History UsefulNotes / ThomasBecket

St Thomas Becket, (21 December c. 1119 (or 1120) – 29 December 1170), ambitious Chancellor to [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]], politically appointed Archbishop of Canterbury to Henry II, and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers martyr]] (thanks to Henry II). Becket was a fairly low-born cleric who rose to be Henry II's right hand man, before being created Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162; this was an attempt by Henry to extend his control into the Church, expecting the infamously worldly and obsequious Becket to do his bidding without question. Unexpectedly, Becket apparently became extremely devout, refusing to comply with the King's meddling in religious affairs. After many disputes, often over quite petty issues, some as minor as whether the Archbishop of York should carry his own cross or not, Becket was murdered in Canterbury cathedral shortly after returning from exile, by four knights who believed that they were carrying out Henry's instructions, in history's most notorious RhetoricalRequestBlunder. Traditionally, the king is said to have lamented "will no one rid me of this TurbulentPriest", but the most widely accepted account has him uttering the [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor far less ambiguous]] "What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric?"

St Thomas Becket, (21 December c. 1119 (or 1120) – 29 December 1170), ambitious Chancellor to [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]], politically appointed Archbishop of Canterbury to Henry II, and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers martyr]] (thanks to Henry II). Becket was a fairly low-born cleric who rose to be Henry II's right hand man, before being created Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162; this was an attempt by Henry to extend his control into the Church, expecting the infamously worldly and obsequious Becket to do his bidding without question. Unexpectedly, Becket apparently became extremely devout, refusing to comply with the King's meddling in religious affairs. After many disputes, often over quite petty issues, some as minor as whether the Archbishop of York should carry his own cross or not, Becket was murdered in Canterbury cathedral shortly after returning from exile, by four knights who believed that they were carrying out Henry's instructions, in history's most notorious RhetoricalRequestBlunder. Traditionally, the king is said to have lamented "will no one rid me of this TurbulentPriest, but the most widely accepted account has him uttering the [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor far less ambiguous]] "What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric?"

St Thomas Becket, (21 December c. 1119 (or 1120) – 29 December 1170), ambitious Chancellor to [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]], politically appointed Archbishop of Canterbury to Henry II, and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers martyr]] (thanks to Henry II). Becket was a fairly low-born clerk who rose to be Henry II's right hand man, before being created Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162; this was an attempt by Henry to extend his control into the Church. Unexpectedly, Becket apparently became extremely devout, refusing to comply with the King's meddling in religious affairs. After many disputes, often over quite petty issues[[note]]Including whether the Archbishop of York should carry his own cross or not[[/note]], Becket was murdered in Canterbury cathedral shortly after retuning from exile, by four knights who believed that they were carrying out Henry's instructions, in history's most notorious RhetoricalRequestBlunder. Overnight, Becket became a martyr of European renown, was canonised within three years of his death, and remained England's most venerated saint until the Reformation.

St Thomas Becket, (c.1118 - 1170), ambitious Chancellor to [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]], politically appointed Archbishop of Canterbury to Henry II, and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers martyr]] (thanks to Henry II). Becket was a fairly low-born clerk who rose to be Henry II's right hand man, before being created Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162; this was an attempt by Henry to extend his control into the Church. Unexpectedly, Becket apparently became extremely devout, refusing to comply with the King's meddling in religious affairs. After many disputes, often over quite petty issues[[note]]Including whether the Archbishop of York should carry his own cross or not[[/note]], Becket was murdered in Canterbury cathedral shortly after retuning from exile, by four knights who believed that they were carrying out Henry's instructions, in history's most notorious RhetoricalRequestBlunder. Overnight, Becket became a martyr of European renown, was canonised within three years of his death, and remained England's most venerated saint until the Reformation.

St Thomas Becket, (c.1118 - 1170), ambitious Chancellor to [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]], politically appointed Archbishop of Canterbury to Henry II, and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers martyr]] (thanks to Henry II). Becket was a fairly low-born clerk who rose to be Henry II's right hand man, before being created Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162; this was an attempt by Henry to extend his control into the Church. [[HeelFaceTurn Unexpectedly]], Becket apparently became extremely devout, refusing to comply with the King's meddling in religious affairs. After many disputes, often over quite petty issues[[note]]Including whether the Archbishop of York should carry his own cross or not[[/note]], Becket was murdered in Canterbury cathedral shortly after retuning from exile, by four knights who believed that they were carrying out Henry's instructions, in history's most notorious RhetoricalRequestBlunder. Overnight, Becket became a martyr of European renown, was canonised within three years of his death, and remained England's most venerated saint until the Reformation.

The subject of many paintings, hagiographies, biographies, plays, and films, Becket is most notable as the subject of Anouilh's play, later a film, {{Film/Becket}}, and TSEliot's play ''Murder in the Cathedral''.

St Thomas Becket, (c.1118 - 1170), ambitious Chancellor to [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheSecond Henry II]], politically appointed Archbishop of Canterbury to Henry II, and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers martyr]] (thanks to Henry II). Becket was a fairly low-born clerk who rose to be Henry II's right hand man, before being created Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162; this was an attempt by Henry to extend his control into the Church. [[HeelFaceTurn Unexpectedly]], Becket apparently became extremely devout, refusing to comply with the King's meddling in religious affairs. After many disputes, often over quite petty issues[[note]]Including whether the Archbishop of York should carry his own cross or not[[/note]], Becket was murdered in Canterbury cathedral shortly after retuning from exile, by four knights who believed that they were carrying out Henry's instructions. Overnight, Becket became a martyr of European renown, was canonised within three years of his death, and remained England's most venerated saint until the Reformation.

!!Thomas Becket provides examples of:

* AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: If his number of recorded miracles are to be believed.
* ChurchMilitant: When in favour with Henry, he (successfully) led the army in Henry's campaign to conquer Toulouse. This behaviour did not endear him to the English Church.
* DeathSeeker: Becket did a great deal to provoke his martyrdom.
* {{Determinator}}: He carried on praying even with the top of his head cut off.
* FamousLastWords: A whole series of last speeches exist, but the last is this:
-->"For the name of Jesus and in defense of the Church I am willing to die."
* [[TheGoodChancellor Good]]/EvilChancellor: Opinion varies on which one Becket was.
* PatronSaint: Of the secular clergy; i.e. priests, biships and archbishops.
* SpellMyNameWithABlank: An inversion, as Thomas '''à''' Becket is an entirely anachronistic usage.
* TurbulentPriest: TropeNamer.
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