Henry II and Thomas Beckett

 Appleby, J.T., Henry II – The Vanquished King, (G. Bell and Sons, 1962)

   

Formally chancellor and a knight

·         His appointment to archbishop was not much liked by the monks – Becket was secular which was unheard of – only went along with the appointment to please the king

·         Becket undertook all of his good work in the public sphere – no privacy when at court

·         Opposed the King’s plan to increase revenues – the King did not like this – thought ill of him

·         Also opposed the plan for William, Henry’s brother, to marry Countess Warenne – widow of King’s Stephen’s son William – as the William’s were cousins, Thomas would not allow it

·         Thomas held responsible for the death of William as he died of a broken heart

·         Another thing the king did not like was Thomas’s energetic efforts to reclaim all the possessions of the archbishopric. Pg 81

·         Henry decided in favour of the Earl Roger of Clare after the case of his castle was passed to him. Thomas wanted it - the earl said no, I got it from the King.

·         Anger increased over what was thought to be Thomas assuming unlawful power over subjects belonging to the King and ‘encroaching on the King’s prerogatives’ pg 83

·         Thomas refused to change his ways in punishing the King’s subjects

·         Henry made Thomas to take an oath ‘I will observe the customs of the realm in good faith, and, as it is fitting and proper, I will obey you in everything else that is good’. Pg 88

·         THIS DID NOT HAPPEN – Becket refused

·         Thomas went out of his way to defy the King and to irritate him

·         Henry wanted Thomas stripped of his assets

·         Thomas was sentenced to death – with no trial

·         In 1169, monks wanted a reconciliation between Thomas and Henry

·         In 1170, after many attempts at being reconciled and sorted out, Henry’s men who had been excommunicated by Thomas decided to act for the King and kill him. They scalped his first and then they killed him

·         Reginald Fitz Urse, William of tracy, Hugh of Morville and Richard of Breton.

Barlow, F, Thomas Becket, (University of California Press, 1990), Pg 246

·         Not their original aim to kill him – were just going to restrain him and use force if necessary

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Probably would teach this with CSI music. I think role playing. Split into groups after doing a story board of 6 points, and act out the story. Could even make it modern day. – i’ve done this – works quite well.