 1170, proved to have especially strong thaumaturgical properties, accounting for the hundreds of pilgrim's ampullae that display his features.

In fact, it was the potency of Thomas's blood that led to his canonization by Pope Alexander III on February 21, 1173. Although Thomas's initial resting place in the crypt of the cathedral appeased the first few pilgrims that visited his tomb, it quickly became apparent that this space was insufficient to meet the needs of all those who wished to "see" his remains. When a fire broke out in the choir on September 5, 1174, the need to rebuild became associated with the need to address Thomas's growing cult. The final design, begun by William of Sens and completed by William the Englishman, introduced the Trinity chapel, located in the far eastern end of the apse, which culminates in the famous Corona, an axial space that once housed a shrine containing the crown of Thomas' severed head. Richly gilded and decorated with precious jewels, including the Regale of France, a large ruby donated by Louis VII in 1179, this shrine was the climax of the pilgrim's experience.

This experience, however, began long before one entered the cathedral, for the journey to Canterbury was full of holy sites, whether one began in Winchester, where a cult dedicated to the memory of St. Within preceded that of Thomas by nearly two centuries, or in London, following the route that Geoffrey Chaucer made famous in The Canterbury Tales. Gabriella Szalay Canterburykfhs Canterbury Cathedral The METROPOLITICAL CATHEDRAL CHURCH of CHRIST at CANTERBURY The Precincts Canterbury Kent CT1 2EH Civil Registration District: BLEAN to 1910; CANTERBURY to date 2 Records for this parish date from: 1559 1 Parish Records - Catalogue Reference No. - CCA-U3-100 1 The parish of Canterbury, Christchurch, has a more august role as the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. As such it holds the cathedra or chair of the Archbishops of Canterbury, who as the senior Bishop (first amongst equals) and spiritual head the Anglican Church, is also the Primate of all England.

Augustine founded the first Saxon cathedral in Britain at Canterbury and was enthroned as its first Archbishop in 600 AD. The Saxon cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1067 but the remains are still immediately under the paving in the present cathedral nave. They were last seen and photographed by archaeologists from Canterbury Archaeological Trust when the nave was repaved in 1993. The1067 fire was a happy 'accident' for the Normans since it enabled them to take down the Saxon cathedral and construct after their custom the soaring building we see today. The Norman cathedral was first built on almost the same footprint as the Saxon cathedral and constructed mainly of Limestone from Caen and Purbeck Marble from Devon. The Limestone was shipped from Normandy to Fordwich on the River Stour with the final 3 miles via wagons overland to Canterbury. By the early 13th century century the Quire and Corona were completed making the cathedral a little over double the footprint of its Saxon counterpart. The Cathedral was a place of Pilgrimage before the murder of Becket.

Housing the remains of St Dunstan, St Alphege, St Anselm, St Blasï¿½. But the most internationally famous incident in the cathedral's history, which increased the level of pilgrimage to Canterbury, happened on the evening of the 29th December 1170; when Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered. Archbishop Thomas was laid to rest in the Eastern Crypt and despite building works pilgrims were allowed to visit his tomb. On 21 February 1173 Thomas was canonised; an exceptionally swift canonisation. In 1174 King Henry II, having donned a hair-shirt, walked barefoot to the cathedral to do penance for his outburst which had led the four knights to take violent action against the archbishop in their attempt to get him to carry out the Kings wishes. Whilst prostrated in front of Becket's Tomb Henry II submitted to a public whipping by the monks. In 1174, after a fire in the Quire, William of Sens was brought from Normandy to oversee the building of a magnificent quire to house the shrine of St Thomas. Unfortunately, he fell from scaffolding and returned home to France badly injured.

William the Englishman, took over completing the Quire by 1184. A surviving example of the architectural transition from the Romanesque round arches to the pointed arches of the early English Gothic style. By 7 July 1220 the remains of St Thomas of Canterbury were translated from the Eastern crypt to the magnificent shrine in the Quire. Canterbury Cathedral had become one of the most popular places for Christian pilgrimages in the medieval world with thousands of pilgrims visiting the shrines of St Thomas other saints enshrined here. The many miracles which had been attributed to Thomas Becket were recorded pictorially in stained glass in the quire aisles where they may still be seen today. Unfortunately, Becket's magnificent shrine was destroyed in 1538 by order of King Henry VIII. To build the nave we see today with its soaring Perpendicular columns Lanfranc's Norman nave was demolished. Funded by Archbishop Simon Sudbury, Henry Yevele oversaw the rebuilding which was completed between 1377 and 1405. Archbishop Sudbury's never saw its completion as he was executed in 1381 by Watt Tyler's poll tax rebels.

In 1504 the rebuilding of the central tower, formerly the Angle Steeple, was finished by John Wastell to match the South-West tower designed by Richard Beke. The Angel statue was not replaced and the central tower is now Bell Harry Tower named for the tolling bell within. Lanfranc's South-West Tower was rebuilt circa 1434 and currently houses the 14 bells that are rung by the Cathedral's Bell ringers. Lanfranc's North-West Tower was rebuilt in 1832 after storm damage toppled the steeple. Unfortunately, due to the fashion of the day, Sir Gilbert Scott the architect decided not to replicate Lanfranc's steeple tower but copied the South West Tower's design to make a matching pair at the West end of the cathedral. Today it houses six electrically operated clock bells including Great Dunstan whose mellow tone can be heard counting the hours. SOME NOTABLE BURIALS - there are too many notable people buried or who have a memorial in the cathedral but to relate a few. One question often asked is are all the Archbishops of Canterbury buried here.

The answer is that the Archbishops have not always elected to be buried in their cathedral. However, most all are remembered at various altars and their names and dates embroidered on the quire cushions. Ashes of notable people are scattered in the central area of The Great Cloister with names inscribed on the Western pane wall. The grassy areas in the War Memorial Gardens in The Precincts are also reserved for ashes and theses are recorded in the parish records of Christchurch in Canterbury Cathedral Archives. St DUNSTAN, died 988; St Anselm, died 1109; St Thomas Becket, died 1170 - their shrines were destroyed in the Reformation by order of Henry VIII. The king particularly disliked the cult of Becket and put the saint on trial giving him 40 days to perform a miracle. St Thomas' shrine, which was encrusted with gold and jewels, was then dismantled and the gold and jewels went to the royal treasury. As to Becket's bones their whereabouts is now the subject of legends as there is no evidence that the order for their destruction took place.

THE BLACK PRINCE - Edward Woodstock, Prince of Wales - died 1376, better known by his sobriquet The Black Prince, he is one of two royal persons buried in the quire. Above his tomb [pictured] hang Victorian copies of his heraldic achievements. The originals are displayed nearby. The eldest son of Edward III, aged 16, he led the English to victory at the Battle of Crecy. Where allegedly he won the three ostrich feather emblem which, with the motto 'Ich Dien' (I serve), have since been the emblem of the Princes of Wales. He was married to Joan the Fair Maid of Kent; their son was Richard II. KING HENRY IV - died 1413, son of John of Gaunt, a younger brother of the Black Prince, is the only Monarch buried in the Cathedral. Known as "Henry Bolingbroke" he became the first Lancastrian king after usurping the throne from his cousin, Richard II, son of The Black Prince. ARCHBISHOP SIMON SUDBURY - beheaded 1381, at Tyburn during the Peasants Revolt over the poll tax which he had conceived.

His body is in the Cathedral and his head is in St Gregory's the parish church in Sudbury, Suffolk, his birth place. He was very good to the Cathedral and the city. Funding Nave refurbishments and the city defences at the West end of the city including Westgate Towers. He is remembered every Christmas Day when flowers are laid at his tomb by The Dean and the Lord Mayor. ARCHBISHOP STEPHEN LANGTON - died 1228 buried in St Michael's the Warrior's Chapel. He was responsible for drafting Magna Carta, especially the clause relating to the monarch's non interference in church matters. In the fifteenth century his tomb was moved to make room for the triple tomb of Lady Margaret Holland, and her two husbands; John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset, a grandson of Edward III, and Thomas, Duke of Clarence, brother of Henry V. Now Langton's upper body is inside the cathedral but the lower end of his tomb has been pushed outside the Cathedral and stone built around it which resembles a large dog kennel. TWO BURIALS IN THE PRECINCTS - once inhumations took place cloister garth of the Great Cloister.

Nowadays ashes are buried in the Great Cloister Garth and the names recorded on the South Pane wall. Ashes are also buried in The Kent Memorial Gardens and names recorded in the parish registers of Christchurch. Lt HENRY BOSWELL BENNETT - was shot at the Battle of Bossenden Wood Dunkirk on 31st May 1838 by 'Mad Tom' (John Nicols Thom or Tom), an insane but messianic character, who called himself 'Sir William Courtenay'. Tom stirred up local peasants in a rising against the Poor Laws. Boswell Bennett died from a shot fired by Courtenay and was buried in the Great Cloister on the 2nd June 1838. His funeral was attended by 6,000 people and the ban on guns being fired in The Precincts was raised to afford him full military honours. His memorial tablet is on the North Wall of the Cathedral Nave. SOMERSET WILLIAM MAUGHAM - died 16 December 1965 in France was a former scholar of The King's School Canterbury and an English novelist. After the death of his parents he spent his childhood with a guardian in Whitstable.

He is famous for works such as 'The Moon and Sixpence', 'Of Human Bondage' and 'Cakes and Ale'. His ashes are scattered in the garden, near the Maugham Library in the grounds of The King's School. 'Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And my advice to you is to have nothing whatever to do with it.' Somerset W Maugham THE FONT - The cathedral has more than one font and baptism are more likely to be held in Holy Innocents Chapel in the Crypt. However, on the north west side of the Nave, is a most beautiful font presented in 1639 by Canon John Warner to commemorate his elevation to the See of Rochester. In 1642 it was badly damaged by Puritan soldiers during the iconoclasm. William Somner, the antiquarian scholar and author of the first Anglo-Saxon language dictionary, buried it in his garden at 5 Castle Street. After the Restoration of the monarchy, most of the pieces were found and in 1662 they were reassembled in their present position. Tricia Baxter, Secretary & Webmaster David Wood, Branch Chairman Page updated

Question: Which notable Englishman was murdered on 29th December 1170?
Answer: Thomas Becket