Becket and Henry
The murder of Thomas Becket and his subsequent martyrdom has so overshadowed the reign of Henry II that it is often as difficult to see behind to what caused it as it is to see beyond to the rest of the reign.
'He also acted as Henry's foil, taking on those aspects of kingship which Henry found irksome.'
At its heart lies a personal dispute between Henry II, who felt betrayed by his friend, and Becket, who mistrusted the motives of the king. This bad blood between friends is what made the dispute so bitter.
Becket came to prominence at the start of Henry's reign when Henry asked Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury to recommend a candidate for the office of Chancellor. Theobald put forward his archdeacon, Thomas Becket, the son of a London merchant, who had demonstrated the brilliance of his mind in Theobald's service. Becket became Henry's friend and confidant. Like Henry, he was obsessed with the rights of his office and the crown, and was driven to do the best job he possibly could on their behalf. He also acted as Henry's foil, taking on those aspects of kingship which Henry found irksome, and representing the pomp and circumstance of Henry's court in contrast to the bluff façade of the king.
His character seems suited to his job. As a self-made man, he was always jealous of the marks of privilege and status of his office; which translated whilst chancellor into sumptuous ostentation, and transmuted when archbishop into the vestments and horsehair shirt of a religious ascetic. Proud and uncompromising, he had a fundamental urge to excel, which goes some way to explain the lengths to which he was prepared to go.
Published: 2001-05-01
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