First modern study devoted to one of the twelfth-century's most enigmatic, influential and fascinating figures.

"This book describes the roots of a set of ideals that effected a radical transformation of eleventh-century European society that led to the confrontation between church and monarchy known as the investiture struggle or Gregorian reform. Ideas cannot be divorced from reality, especially not in the Middle Ages. I present them, therefore, in their contemporary political, social, and cultural context."—from the Preface

T. S. Eliot's most famous drama, a retelling of the murder of the archbishop of Canterbury Murder in the Cathedral, written for the Canterbury Festival in 1935, was one of T. S. Eliot’s first dramatic achievements, and it remains one of the great plays of the century. It takes as its subject matter the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, depicting the events that led to his assassination, in his own cathedral church, by the knights of Henry II in 1170. Like Greek drama, the play’s theme and form are rooted in religion, ritual purgation and renewal, and it was this return to the earliest sources of drama that brought poetry triumphantly back to the English stage at the time. "The theatre is enriched by this poetic play of grave beauty and momentous decision." —The New York Times

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2007 in the subject Politics - Miscellaneous, grade: First, Keele University, course: Politics, 36 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The murder of St. Thomas Becket in 1170 was a significant event in defining the relationship between Church and State in Mediaeval England. It called into question the validity of the King's authority, and the extent to which the Papacy were able to claim political, as well as spiritual, supremacy in England. The murder served to significantly change the relationship between Church and State in England in several ways, and also played a part in bringing about Magna Carta in 1215, the consequences of which are still relevant to English politics today.

Through the eye-witness and contemporary biographical accounts, this book provides valuable insight into the late-12th century world. The extracts, many previously untranslated, expose one of the most controversial figures of the Middle Ages. Written as the shock of Becket's murder in 1170 reverberated around Europe, the accounts provide vivid testimony to the most dramatic events of his life. They show how he became champion of the church and enemy of the king, fled into exile to lead a life of asceticism and political agitation, and returned to face martyrdom before the altar of his own cathedral.