On 29 December 1110, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral. The four knights who carried out the murder claimed that they were acting on orders from the king. How could such a terrible thing have happened?
Becket had been appointed Archbishop by Henry II, in 1162. He and Henry had been friends for many years and the king expected that the new Archbishop would support him in everything he did. But Becket had strong views on the importance of the Church. Medieval priests did not always behave as we would expect our priests today to behave. Some of them committed crimes and had to be punished. But these priests could ask to be tried by the Church's own courts and often got light sentences. Henry did not like this, and passed new laws saying that priests should be tried in the king's courts like everyone else. Becket said Henry was interfering with the rights of the Church, He and Henry quarrelled so strongly that, in 1 165, Becket left England.
Becket returned in 1170 and he and Henry tried to work together. But as soon as Becker was back, he excommunicated (expelled from the Church) all those bishops who had been helping Henry while he was abroad. The king could hardly believe it. In his anger he is said to have: shouted: 'Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?' Four knights decided that Henry wanted Becket dead and murdered him. Henry later claimed that he had not meant that at all.
