Thomas Becket: Martyred in The Cathedral

Sometime in 1118, the exact date is unknown, a child was born in Cheapside, London. He was not of noble birth though he was of Norman stock. Rather, he was the son of a relatively prosperous merchant. The boys name was Thomas Becket, and he was to become England’s first Christian martyr.

Thomas was not raised in a courtly household. He spent much of his young life mixing with common people and his language was that of the street. He spent much of his time as a child in the countryside where he learned the manly pursuits of hawking and hunting. He also learned how to wield a sword. Becket was to grow up to be no mild-mannered pen-pusher. He was to show more than once that he could deal with the rough-and-tumble of life. His education, though often good, was somewhat piecemeal, and his father, Gilbert, was not so wealthy that his son did not have to go out and earn his living. But his family did have connections, and through these Thomas was able to secure himself a number of important posts. Early on he displayed a flair for administration and seemed to understand the minutiae of financial accounting. He also understood the law. His talents ensured that he was a young man going places.

Becket’s administrative abilities earned him a place in the household of Theobald of Bec, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Part of his duties were to represent the Archbishop abroad. Whilst resident in Italy and France he studied Canon Law. He had never previously considered the religious life.

The young King Henry

In January, 1155, Theobald recommended him to the young King Henry II as Lord Chancellor. Henry, aware of Becket’s reputation, especially in financial matters, was happy to oblige. He was not to be disappointed, Becket flourished in his new role. His connections within the clergy meant that few now failed to pay their taxes on time. Likewise, his awareness of the law and how it could be manipulated saw the revenue from land increase considerably. Henry’s coffers were soon overflowing, and he could not have been more impressed with his new Lord Chancellor.

In 1162, Theobald died. The obvious candidate to replace him as Archbishop of Canterbury was Thomas Becket, even though at the time he had not even been ordained as a priest. This oversight was soon rectified and his ordination took place on 2 July. The following day his ordination became official.