Was Thomas Becket a Saint or an Arrogant Troublemaker?

We ask four historians to consider the reputation of Henry II’s Archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered 850 years ago this month.

Martyrdom of Thomas Becket (detail), Psalter c.1220, f.32 (BL Harley MS 5102). British Library.
Martyrdom of Thomas Becket (detail), Psalter c.1220, f.32 (BL Harley MS 5102). British Library.

‘Medieval sanctity was usually not equivalent to a life of cherubic sweetness’

Rachel Koopmans, Associate Professor of History, York University, Toronto

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