Canterbury, December 1170: after Henry II reportedly loses his temper about Thomas Becket, four knights ride to the cathedral, and the King spends the next years apologising
Royal Outburst Misinterpreted
CANTERBURY, 29 December 1170 – Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, has been killed inside his own cathedral by four knights from the household of King Henry II, in one of the most shocking events of the medieval world. Royal officials are insisting the King never intended any such thing and that his recent remarks about the Archbishop were, in modern terms, taken out of context.
Former Best Friends
Henry and Becket had once been extremely close. Becket, the son of a London merchant, rose to become the King chancellor and close companion, hunting, feasting and running government business at his side. In 1162, Henry made him Archbishop of Canterbury, expecting a loyal ally at the head of the English church. Instead, Becket transformed himself into a fierce defender of church rights against royal power, particularly over whether clergy accused of crimes should be tried in church courts or royal ones. The two men became bitter enemies. Becket spent six years in exile in France before a fragile reconciliation allowed his return in late 1170, where he promptly excommunicated several bishops who had sided with the King.
The Remark
News of the excommunications reached Henry in Normandy. According to contemporary accounts, the King flew into a rage and complained bitterly about the miserable drones and traitors he had raised in his household who let him be treated with such contempt by a low-born clerk. The famous version, will no one rid me of this turbulent priest, does not appear in contemporary sources and seems to be a later, snappier summary. Historians note that the real words were longer and less quotable, but that four knights got the message anyway.
The Killing
The knights, Reginald FitzUrse, Hugh de Morville, William de Tracy and Richard le Breton, crossed the Channel, confronted Becket and, when he refused their demands, attacked him in the cathedral during evening vespers. An eyewitness account by a monk, Edward Grim, who was himself wounded, survives. The Archbishop died on the cathedral floor.
The Aftermath
The killing horrified Christian Europe. Becket was declared a saint by the Pope in 1173, astonishingly quickly. Canterbury became one of the greatest pilgrimage destinations in Europe, the destination of Chaucer pilgrims two centuries later. In 1174, Henry performed public penance: he walked barefoot into Canterbury, prayed at Becket tomb and was whipped by monks. The knights were reportedly sent on penitential pilgrimage. Historians observe that the King spent years apologising for a temper tantrum, which is a cautionary tale for anyone who says things in anger about a former friend.
Meanwhile, in 2026
Words spoken in anger by royals continue to cause trouble. The London Prat reports Prince William reportedly calling Earl Spencer and Harry traitors after an anonymous source claimed the heir believes his brother read their uncle memoir first. Reports say reconciliation is off, and the uncle says he told everyone. Medieval historians note that Henry II also used the word traitors in a moment of fury, and spent years regretting it, and suggest that royal families might consider counting to ten.
The London Prat has been reporting royal outbursts since 1961 at https://prat.uk/, with its royal row video on YouTube. Bohiney at https://bohiney.com/ covers American leaders who also say things they later regret.
Study Questions for Students
Why did Henry and Becket fall out so badly? Did Henry intend the murder? How did Becket become more powerful in death than in life? Discuss, and count to ten before posting anything.
SOURCE: https://prat.uk/prince-william-called-earl-spencer-and-harry-traitors/