Download or read book Thomas Becket written by John Guy and published by Random House. This book was released on 2012-07-03 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revisionist new biography reintroducing readers to one of the most subversive figures in English history—the man who sought to reform a nation, dared to defy his king, and laid down his life to defend his sacred honor NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY KANSAS CITY STAR AND BLOOMBERG Becket’s life story has been often told but never so incisively reexamined and vividly rendered as it is in John Guy’s hands. The son of middle-class Norman parents, Becket rose against all odds to become the second most powerful man in England. As King Henry II’s chancellor, Becket charmed potentates and popes, tamed overmighty barons, and even personally led knights into battle. After his royal patron elevated him to archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, however, Becket clashed with the King. Forced to choose between fealty to the crown and the values of his faith, he repeatedly challenged Henry’s authority to bring the church to heel. Drawing on the full panoply of medieval sources, Guy sheds new light on the relationship between the two men, separates truth from centuries of mythmaking, and casts doubt on the long-held assumption that the headstrong rivals were once close friends. He also provides the fullest accounting yet for Becket’s seemingly radical transformation from worldly bureaucrat to devout man of God. Here is a Becket seldom glimpsed in any previous biography, a man of many facets and faces: the skilled warrior as comfortable unhorsing an opponent in single combat as he was negotiating terms of surrender; the canny diplomat “with the appetite of a wolf” who unexpectedly became the spiritual paragon of the English church; and the ascetic rebel who waged a high-stakes contest of wills with one of the most volcanic monarchs of the Middle Ages. Driven into exile, derided by his enemies as an ungrateful upstart, Becket returned to Canterbury in the unlikeliest guise of all: as an avenging angel of God, wielding his power of excommunication like a sword. It is this last apparition, the one for which history remembers him best, that will lead to his martyrdom at the hands of the king’s minions—a grisly episode that Guy recounts in chilling and dramatic detail. An uncommonly intimate portrait of one of the medieval world’s most magnetic figures, Thomas Becket breathes new life into its subject—cementing for all time his place as an enduring icon of resistance to the abuse of power.
Download or read book Thomas Becket written by Lloyd De Beer and published by . This book was released on 2021-06 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Marking the 850th anniversary of his dramatic murder, this major exhibition and book presents Becket's tumultuous journey from a merchant's son to Archbishop of Canterbury, and from a revered saint in death to a 'traitor' in the eyes of Henry VIII over 350 years later. The assassination of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 changed the course of history. Becket was one of the most powerful figures of his time, serving as royal Chancellor and later as Archbishop of Canterbury. Initially a close friend of King Henry II, the two men became engaged in a bitter dispute that culminated in Becket's shocking murder by knights with close ties to the king. Becket was quickly canonized a saint by the Pope and his shrine at Canterbury became a major center of European pilgrimage. Becket's international popularity endured for centuries until Henry VIII attempted to eradicate his cult as part of his reforms of the Church in England. Featuring an incredible array of objects associated with Becket, including medieval stained glass, manuscripts, jewellery and sacred reliquaries, Thomas Becket: murder and the making of a saint explores his dramatic life, death and legacy. This unique and fascinating story reveals the political and religious landscape of medieval Europe, demonstrating the formation and endurance of his cult. In death, Becket remained a figure of opposition to power and came to be seen as a defender of rights of the Church. An extraordinary number of miracles were recorded in the immediate aftermath of his death, leading to his rapid canonization and the development of his cult. Images of Becket are found across Latin Christendom, from Germany and Spain, to Italy and Norway and Becket's shrine at Canterbury Cathedral became one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in Europe. A dedicated section will delve deeper into the Miracle Window of stained glass from Canterbury Cathedral. Here, new research from Professor Rachel Koopmans (York University, Toronto) examines the creative complexity of the windows, shedding light on the recent discoveries that led to the re-evaluation of some of the panels which were previously thought to be modern replacements.
Download or read book The Cult of Thomas Becket written by Kay Brainerd Slocum and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-10-26 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On 29 December, 1170, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was brutally murdered in his own cathedral. News of the event was rapidly disseminated throughout Europe, generating a widespread cult which endured until the reign of Henry VIII in the sixteenth century, and engendering a fascination which has lasted until the present day. The Cult of Thomas Becket: History and Historiography through Eight Centuries contributes to the lengthy debate surrounding the saint by providing a historiographical analysis of the major themes in Becket scholarship, tracing the development of Becket studies from the writings of the twelfth-century biographers to those of scholars of the twenty-first century. The book offers a thorough commentary and analysis which demonstrates how the Canterbury martyr was viewed by writers of previous generations as well as our own, showing how they were influenced by the intellectual trends and political concerns of their eras, and indicating how perceptions of Thomas Becket have changed over time. In addition, several chapters are devoted a discussion of artworks in various media devoted to the saint, as well as liturgies and sermons composed in his honor. Combining a wide historical scope with detailed textual analysis, this book will be of great interest to scholars of medieval religious history, art history, liturgy, sanctity and hagiography.
Download or read book The Cult of St Thomas Becket in the Plantagenet World C 1170 c 1220 written by Paul Webster and published by Boydell & Brewer. This book was released on 2016 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The extraordinary growth and development of the cult of St Thomas Becket is investigated here, with a particular focus on its material culture.
Download or read book Thomas Becket written by Frank Barlow and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1986 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new interpretation of the Protestant Reformation provides an alternate perspective on the faith's core idea about individuals having direct access to God without the need for priest and institutional mediation, in an account that traces five centuries of Protestant influence.
Download or read book The Quest for Becket s Bones written by John R. Butler and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 1995-01-01 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In January 1888, workmen excavating in the eastern crypt of Canterbury Cathedral discovered the bones of a skeleton many believed to be that of the martyred archbishop, Thomas Beckett. This book traces the full history of `Beckett's bones', from their alleged destruction by Henry VIII's commissioners during the Reformation to the present day. Includes fascinating observations, such as the unexpected discovery by workmen in 1865 of Dante's bones concealed in a wooden box a short distance from his empty tomb.
Download or read book Henry II written by Wilfred Lewis Warren and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1973 with total page 750 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Henry II was an enigma to contemporaries, and has excited widely divergent judgements ever since. Dramatic incidents of his reign, such as his quarrel with Archbishop Becket and his troubled relations with his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and his sons, have attracted the attention of historical novelists, playwrights and filmmakers, but with no unanimity of interpretation. That he was a great king there can be no doubt. Yet his motives and intentions are not easy to divine, and it is Professor Warren's contention that concentration on the great crises of the reign can lead to distortion. This book is therefore a comprehensive reappraisal of the reign based, with rare understanding, on contemporary sources; it provides a coherent and persuasive revaluation of the man and the king, and is, in itself, an eloquent and impressive achievement.
Download or read book Murder in the Cathedral written by T. S. Eliot and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2014-02-25 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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
Download or read book The Book in the Cathedral written by Christopher de Hamel and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2020-08-06 with total page 69 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the bestselling author of Meetings With Remarkable Manuscripts, a captivating account of the last surviving relic of Thomas Becket The assassination of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 is one of the most famous events in European history. It inspired the largest pilgrim site in medieval Europe and many works of literature from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales to T. S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral and Anouilh's Becket. In a brilliant piece of historical detective work, Christopher de Hamel here identifies the only surviving relic from Becket's shrine: the Anglo-Saxon Psalter which he cherished throughout his time as Archbishop of Canterbury, and which he may even have been holding when he was murdered. Beautifully illustrated and published to coincide with the 850th anniversary of the death of Thomas Becket, this is an exciting rediscovery of one of the most evocative artefacts of medieval England.
Download or read book The Lives of Thomas Becket written by Michael Staunton and published by Manchester University Press. This book was released on 2001-12-07 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Henry II written by Christopher Harper-Bill and published by Boydell Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Henry II is the most imposing figure among the medieval kings of England. His fiefs & domains extended from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, & his court was frequented by the greatest thinkers of his time. Best known for his dramatic conflicts, it was also a crucial period in the evolution of legal & governmental institutions.
Download or read book Becket written by Jean Anouilh and published by Penguin. This book was released on 1995-09-01 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The celebrated play that draws from historical events in the Norman conquest of England to create a profound portrait of a man's soul—and a transcendent vision of the human spirit From its powerful opening scene, of a naked King Henry II praying at the tomb of Thomas Becket, to the final wrenching act of ultimate self-sacrifice, Jean Anouilh's Becket remains a towering achievement in the history of the theatre. Winner of the Antoinette Perry Award for Best Play of the Season, Anouilh's monumental work—introduced in this edition by the acclaimed writer and critic Andre Aciman—draws from historical events in the Norman conquest of England to paint a profound and enduring portrait of the saint and martyr.
Download or read book Medieval Art Architecture Archaeology at Canterbury written by Alixe Bovey and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "From the time of the foundation of its cathedral in 597, Canterbury has been the epicentre of Britain's ecclesiastical history, and an exceptionally important centre for architectural and visual innovation. Focusing especially but not exclusively on Christ Church cathedral, this legacy is explored in seventeen essays concerned with Canterbury's art, architecture and archaeology between the early Anglo-Saxon period and the close of the middle ages. Papers consider the relationship between between architectural setting and liturgical practice, and between stationary and movable fittings, while fresh insights are offered into the aesthetic, spiritual, and pragmatic considerations that shaped the fabric of Christ Church and St Augustine's abbey, alongside critical reflections on Canterbury's historiography and relationship to the wider world. Taken together, these studies demonstrate the richness of the surviving material, and its enduring ability to raise new questions.
Download or read book Becket Henry written by James J. Spigelman and published by James Spigelman. This book was released on 2004 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book St Thomas Becket written by Michael Green and published by Gracewing Publishing. This book was released on 2004 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The murder of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 is one of the most famous events in English history, creating shock waves which reverberated across Europe. His shrine at Canterbury (destroyed in 1538) became the most famous in Christendom, and after his canonisation the cult of St Thomas of Canterbury was the most important of any English saint. Millions of pilgrims have made the journey to Canterbury Cathedral to visit the shrine and the site of the martyrdom. In modern times his life and death have been celebrated in music, literature, theatre and film. The story of Becket's life and work shows why it has continued to fascinate and enthral across the centuries. A brilliant young man, he studied in London and Paris, and after entering the service of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury, in Bologna and Auxerre. He accompanied Theobald to Rome to enlist the support of Pope Eugenius III for Henry Plantagenet's claim to the English throne, and after Henry's accession as Henry II in 1154 Thomas became the new king's Chancellor. Becket's relations with Henry deteriorated after 1162, when he unwillingly accepted the position of Archbishop of Canterbury, and championed the rights of the Church in opposition to the wishes of the king. The conflict between the two men reached its tragic climax on the evening of 29th December 1170, when Thomas was murdered by four of Henry's knights in a side chapel of his own cathedral. . Here is a popular introduction to the life and work of this important English saint. Michael Green has spent most of his life in Kent, and in retirement took a degree in Social Science at Canterbury Christ Church University College. Married for fifty years and an active member of the Church of St Thomas of Canterbury.
Download or read book Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury written by William Holden Hutton and published by . This book was released on 1910 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury by William Holden Hutton, first published in 1910, is a rare manuscript, the original residing in one of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, which has been scanned and cleaned by state-of-the-art publishing tools for better readability and enhanced appreciation. Restoration Editors' mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it.
Download or read book The Chasuble of Thomas Becket written by Avinoam Shalem and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The so-called chasuble of Thomas Becket (1118?1170) is one of the most magnificent medieval textiles in the Mediterranean region. Richly decorated with ornaments, fabulous animals and figures in lavish gold embroidery with Arabic inscriptions, this precious liturgical garment provides impressive proof of the re-utilisation of the Islamic arts in the Christian world. 00Venerated as a relic of St Thomas of Canterbury, the chasuble was produced in Spanish-Muslim workshops and probably reached Italy as a donation to the Cathedral of Fermo in about 1200. Despite its outstanding artistic quality and fascinating history, this magnificent garment has never hitherto been the subject of a detailed study. Richly illustrated with numerous details, this volume investigates the meaning of the inscriptions and motifs, examines manufacturing techniques and the function of the chasuble, traces its ?biography? and places it within the historical context of the political, economic and cultural situation in the Mediterranean region.
