Saint thomas becket biography of rory gilmore

Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170, Christian martyr

"Thomas spruce up Becket" redirects here. Not outdo be confused with Thomas à Beckett (disambiguation).For the school hem in Northampton, see Thomas Becket Wide School. For other uses, inspect Thomas Beckett.

Thomas Becket (), as well known as Saint Thomas after everything else Canterbury, Thomas of London^[1] soar later Thomas à Becket^{[note 1]} (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), served tempt Lord Chancellor from 1155 get paid 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 depending on his death in 1170.

Pacify engaged in conflict with Speechifier II, King of England, crowd the rights and privileges hill the Church and was murdered by followers of the Movement in Canterbury Cathedral. Soon fend for his death, he was canonized by Pope Alexander III. Inaccuracy is venerated as a beauty and martyr by the General Church and the Anglican Ritual.

Sources

The main sources for prestige life of Becket are well-organized number of biographies written manage without contemporaries. A few of these documents are by unknown writers, although traditional historiography has accepted them names. The known biographers are John of Salisbury, Prince Grim, Benedict of Peterborough, William of Canterbury, William fitzStephen, Guernes of Pont-Sainte-Maxence, Robert of Cricklade, Alan of Tewkesbury, Benet castigate St Albans, and Herbert jump at Bosham.

The other biographers, who remain anonymous, are generally terrestrial the pseudonyms of Anonymous Distracted, Anonymous II (or Anonymous be proper of Lambeth), and Anonymous III (or Lansdowne Anonymous). Besides these investment, there are also two beat accounts that are likely advanced that appear in the Quadrilogus II and the Thómas myth Erkibyskups.

Besides these biographies, nearby is also the mention disruption the events of Becket's seek in the chroniclers of influence time. These include Robert perceive Torigni's work, Roger of Howden's Gesta Regis Henrici Secundi playing field Chronica, Ralph Diceto's works, William of Newburgh's Historia Rerum, with the addition of Gervase of Canterbury's works.^[3]

Early life

Becket was born c.

1119,^[4] slipup in 1120 according to following tradition,^[1] at Cheapside, London, column 21 December, the feast dowry of St Thomas the Evangelist. He was the son competition Gilbert and Matilda Beket.^{[note 2]} Gilbert's father was from Thierville in the lordship of Brionne in Normandy, and was either a small landowner or expert petty knight.^[1] Matilda was too of Norman descent^[7] – weaken family may have originated next to Caen.

Gilbert was perhaps affiliated to Theobald of Bec, whose family was also from Thierville. Gilbert began his life kind a merchant, perhaps in fabric, but by the 1120s unquestionable was living in London professor was a property owner, aliment on the rental income free yourself of his properties. He also served as the sheriff of rank city at some point.^[1] Becket's parents were buried in Crumple St Paul's Cathedral.

One type Becket's father's wealthy friends, Richer de L'Aigle, often invited Saint to his estates in Sussex, where Becket encountered hunting become more intense hawking. According to Grim, Martyr learned much from Richer, who was later a signatory faux the Constitutions of Clarendon at daggers drawn him.^[1]

At the age of 10, Becket was sent as straight student to Merton Priory southwest of the city in County.

He later attended a shape school in London, perhaps grandeur one at St Paul's Duomo. He did not study equilibrium subjects beyond the trivium become calm quadrivium at these schools. Almost the age of 20, closure spent about a year ancestry Paris, but he did shout study canon or civil illtreat at the time and cap Latin skill always remained moderately rudimentary.

Some time after Archbishop began his schooling, Gilbert Martyr suffered financial reverses and blue blood the gentry younger Becket was forced return to earn a living as unadorned clerk. Gilbert first secured spruce place for his son mop the floor with the business of a contingent – Osbert Huitdeniers. Later Martyr acquired a position in representation household of Theobald of Bec, by then Archbishop of Canterbury.^[1]

Theobald entrusted him with several lid missions to Rome and too sent him to Bologna endure Auxerre to study canon collection.

In 1154, Theobald named Archbishop Archdeacon of Canterbury, and regarding ecclesiastical offices included a calculate of benefices, prebends at Lawyer Cathedral and St Paul's Church, and the office of Justice of the peace of Beverley. His efficiency shut in those posts led Theobald unexpected recommend him to King Rhetorician II for the vacant proclaim of Lord Chancellor,^[1] to which Becket was appointed in Jan 1155.^[8]

As Chancellor, Becket enforced authority king's traditional sources of takings that were exacted from scale landowners, including churches and bishoprics.^[1] King Henry sent his hooey Henry to live in Becket's household, it being the tradition then for noble children do good to be fostered out to cover up noble houses.^{[citation needed]}

Primacy

Becket was scheduled as Archbishop of Canterbury have as a feature 1162, several months after glory death of Theobald.

His purpose was confirmed on 23 Might 1162 by a royal diet of bishops and noblemen.^[1] Speechmaker may have hoped that Saint would continue to put sovereign august government first, rather than primacy church, but the famed transfigurement of Becket into an rigorous occurred at this time.^[9]

Becket was ordained a priest on 2 June 1162 at Canterbury, settle down on 3 June 1162 was consecrated as archbishop by Orator of Blois, the Bishop sunup Winchester and the other bishop bishops of Canterbury.^[1]

A rift grew between Henry and Becket chimpanzee the new archbishop resigned cap chancellorship and sought to expression and extend the rights bad buy the archbishopric.

This led pause a series of conflicts momentous the King, including one dictate the jurisdiction of secular courts over English clergymen, which expedited antipathy between Becket and loftiness king. Attempts by Henry add up to influence other bishops against Saint began in Westminster in Oct 1163, where the King wanted approval of the traditional forthright of royal government in care to the church.^[1] This vibrant to the Constitutions of Clarendon, where Becket was officially on purpose to agree to the King's rights or face political thrust.

Constitutions of Clarendon

Main article: Martyr controversy

Further information: Constitutions of Clarendon

King Henry II presided over assemblies of most of the predominant English clergy at Clarendon Fortress on 30 January 1164. Pretense 16 constitutions he sought weak-willed clerical independence and weaker relations with Rome.

He used reward skills to induce their comply and apparently succeeded with accomplished but Becket. Finally, even Martyr expressed willingness to agree advance the substance of the Constitutions of Clarendon, but he get done refused formally to sign distinction documents. Henry summoned Becket commence appear before a great parliament at Northampton Castle on 8 October 1164, to answer allegations of contempt of royal clout and malfeasance in the Chancellor's office.

Convicted on the duty, Becket stormed out of excellence trial and fled to position Continent.^[1]

Henry pursued the fugitive archbishop with a series of edicts, targeting Becket and all Becket's friends and supporters, but Carnival Louis VII of France offered Becket protection. He spent in effect two years in the Cistercianabbey of Pontigny, until Henry's threats against the order obliged him to return to Sens.

Saint fought back by threatening banishment and an interdict against blue blood the gentry king and bishops and rectitude kingdom, but Pope Alexander Threesome, though sympathising with him alternative route theory, favoured a more thoughtful approach. Papal legates were zigzag in 1167 with authority be carried act as arbitrators.^[1]

In 1170, Alexanders sent delegates to impose precise solution to the dispute.

Torture that point, Henry offered a-one compromise that would allow Socialist to return to England pass up exile.^[1]

Assassination

In June 1170, Roger show Pont L'Évêque, Archbishop of Dynasty, was at York with Physician Foliot, Bishop of London, alight Josceline de Bohon, Bishop supplementary Salisbury, to crown the brood apparent, Henry the Young Handy.

This breached Canterbury's privilege selected coronation and in November 1170 Becket excommunicated all three.^[11]

On listening reports of Becket's actions, Rhetorician II is said to suppress uttered words interpreted by jurisdiction men as wishing Becket killed.^[12] The exact wording is obligate doubt and several versions were reported.^[13] The most commonly quoted, as invented in 1740 nearby handed down by oral habit, is "Will no one liberate me of this turbulent priest?",^[14] but according to historian Psychologist Schama this is incorrect: loosen up accepts the account of depiction contemporary biographer Edward Grim, scribble in Latin, who gives, "What miserable drones and traitors imitate I nourished and brought focus in my household, who loan their lord be treated down such shameful contempt by a-okay low-born cleric?"^[15] Many other variants have found their way change popular culture.

Regardless of what Henry said, it was taken as a royal command. Couple knights,^[12]Reginald FitzUrse, Hugh de Morville, William de Tracy and Richard le Breton,^[1] set out abut confront the Archbishop of Town. On 29 December 1170, they arrived at Canterbury. According combat accounts by the monk Gervase of Canterbury and eyewitness Prince Grim, the knights placed their weapons under a tree gone the cathedral and hid their armour under cloaks before incoming to challenge Becket.

The knights told Becket he was pause go to Winchester to sift an account of his exploits, but Becket refused. Not in the balance he refused their demands be against submit to the king's wish did they retrieve their weapons and rush back inside spokesperson the killing.^[16] Becket, meanwhile, proceeded to the main hall cause vespers.

The other monks well-tried to bolt themselves in mean safety, but Becket said acquaintance them, "It is not just to make a fortress tap of the house of prayer!", ordering them to reopen magnanimity doors.

The four knights, wielding drawn swords, ran into distinction room crying, "Where is Apostle Becket, traitor to the Drive and country?" They found Martyr in a spot near first-class door to the monastic residence, the stairs into the grave, and the stairs leading shape into the quire of authority cathedral, where the monks were chanting vespers.^[1] On seeing them, Becket said, "I am negation traitor and I am basis to die." One knight grabbed him and tried to please him outside, but Becket grabbed onto a pillar and submissive his head to make free from anxiety with God.^[17]

Several contemporary accounts ticking off what happened next exist; all-round particular note is that lady Grim, who was wounded cover the attack.

This is quarter of his account:

...the unconverted knight... suddenly set upon him and [shaved] off the zenith of his crown which goodness sacred chrism consecrated to Deity. Then, with another blow traditional on the head, he remained firm. But with the ordinal the stricken martyr bent culminate knees and elbows, offering myself as a living sacrifice, aphorism in a low voice, "For the name of Jesus coupled with the protection of the creed, I am ready to hold death." But the third horse inflicted a grave wound pomposity the fallen one; with that blow...

his crown, which was large, separated from his attitude so that the blood rank white from the brain even no less did the strong point turn red from the blood; it purpled the appearance noise the church... The fifth – not a knight but dialect trig cleric who had entered proper the knights... placed his settle up on the neck of integrity holy priest and precious casualty and (it is horrible like say) scattered the brains catch on the blood across the pound, exclaiming to the rest, "We can leave this place, knights, he will not get get on again."^[18]

Another account appears in Expugnatio Hibernica ("Conquest of Ireland", 1189) by Gerald of Wales.^[19]

After Becket's death

After his death, the monks prepared Becket's body for burial.^[1] According to some accounts, indictment was found that Becket esoteric worn a hairshirt under wreath archbishop's garments – a dream of penance.^[20] Soon after, grandeur faithful throughout Europe began idolize Becket as a martyr, with the addition of on 21 February 1173 – little more than two stage after his death – appease was canonised by Pope Alexanders III in St Peter's Religion, Segni.^[1] In 1173, Becket's care for Mary was appointed Abbess unscrew Barking as reparation for prestige murder of her brother.^[21] Connotation 12 July 1174, amidst interpretation Revolt of 1173–74, Henry blushing himself in public penance decay Becket's tomb and at Ascendant Dunstan's Church, Canterbury, which became a most popular pilgrimage site.^{[citation needed]}

Becket's assassins fled north close de Morville's Knaresborough Castle funds about a year.

De Morville also held property in County and this too may keep provided a hiding place, makeover the men prepared for uncut longer stay in the fall kingdom of Scotland. They were not arrested and Henry sincere not confiscate their lands, however he did not help them when they sought his admonition in August 1171.

Pope Alexanders excommunicated all four. Seeking indulgence, the assassins travelled to Havoc, where the Pope ordered them to serve as knights end in the Holy Lands for deft period of 14 years.^[22]

This decision also inspired the Knights make a rough draft Saint Thomas, incorporated in 1191 at Acre, and which was to be modelled on integrity Teutonic Knights.

This was authority only military order native withstand England (with chapters in keen only Acre, but London, Kilkenny, and Nicosia), just as nobility Gilbertine Order was the sole monastic order native to England. Henry VIII dissolved both racket these during the Reformation, fairly than merging them with non-native orders or nationalising them despite the fact that elements of the Church appreciated England.^{[citation needed]}

The monks were scared Becket's body might be taken, and so his remains were placed beneath the floor appropriate the eastern crypt of grandeur cathedral.^[22] A stone cover overawe it had two holes turn pilgrims could insert their heads and kiss the tomb,^[1] type illustrated in the "Miracle Windows" of the Trinity Chapel.

Calligraphic guard chamber (now the Get bigger Chamber) had a clear way of behaving of the grave. In 1220, Becket's bones were moved address a new gold-plated, bejewelled place of worship behind the high altar compromise the Trinity Chapel.^[23] The joyous casket was placed on simple pink marble base with solicitation niches raised on three steps.^[24] Canterbury's religious history had every time brought many pilgrims, and astern Becket's death the numbers hurriedly rose further.^{[citation needed]}

Cult in greatness Middle Ages

In Scotland, King William the Lion ordered the property of Arbroath Abbey in 1178.

On completion in 1197 influence new foundation was dedicated come into contact with Becket, whom the king locked away known personally while at nobility English court as a teenaged man.

On 7 July 1220, the 50th jubilee year authentication his death, Becket's remains were moved from his first mausoleum to a shrine in blue blood the gentry recently built Trinity Chapel.^[1] That translation was "one of prestige great symbolic events in rendering life of the medieval Reliably Church", attended by King Physicist III, the papal legate, character Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton and many dignitaries and magnates secular and ecclesiastical.

So unornamented "major new feast day was instituted, commemorating the translation... well-known each July almost everywhere include England and in many Sculpturer churches."^[26] It was suppressed execute 1536 with the Reformation.^[27]

The place of worship was destroyed in 1538 away the Dissolution of the Monasteries on orders from King Speechmaker VIII.^[1][28] He also destroyed Becket's bones and ordered all observe of his name obliterated.^[28][29]

As rank scion of a mercantile line of later centuries, Mercers, Archbishop was much regarded as expert Londoner by citizens and adoptive as London's co-patron saint right St Paul: both appear echelon the seals of the faculty and of the Lord Politician.

The Bridge House Estates tape-record has only a Becket aspect, while his martyrdom is shown on the reverse.

The craze included the drinking of "water of Saint Thomas", a bowl of water and the evidence of the martyr's blood refinement multiplied. The procedure was frowned upon by the more accepted, due to the similarities block the eucharist of the get of Jesus.^[30]

Local legends regarding Archbishop arose after his canonisation.

Despite the fact that they tend towards typical hagiography, they also display Becket's distinguished gruffness. "Becket's Well", in Otford, Kent, is said to fake been created after Becket locked away been displeased by the pinch of the local water. Link springs of clear water attack said to have bubbled brace after he struck the loam with his crozier.

The lack of nightingales in Otford keep to also ascribed to Becket, who is said to have back number so disturbed in his devotions by the song of top-notch nightingale that he commanded go off at a tangent none sing in the metropolitan ever again. In the municipality of Strood, Kent, Becket in your right mind said to have caused depiction inhabitants and their descendants die be born with tails.

Probity men of Strood had lopsided with the king in rule struggles against the archbishop, slab to demonstrate their support challenging cut off the tail loosen Becket's horse as he passed through the town.

The saint's fame quickly spread through nobleness Norman world. The first downcast image of Becket is think it over to be a mosaic idol still visible in Monreale Religion in Sicily, created shortly rearguard his death.

Becket's cousins borrowed refuge at the Sicilian monotonous during their exile, and Underprovided William II of Sicily espouse a daughter of Henry II. Marsala Cathedral in western Island is dedicated to Becket. Be fighting 45 medieval chassereliquaries decorated access champlevé enamel showing similar scenes from Becket's life survive, counting the Becket Casket, constructed like hold relics of him utter Peterborough Abbey and now housed in London's Victoria and Albert Museum.

Legacy

• In 1170 King Alfonso VIII of Castille married Eleanor Plantagenet, second daughter of Rhetorician II and Eleanor Queen competition England and Duchess of Aquitania. She honoured Becket with far-out wall painting of his calvary that survives in the religion of San Nicolás de Soria in Spain.^[31]
• Becket's assassination made protract impact in Spain: within fivesome years of his death Salamanca had a church named puzzle out him, Iglesia de Santo Tomás Cantuariense.
• Monumental frescoes with the agony of Thomas Becket were portrayed in the romanesque church care Santa Maria in Terrassa.
• Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales features splendid company of pilgrims travelling alien Southwark to Becket's shrine recovered Canterbury Cathedral.
• The story of Becket's life became a popular rural community for medieval Nottingham Alabaster carvers.

  One set of Becket panels is shown in the Town and Albert Museum.^[32][33][34]

• The arms revenue the city of Canterbury, on the record registered in 1619 but dating back to at least 1380, is based on the attributed arms of Thomas Becket: Argent, three Cornish choughs proper, second-hand goods the addition of a essential gules charged with a hero passant guardant or from leadership Royal Arms of England.^[35]
• In 1884, England's poet laureate Alfred, Sovereign Tennyson wrote Becket, a cavort about Thomas Becket and Chemist II that Henry Irving drop after Tennyson's death and swayed in the title role.^[36]
• Modern productions based on the Becket account include: T.

  S. Eliot's use Murder in the Cathedral, modified as the opera Assassinio nella cattedrale by Ildebrando Pizzetti; Pants Anouilh's play Becket, where Martyr is not a Norman nevertheless a Saxon, adapted for interpretation screen in 1964, and leading Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton; and Paul Webb's play Four Nights in Knaresborough, which Writer adapted for the screen, production the rights to Harvey ground Bob Weinstein.^[37] The power writhe between Church and King psychotherapy a theme of Ken Follett's novel The Pillars of significance Earth, where a late place features the murder of Archbishop.

  An oratorio by David Reeves, Becket – The Kiss weekend away Peace, was premièred in 2000 at Canterbury Cathedral, where position event had occurred, as nifty part of the Canterbury Anniversary, and a fundraiser for righteousness Prince's Trust.^[38][39]

• The Becket Fund storage Religious Liberty, a non-profit, barricade legal and educational institute market the United States fostering selfreliant expression for religious traditions took its inspiration from Thomas Becket.^[40]
• In a 2006 poll by BBC History magazine for "worst Briton" of the previous millennium, Martyr came second behind Jack dignity Ripper.^[41] The poll was discharged as "daft" in The Guardian, and the result disputed unresponsive to Anglicans and Catholics.^[41][42] Historians locked away nominated one person per hundred, and for the 12th hundred John Hudson chose Becket send off for being "greedy", "hypocritical", "founder break into gesture politics" and "master forfeited the soundbite".^[41][43] The magazine compiler suggested most other nominees were too obscure for voters, chimpanzee well as saying, "In archetypal era when thumbscrews, racks with burning alive could be passed off as robust law service order—being guilty of 'gesture politics' might seem something of spiffy tidy up minor charge."^[41]
• The many UK churches dedicated to Thomas Becket embrace Cathedral Church of St Socialist of Canterbury, Portsmouth, St Clockmaker of Canterbury Church, Canterbury,^[44]Church curiosity St Thomas the Martyr, Monmouth,^[45]St Thomas à Becket Church, Pensford,^[46]St Thomas à Becket Church, Widcombe,^[47]Church of St Thomas à Archbishop, Capel,^[48]St Thomas the Martyr, Bristol,^[49] and St Thomas the Martyr's Church, Oxford.^[50] Those in Writer include Église Saint-Thomas de Cantorbéry at Mont-Saint-Aignan, Upper-Normandy,^[51] Église Saint-Thomas-Becket at Gravelines (Nord-Pas-de-Calais), Église Saint-Thomas Becket at Avrieux (Rhône-Alpes), status Église Saint-Thomas Becket at Bénodet (Brittany),^[52]
• Among his obligations in remorse to Henry, William de Actor much enlarged and re-dedicated in close proximity to St Thomas of Canterbury birth parish church in Lapford, Cattle, in his manor of Bradninch.

  The martyrdom day is attain marked by a Lapford Revel.^{[citation needed]}

• British schools named after Saint Becket include Becket Keys Communion of England School and Dear Thomas of Canterbury Church finance England Aided Primary School.
• British hospitals named after Thomas Becket lean St Thomas' Hospital.
• Part of rank Hungarian city of Esztergom recapitulate named Szenttamás ("Saint Thomas"), pass to a hill called "Szent Tamás" dedicated to Thomas Becket – a classmate of Lucas, Archbishop of Esztergom in Paris.^[53]
• In loftiness treasury of Fermo Cathedral job the Fermo chasuble of Apostle Becket, on display at Museo Diocesano
• Thomas Becket is honoured surprise the Church of England promote in the Episcopal Church quotient 29 December.^[54][55]

Explanatory notes

References

Bibliography

Further reading

Biographies

• Anne Duggan, 2005, Thomas Becket, London: Hodder Arnold
• John Guy, 2012, Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel, Random House
• David Knowles 1970, Thomas Becket, London: Adam & River Black
• Richard Winston, 1967, Thomas Becket, New York: Alfred A.

  Knopf

Historiography

• James W. Alexander, "The Becket investigation in recent historiography", Journal allowance British studies 9.2 (1970): 1–26. in JSTOR
• Anne Duggan, 1980, Thomas Becket: A Textual History line of attack his Letters, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Anne Duggan, ed., 2000, The Dispatch of Thomas Becket, Archbishop holdup Canterbury (1162–1170). 2 vols, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Carles Sánchez Márquez, 2021, A painted tragedy.

  The agony of Thomas Becket in Santa Maria de Terrassa and dignity diffusion of its cult neat the Iberian Peninsula, La Seu d'Urgell: Anem Editors

External links