1. Thomas Becket

2. Thomas Becket was a very famous and important person
Thomas Becket was a very famous and important person. Thomas lived a long time ago. He had an argument with the king and something very bad happened to him.

3. Thomas was born in London 890 years ago
Thomas was born in London 890 years ago. His father was called Gilbert and his mother was called Matilda.

4. Thomas’s father had a rich friend who liked Thomas’s sister
Thomas’s father had a rich friend who liked Thomas’s sister. He often invited Thomas to his castle. When Thomas went there he learned to ride a horse, hunt animals, behave like a gentleman and how to joust.

5. When Thomas was 10 he went to school
When Thomas was 10 he went to school. First of all in London and then in France and Italy. He learned to speak French and Italian and was very clever.

6. Thomas did very well at school
Thomas did very well at school. When he came back to England one of the most important people in the country called Theobald asked Thomas to come and work for him.

7. Theobald was the Archbishop of Canterbury
Theobald was the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was in charge of everyone who worked in the church and all the teachers. He sent Thomas to do important work in Rome. Theobald told the king how clever Thomas was.

8. The king’s name was Henry
The king’s name was Henry. He was the second King to be called Henry so he was called Henry the second. When he met Thomas he liked him very much and they became best friends.

9. When Theobald died King Henry made Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury
When Theobald died King Henry made Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas was now one of the most important people in the country. He tried to be good at his job and tell people to do the right thing.

10. King Henry wanted people to listen to him and not to people who worked for the church like the pope or the Archbishop of Canterbury (who was Thomas).
He argued with Thomas.

11. Thomas could not agree with King Henry because he thought he was wrong
Thomas could not agree with King Henry because he thought he was wrong. He left Canterbury and went to stay in France for a while.

12. Thomas came back to England but king Henry was still very angry with him. One night King Henry got in a terrible temper. He shouted ...

13. Will no-one get rid of this turbulant priest

14. Four knights,
Sir Reginald Fitzurse,
Hugh de Moreville,
William de Tracy and Sir Richard Brito heard what the king said. They rode to Canterbury where Thomas was.

15. They left their swords under a sycamore tree
They left their swords under a sycamore tree. They hid their armour under their cloaks because they knew they should not fight in a church.
They went into the church and argued with Thomas and told him to come outside.

16. Thomas stayed praying in the church.
The knights went outside picked up their swords, put on their armour and went back into the church.

17. There in the church they killed Thomas.

18. The knights knew they had done a terrible thing
The knights knew they had done a terrible thing. They ran away to France .
Everybody who heard what happened was shocked and King Henry felt very sad and sorry for what he had said. To show everyone how sad and sorry he was. He went to Canterbury Cathedral. Took off his fine clothes, walked barefoot through the streets and was whipped in front of the church.

19. People came from all over the country to see where Thomas had been killed.
They still go to Canterbury Cathedral today to see where he was killed and to remember what a good man he was.
Eve Batten July 2008