Thomas Becket

Question 1

1. Why was the Church so powerful in the Middle Ages? (5)

Answer 1

• People were terrified of going to Hell, so listened to the Church - Powerful individuals, including the king, gave money and land to the church to ensure they didn’t go to hell. (Land = Power in the middle ages) - Monks were some of the few members of society to be able to read and write - Nuns provided treatment to people - The Church sheltered travellers.

Question 2

2. What were the Church Courts? (1)

Answer 2

Courts where members of the clergy were tried and punished.

Question 3

3. Why were the Church Courts a problem for the King? (1)

Answer 3

The Church offered more lenient punishments than the Royal Courts

Question 4

4. What is another name for the Church Courts? (1)

Answer 4

Ecclesiastical Courts

Question 5

5. In what year was Becket born, who were his parents and where did he live? (3)

Answer 5

• Circa 1118 - Gilbert & Matilda Becket - Cheapside in London.

Question 6

6. In what year was Becket appointed Chancellor of England? (1)

Answer 6

1155

Question 7

7. In what year was Becket appointed Archbishop of Canterbury and who did he replace? (2)

Answer 7

• 1162 - Theobald

Question 8

8. What were the Constitutions of Clarendon? (1)

Answer 8

A document that made Henry II’s rights over the Church clear.

Question 9

9. When were the Constitutions of Clarendon signed? (2)

Answer 9

30th January 1164

Question 10

10. What did the constitutions of Clarendon try to enforce? (3)

Answer 10

• The authority of the Pope - The rights that the King ‘enjoyed’ over the Church. - Bishops promising to observe these customs.

Question 11

11. When was the Council of Northampton? (2)

Answer 11

October 1164

Question 12

12. What were the results of the Council of Northampton? (3)

Answer 12

• The council found Becket guilty for failing to turn up - As punishment it is decided that he should lose his possessions - Becket decides to go into exile in France and Ranulf de Broc takes over a lot of his ‘land’.

Question 13

13. Where does Becket go while in exile? (2)

Answer 13

Pontigny, France (in a monastery)

Question 14

14. Who carried out the ‘crowning’ of Henry’s eldest son in June 1170 (2)

Answer 14

Archbishop of York & Bishop of London

Question 15

15. Why was Becket so angry at the crowning of Henry’s eldest son? (2)

Answer 15

This was seen as an insult to Becket as it should have been performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Question 16

16. What was ‘excommunication’? (2)

Answer 16

• The action of officially excluding someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Church. - (Essentially, cut off from the Church)

Question 17

17. What happens on 22nd July 1170? (2)

Answer 17

Henry & Becket meet at Freteval in Normandy and treat each other well.

Question 18

18. What does Becket do on returning to England on the 1st December 1170? (3)

Answer 18

• He punishes all those involved in the young king’s coronation. - He brings with him an authorisation from the Pope for the excommunication of all bishops who had supported Henry.

Question 19

19. Where was Henry in December 1170? (2)

Answer 19

Rouen, Normandy

Question 20

20. When and where was Thomas Becket murdered? (3)

Answer 20

29th December 1170 Canterbury Cathedral

Question 21

21. Who were the names of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket? (4)

Answer 21

Reginald Fitzurse Hugh de Morville William de Tracy Richard le Breton

Question 22

22. What was Henry said to have said, that inspired the knights to go and murder Becket? (1)

Answer 22

‘’Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?

Question 23

23. What happened on the 21st February 1173? (2)

Answer 23

• Becket canonised (made a Saint) by Pope Alexander III. - Canterbury becomes a focus for pilgrimage

Question 24

24. How does Henry II show that he is ‘sorry’? (4)

Answer 24

• In 1174 Henry walks through the city of Canterbury barefoot and in simple robes (1 for date and 1 for action) - He allowed 80 monks to symbolically whip him while kneeling by Becket’s tomb. (1 for action, 1 for amount of monks)

Question 25

25. What happened to the four knights? (2)

Answer 25

• They were ordered to go on crusade and not much more is known of them.

Question 26

Who was responsible for Becket’s death? (5)

Answer 26

UP FOR DEBATE, BUT: - The Church - Henry II - The four knights - Becket - Ranulf de Broc

Question 27

27. What was Becket said to have said to Henry after being offered the role of Archbishop? (1)

Answer 27

“Our friendship will turn to hate”