Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket (/ˈbɛkɪt/), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London[1] and later Thomas à Becket[note 1] (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170) served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then notably as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his death in 1170. He engaged in conflict with Henry II, King of England, over the rights and privileges of the Church and was murdered by followers of the king in Canterbury Cathedral. Soon after his death, he was canonised by Pope Alexander III. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.
Saint Thomas Becket | |
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 One of the earliest known depictions of Becket's assassination, c. 1175–1225 | |
| Church | Latin Church |
| Archdiocese | Canterbury |
| See | Canterbury |
| Appointed | 24 May 1162 |
| Term ended | 29 December 1170 |
| Predecessor | Theobald of Bec |
| Successor | Roger de Bailleul (Archbishop-elect) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 2 June 1162 |
| Consecration | 3 June 1162 by Henry of Blois |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 December c. 1119 Cheapside, London, Kingdom of England |
| Died | 29 December 1170 (aged 50 or 51) Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, Kingdom of England |
| Buried | Canterbury Cathedral |
| Denomination | Catholicism |
| Parents |
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| Previous post(s) | |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 29 December |
| Venerated in | |
| Beatified | by Pope Alexander III |
| Canonized | 21 February 1173 by Pope Alexander III |
| Attributes | |
| Patronage | |
| Shrines | Canterbury Cathedral |
| Cult suppressed | 1538 (by Henry VIII) |
| Lord Chancellor | |
| In office 1155–1162 | |
| Monarch | Henry II |
| Preceded by | Robert of Ghent |
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Ridel |