Thomas Becket

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Thomas à Becket

Thomas Becket (1118 – 1170) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his death in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He engaged in conflict with Henry II of England over the rights and privileges of the Church and was assassinated by followers of the king in Canterbury Cathedral. Soon after the death of Thomas Becket, Pope Alexander canonised him and the murdered priest was elevated to sainthood. The monks were afraid that Becket's body might be stolen. To prevent this from happening, Becket's marble coffin was placed in the crypt of the cathedral. The monks also built a stone wall in front of the tomb. There were two gaps in the wall where pilgrims could insert their heads and kiss the tomb. In 1220, Becket's bones were moved to a new gold-plated and bejewelled shrine behind the high altar. The shrine was placed on a raised platform supported by pillars. Canterbury, because of its religious history, had always …more

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Books with Thomas Becket

	The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge, #1) by Ken Follett (Goodreads Author) 4.35 avg rating — 831,999 ratings — published 1989 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England by Dan Jones (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 24,031 ratings — published 2012 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot 3.71 avg rating — 12,550 ratings — published 1936 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Time and Chance (Plantagenets #2; Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine #2) by Sharon Kay Penman 4.30 avg rating — 9,427 ratings — published 2002 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Fifth Knight (The Fifth Knight #1) by E.M. Powell (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 3,645 ratings — published 2012 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Becket by Jean Anouilh 3.99 avg rating — 1,980 ratings — published 1959 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Courts of Love (Queens of England, #5) by Jean Plaidy 3.93 avg rating — 1,934 ratings — published 1987 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel by John Guy 3.99 avg rating — 851 ratings — published 2012 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Henry II by Wilfred Lewis Warren 4.07 avg rating — 327 ratings — published 1973 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Unacknowledged Legislation: Writers in the Public Sphere by Christopher Hitchens 4.02 avg rating — 280 ratings — published 2000 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars