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Hello Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in his cathedral in December 1170

by four knights who'd come to arrest him as a traitor, as they thought to please the king.

Becket had once been King Henry II's Chancellor, friend and right-hand man

as Archbishop he'd become his enemy, blocking royal powers over clergy and excommunicating the Bishop's who

while Becket was hiding in France had crowned the King's older son as heir to the throne.

Becket's tune became a shrine.

He became a saint two years later and Canterbury became one of the main destinations for pilgrims across Europe

for the next 400 years until Henry VIII had his bones scattered in their reformation.

We're meeting to discuss Thomas Becket's art, Laura Ash, Associate Professor of English at Worcester College University of Oxford.

Michael Staunton, Associate Professor in History at University College Dublin, and Danica Summeling,

lecturer in medieval history at the University of Sheffield.

Michael Staunton Becket became one of the most powerful men in the land, but how did his life begin?

Thomas was born around 1118 in London.

He was from a comfortable middle-class background. His parents were immigrants from Normandy, Gilbert Becket and Matilda.

So he was Thomas Becket, he was never Thomas A Becket.

He grew up in a house in cheap side. He was educated in Merton Priory, studied in a grammar school.

His family had made money as his father was merchant and then made money from renting out property.

...