On 29 December 1170, Archbishop Thomas Beckett was assassinated at Canterbury Cathedral.
It was a famous murder case in the Middle Ages, involving Henry II, King of the Plantagenet Dynasty of England, and his closest friend, Thomas Beckett, the former Archbishop of England and the current Archbishop of England.
Archbishop Beckett's assassination shocked the whole of Europe.
The assassination, ostensibly a feud between Bishop Beckett and Henry II, was in fact a microcosm of the church-state relationship in medieval England. Its roots lie in the fact that from the Norman conquest to the reign of Henry II, while the royal power was increasingly strengthened, the clerical power gradually grew, the contradiction between the royal power and the church became sharp, and the Pope actively intervened in British politics, and the relationship between church and state changed from unity to confrontation.
Not only in Britain, but also in the struggle between kingship and clerical power throughout The history of Europe.
From the kneeling of King Henry IV of Germany to the Reformation of King Henry VIII of England, to the enshrinement of Elizabeth I as Queen of Protestantism, King Henry IV of France changed his religious position three times, all reflecting the fierceness of the struggle.
Why would the death of the Archbishop shock the whole of Europe? How did this assassination change the course of British history? To solve these two problems, we must first be clear -
First, how did Beckett, who came from a merchant background, become a close friend of the king?
Beckett came from a humble background and initially worked as a clerk under the Archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop felt that although his academic achievements were not good, he was diligent and hardworking, so he gradually promoted him.
In 1154, Beckett became archdeacon of Canterbury. In this important position, Beckett was increased, and his mansion in London was built magnificently. It was in his position as Archdeacon that he became acquainted with Henry II.
Becket's character and abilities were gradually recognized by Henry II, so, at the recommendation of Archbishop Theobald, Henry II appointed Becket as the supreme official of the English government. Beckett also lived up to expectations and coped with the work of serving the royal family.
Around 1160, Becket reached the pinnacle of power and he was appointed chief justice. He was in his early forties at the time, and the king was nearly twenty-seven. Beckett was tall, good-looking, elegant, and adept at court conversation. Like Henry VIII's Prime Minister Thomas Wolsey and Elizabeth I's secretary, Becket used his political skills and flexible mind to create the tedious and chaotic day-to-day work of Henry II up and down.
Not only in government affairs, the two people cooperate tacitly, but the relationship between the two is also very good in private. They often rode horses and hunted together, and the king often greeted and did not call Beckett's house to eat, and sent his children to Beckett to study.
So why did the king murder his best friend?
This brings us to Beckett's other identity. In addition to serving as a justice of Henry II, Becket was also a deacon of Canterbury. Although there were reasons for the character and ability to promote Becket, more importantly, Henry II always regarded Becket as a bridge between the royal family and the church.
Throughout the 12th century, all the monarchs and churches in Europe were at odds over power, and Henry II, as king of the Plantagenet dynasty, believed that the church's hand was too long, undermining his own royal power. Therefore, Henry II was always contemplating the "liberation" of the Church of England from Roman jurisdiction, and even resolved to "domesticate" the Church.
The death of the old Archbishop of Canterbury was the best opportunity in the eyes of Henry II, who could cultivate a meek and obedient archbishop and redefine the boundaries between kingship and ecclesiastical power. Beckett, on the other hand, is undoubtedly the best candidate. But in the eyes of the Church, Beckett was not qualified to be archbishop at all.
First, his secular status was too prominent, and as a close friend of the king and a judge, he made the church unable to recognize and obey; second, his low origins and insufficient theological academic achievements; third, his position and qualifications before he became archbishop were not the best candidates.
Most importantly, his appointment as archbishop was clearly a manifestation of Henry II's attempt to use imperial power to suppress the ecclesiastical power.
However, under the rule of Henry II, Becket took up the position. But Henry soon discovered that Beckett had not followed his own prescribed route and continued to serve the crown.
In Beckett's view, such an appointment is very frightening.
On the one hand, taking the money of the church and eating the royal meals is contrary to his principles in any case; on the other hand, Beckett, who has taken up the position of the church for the first time, has been under great pressure and criticism from the religious circles, and in order to be able to sit in this position, he must also make some achievements.
Shortly after becoming Archbishop, Becket resigned as Chancellor on the grounds that he "could not be loyal to both masters at the same time" and severed ties with the imperial power, Henry II. When Henry II reorganized the country's judicial system and fought against the church, Becket also wrote to Rome to demand the strengthening of Canterbury's power, that is, to unite with the Holy See to resist with all its might.
The royal family's loyal eagle dogs became the greatest enemy overnight.
Beckett and Henry II eventually broke up. Becket spent 5 years with Henry II's sworn enemy, the King of France, and for 5 years, Becket repeatedly wrote to Rome to demand that Henry II be sanctioned; and Henry also ignored Becket's position as archbishop and asked other bishops to preside over the coronation ceremony for the crown prince.
Faced with such a situation, Henry II was furious and famously said: "Who will help me solve this annoying bishop?" So the Four Horsemen broke into Canterbury and assassinated the Archbishop, and Becket fell victim to the struggle for imperial and clerical power.
Finally, did Beckett's death tilt this power struggle toward imperial power?
Unfortunately, Henry II failed.
In the age of theocracy, the murder of the archbishop shocked Christendom. The Pope was silent when he learned of this incident, refused to speak to any Englishman, and even planned to excommuniquate Henry II, causing great pressure on Henry II.
The aristocracy in England was dissatisfied with Henry II's constant centralization of power, and Becket's death ignited the English Civil War, and the war of division was on the verge of erupting.
In the end, Henry II had to go to Canterbury and accept the flogging of all the bishops present—each of whom drew at least three strokes on the king. Henry II swore to God that he had no intention of killing Becket, and fasted for three days in an unsightly prayer, asking for forgiveness.
Henry II failed to strengthen the monarchy, but instead divided his country; Becket, for his part, did not receive the love of the Church before his death, but because he died at the hands of the secular monarchy, the Pope posthumously named him a "saint".
However, Henry II was not a complete failure, he planted a seed in the struggle between the imperial power and the clerical power in England. 300 years after Becket's murder, Henry VIII of England launched the Reformation, destroying Becket's tomb repaired by Henry II and destroying his bones.
Evaluation of the past
"I love god even more."
—Thomas Beckett