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Thomas Becket

English archbishop and martyr, 1119/1120–1170

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Thomas Becket was an influential Archbishop of Canterbury in medieval England who was murdered in 1170, becoming a major Christian martyr and saint. His life and death represent a crucial conflict between religious authority and royal power in medieval Europe, making him a significant historical figure whose legacy shaped the relationship between the church and the state.

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Thomas Becket (/ˈbɛkɪt/ ), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English cleric and statesman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his death in 1170. He is known for his conflict with King Henry II over the rights and privileges of the Church and was murdered by followers of the king. Becket is venerated as a saint and martyr by the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.

Born into a Norman family in London, Becket was educated first at the Merton Priory in Surrey and then successively in London and Paris. He later found work at the household of Theobald of Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury and quickly won his confidence. Theobald would entrust him with a series of important offices and missions, and in 1154 recommended him as Lord Chancellor to King Henry II. In 1162, several months after Theobald's death, Henry appointed Becket Archbishop of Canterbury.