The core of their conflict centered on the “Constitutions of Clarendon” (1164), a set of laws that sought to restrict clerical privileges and bring the clergy under the jurisdiction of royal courts. Becket refused to accept these laws, insisting on the church’s right to try clergy in ecclesiastical courts rather than secular ones.
This dispute escalated into a bitter power struggle, with Becket excommunicating some of Henry’s supporters and going into self-imposed exile in France in 1164. He remained in exile for six years, supported by King Louis VII of France and the papacy.
Return and Martyrdom
Under pressure from the church and political circumstances, Henry II eventually reconciled with Becket in 1170, allowing him to return to England. However, their peace was short-lived. The conflict reignited as Becket continued to resist royal interference in church matters.
On December 29, 1170, four knights—believing they were acting on Henry II’s wishes—murdered Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. The brutal killing shocked Christendom and turned Becket into a martyr. shutdown123