Why did becket and henry argue

At dusk on the evening of 29 December , the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered in the half-light of his cathedral by four knights. A violent argument soon broke out, and Thomas took refuge in the church. In response, they attempted to haul him out of the church, and in the struggle that ensued, drew their swords. Enter your email address now to receive news, features, podcasts and more.

Thanks for signing up to receive our medieval newsletter. Manage your newsletter preferences now. By entering your details, you are agreeing to HistoryExtra's terms and conditions. You can unsubscribe at any time. It was a horrific crime in itself.

But, given the status of the victim and the sanctity of the place, it was an outrage beyond comprehension. The attack was the conclusion of a long struggle between king and archbishop, one that was marked almost from the beginning by a clash of personalities.

Great issues were at stake. Henry II was a remarkable and intelligent ruler, who had a vision of a land in which justice should be available to all, and all should be equal under royal law. As a young man, he had witnessed the disastrous struggle for the throne known as the Anarchy between his cousin Stephen and his mother, Matilda, and was determined that good government should be restored.

Both believed passionately in laws: Henry in the laws of the realm, Thomas in those of the church — canon law — which had been newly compiled and edited at the university of Bologna. This infamous struggle between two powerful men began in harmony and friendship. Henry II became king at the end of when he was only 21, after the sudden death of Stephen. Thomas was charming, quick-witted and a loyal servant. Having spent his early years in the very secular environment of the merchant families of London, Thomas transferred easily to royal service and the royal court.

But the case for the "customs" broke down when the king claimed that criminous clerks should be handed over to the secular arm for further judgment after the Church had indicted its own penalties.

Becket, however, chose to resist the demand on the ground that a cleric as such was exempt from secular punishment in virtue of his office. Becket in exile The barons took the king's side and threatened violence. Becket yielded avowedly to force and nothing else. Having done so he obtained a papal dispensation annulling his promise. The king's indignation was obvious and justifiable. Becket persuaded himself that his life was in danger, as it really may have been; and he fled from the country to appeal to the Pope and the king of France.

In the course of the quarrel both sides had committed palpable breaches of the law. Now, with Becket out of the country, diplomacy at Rome, coupled with the logic of facts in England, might have secured the king complete victory; but he was tempted to a blunder. He had his eldest son Henry crowned as his successor. Coronation was a prerogative of the Archbishop of Canterbury; the young prince was crowned without him. The Pope threatened to suspend the bishops who had performed the ceremony and to lay the king's continental territories under an interdict.

Henry was alarmed and sought a reconciliation with Becket. At a formal meeting in France the quarrel was so far composed that Becket was invited to return in peace to Canterbury. Becket's Death He returned, but not in peace. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent.

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The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It does not store any personal data. Becket embraced life in the royal court: he is said by his contemporary biographers to have enjoyed vast wealth, throwing lavish parties, decorating his residences with beautiful furnishings and making numerous journeys to France on his own ships.

When the position of Archbishop of Canterbury became vacant, Becket was put forward. Given his lifestyle and reputation he was an unlikely candidate but the king had other ideas. Henry was keen to appoint his close friend to the role but, crucially, he wanted him to continue as Chancellor. With Becket in both positions, Henry saw an opportunity to exercise greater authority over the Church as well as the state.

Becket was appointed Archbishop on 23 May and consecrated officially blessed on 3 June. His actions drove a wedge between him and the king which would never be repaired.

A series of disputes ensued regarding the division of power between the Crown and the Church. He refused to accept the terms of his punishment and, fearing further repercussions from the king, he fled to France. Becket remained in exile in France for six years. During this time Henry flexed his power in England. Becket appealed to the Pope and, under significant pressure, Henry agreed to reopen negotiations.

Becket was reassured that it would be safe to return to England. However, his final act was to punish those involved in the unauthorised coronation. Before leaving France Becket issued three letters expelling excommunicating the Archbishop of York and two bishops from the Church. This act was to have devastating consequences upon his return to England.