The Rise of Thomas Becket

Gone Medieval

History Hit

History

4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 2 July 2024

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

"Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?!"

These words supposedly uttered by a King over 800 years ago set in motion a chain of gruesome events, and sparked cult-like devotion across the world.

This month Gone Medieval marks the 850th anniversary of King Henry II’s penance for the murder of Thomas Becket by recounting the events leading up to and following Becket’s martyrdom. Across four special episodes Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis consider Becket's meteoric rise in status to becoming the Archbishop of Canterbury, his increasingly fractious relationship with King Henry II, the vicious murder itself and finally, how the cult of St Thomas of Canterbury spread across the European continent.

But how did Thomas Becket first rise to power and prominence? Professor Michael Staunton, Associate Professor of History at University College Dublin joins Eleanor to unwrap the enigma and get to the heart of who Thomas Becket was, and whether his fate was truly inescapable.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis. It was edited by Ella Blaxill, the producers are Rob Weinberg and Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Exactly 850 years ago. In July 1174, an English king approaches the city of Canterbury.
0:14.0	Disguarding his shoes and his royal robes, he pulls on a coarse, sat cloth garment,
0:20.4	staggering barefooted through the streets, this sorry figure is in stark contrast to his usual regal
0:27.8	demeanor. With each step the weight of his guilt appears to sit more heavily upon his shoulders.
0:35.9	As he reaches his destination, the enormous heavy doors creak open,
0:42.4	and King Henry II enters the cathedral where three years earlier
0:47.6	his former friend and ally Thomas Beckett was brutally murdered.
0:57.0	Approaching Beckett's shrine Henry sinks to his knees, fervently praying and weeping.
1:03.7	To all onlookers, the king truly appears to be in anguish.
1:08.2	In an unprecedented act of penance, Henry confesses his sins publicly to the bishops and monks gathered about him.
1:15.2	Henry then prostrates himself before the tomb and in turn each bishop comes forward
1:21.2	to strike his bare back five times with a rod.
1:25.0	The 80 monks of Canterbury Cathedral follow, each dealing Henry three blows.
1:31.0	Over the seemingly endless hours that follow, the king endures more than 250 lashes.
1:39.3	For those who look on, the sight of the king humbling himself in such extreme acts of self-mortification
1:45.0	is both shocking and inspiring. It speaks of the power of the church and the seriousness with which Henry takes his faith and his responsibilities as a ruler.
1:56.5	It reinforces the sanctity of Beckett's martyrdom, further elevating his status as a saint, and making Canterbury a major site of pilgrimage.
2:07.0	This event will continue to resound through the centuries that follow and leave an indelible mark on English history.
2:14.0	But how did we get here? I'm Dr. Eleanor Yanega and this is gone medieval from history hit.
2:33.0	This month in four special episodes,
2:35.0	Matt Lewis and I are marking the 850th anniversary of King Henry II's penance
2:41.0	for the murder of Thomas Beckett by recounting the events leading up to
	...

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