The Friendship of Henry and Thomas
Henry, far from being jealous of his minister, was constantly in and out at the chancellor’s house.…
KAPITEL IX.
CHAPTER IX. This chapter examines Thomas Becket’s tenure as chancellor under Henry II, evaluating the immense wealth that passed through his hands and the personal character he displayed amid the temptations of a corrupt court.…
Thomas’s wealth as chancellor
Thomas’s wealth as chancellor The enormous wealth that passed through Thomas’s hands during his chancellorship, while potentially scandalous by modern standards, was unremarkable…
Thomas’s personal character and lack of arrogance
Thomas’s personal character and lack of arrogance Amid his magnificent expenditure, there is no evidence of corruption and certainly no arrogance in Thomas’s conduct.…
Thomas’s moral purity amid court corruption
Thomas’s moral purity amid court corruption Thomas, like Henry himself, was a marvel to his contemporaries, astonishing the strict with his unclerical life and perplexing the simp…
Strain of Thomas’s position at court
Strain of Thomas’s position at court Thomas’s position at court was far from easy, for a time assailed by envy, hatred, and malice from all sides, and overwhelmed by an immense lo…
Thomas’s role in Henry’s administration
Thomas’s role in Henry’s administration In later years, more than half the credit of Henry’s early reforms was bestowed upon the chancellor, who was described as the champion of a…
Henry’s coronation charter
Henry’s coronation charter Henry’s first manifesto was published before Thomas entered his service, immediately after the coronation, in the form of a charter setting forth the br…
Expulsion of Flemings and demolition of castles
Expulsion of Flemings and demolition of castles On Christmas Day, the king held his court at Bermondsey and, with the counsel of the assembled barons, set about enforcing the prov…
Reassertion of royal rights over crown lands
Reassertion of royal rights over crown lands With these preliminary obstacles cleared, Henry moved to reassert the rights of the Crown by abolishing the fiscal earldoms and reclai…
Subjugation of William of Aumale
Subjugation of William of Aumale One at least of the usurping barons required personal attention: William of Aumale, lord of Holderness, whose father had once aspired to the crown…
Revolt of the western barons
Revolt of the western barons Early in March, Henry called another council in London, confirmed the peace and renewed the old customs of the realm, and again summoned all holders o…
Submission of the East Anglian barons
Submission of the East Anglian barons Two great barons still remained to be dealt with at the opposite side of the kingdom: Hugh Bigod, the veteran turncoat and hereditary power i…
Henry’s proposed expedition to Ireland
Henry’s proposed expedition to Ireland Even before the final settlement of East Anglia, peace and order were sufficiently secured by the autumn of 1155 that Henry could venture to…
The original text of this work is in the public domain. This page focuses on a guided summary article, reading notes, selected quotes, and visual learning materials for educational purposes.