Becket Slain by King's Men: Church and State Clash

Four knights walked into Canterbury Cathedral on the evening of December 29, 1170, found Archbishop Thomas Becket at vespers, and hacked him to death with their swords in front of horrified monks and clergy. The murder, carried out by men loyal to King Henry II, transformed Becket from a quarrelsome prelate into the most venerated martyr in medieval Christendom and forced the most powerful king in Europe to submit to a humiliating public penance. The conflict between Henry and Becket was rooted in a struggle over jurisdiction that had been simmering for years. Henry had appointed his close friend and chancellor as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, expecting a compliant ally at the head of the English church. Becket instead underwent a dramatic personal transformation, exchanging his luxurious lifestyle for monastic austerity and fiercely defending ecclesiastical privileges against royal encroachment. The central dispute concerned criminous clerks: Henry wanted clergy accused of crimes tried in royal courts, while Becket insisted on the church exclusive right to judge its own members. After six years of conflict including Becket exile in France, Henry reportedly uttered "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?" at a Christmas court in Normandy. Four knights took this as a command and crossed the Channel to Canterbury. They confronted Becket in the cathedral, demanded he lift excommunications he had imposed on several bishops, and when he refused, struck him down. One blow sliced off the top of his skull, and a final stroke scattered his brains across the cathedral floor. The murder scandalized Europe. Pope Alexander III canonized Becket in 1173. Henry performed public penance at the tomb in 1174, walking barefoot through Canterbury while monks flogged him. Canterbury became England most popular pilgrimage site, inspiring Chaucer Canterbury Tales. Becket remains the most famous martyr in English history.