What Was Thomas Becket's Accomplishments

613 Words2 Pages

Lanae Davis
Professor Snell
World Literature I
1 November 2017
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket, also known as Thomas a Becket, was born on December 21, 1118 and was murdered on December 29, 1170. He was born in Cheapside, London and was the son of Gilbert and Matilda Becket. One of Becket’s achievements was that he was announced Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until the day of his death.
Thomas Becket became Archbishop of Canterbury during a time when the relationship between the church and the government was uneasy. Becket being Archbishop named him the head of the Church in England. King Henry II and Thomas Becket were friends until Becket was declared Archbishop, which eventually led to his murder. The king believed that Becket would fulfill all his intentions. However, Becket disobeyed which began an argument between the two. To free from the king’s anger, Becket ran away to France and stayed there for six years. After a long six years, King Henry decides to invite Becket back to England. However, it did not take very long …show more content…

First, the knights demanded that Becket do as the king desired but he strongly refused. On the same day at sunset, the knights appeared in the Canterbury Cathedral once more searching for him. Becket then answered of his whereabouts when the knights were asking where his so called “traitorous” self was. When Becket finished talking, the knights then charged him and killed him. The population of England was scarred by this cruel murder. Becket’s tomb became a place of dedicated, religious pilgrimage. The Pope idolized him and for a long period of time, he was the most admired of the English saints. After this tragedy, Becket then became a martyr and a saint. Thomas Becket being honored as a martyr and a saint by Pope Alexander III resulted in the shrine of St. Thomas of Canterbury becoming a holy place of

Open Document