Thomas Becket and His World - (Medieval Lives) by Michael Staunton (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A life of England's most famous martyr, rooted in the currents of twelfth-century Europe.

This book explores the turbulent life and violent death of Thomas Becket, one of the most controversial figures in the Middle Ages: a London merchant's son turned royal chancellor, an archbishop of Canterbury turned martyred saint. Michael Staunton looks at Becket's complex and contested legacy, drawing from the bishop's writings as well as those of his contemporaries.

Based on extensive research, this account offers a fresh perspective on Thomas Becket's life and places him within the broader landscape of twelfth-century England and Europe--a time of rapid change and conflict. The book is perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about a pivotal figure in medieval history.

Review Quotes

"Well illustrated and fluently written for a general audience . . . a sound and accessible account of an individual whose motives remain unknowable even as they continue to fascinate."-- "Choice"

"Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his cathedral in 1170 after seven years of bitter quarrel with his old friend Henry II, is one of the most well-known and well-documented figure in English history. . . . The story has been told for generations; Michael Staunton does it well here, paying due attention to the hagiographical bias of most of the evidence."
-- "Times Literary Supplement"

"In this beautifully fluent new biography, Michael Staunton brings out the challenges and contradictions running through the controversial life and death of Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury. We see a man who was, by turns, worldly, aloof and, ultimately, exasperatingly intransigent and unafraid to die for his beliefs. Blending smart storytelling with clever nuance, this is a genuine pleasure to read."--Jonathan Phillips, author of 'The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin'

"Michael Staunton's Thomas Becket and His World achieves what historical novels only dream of attaining. It is a masterful account of one of the most famous figures of the Middle Ages, written with the clarity and confidence one might expect of a leading authority in the Angevin world. By interweaving a close study of the original texts and a nuanced consideration of their historical context, the book provides a persuasive reading of the martyred archbishop of Canterbury and the twelfth century he inhabited. Yet the Thomas Becket that emerges from these pages is not a distant medieval churchman, but a complex and conflicted human being, seemingly more alive than most people we know today. Torn between his duty to serve his king (and onetime friend) and his duty to serve his Church, Thomas experiences in his own life the tension between political and ecclesiastical authority that dominated so much of medieval history. By the time we reach the thrilling crescendo of the last chapters, the book has become a meditation on the complexities of heroic virtue. Succinct but thorough, restrained but passionate, this is a perfect book."--Karen Sullivan, Bard College

"Splendidly illustrated and a fascinating read, Michael Staunton brings to life the personal and political contexts that propelled the "lowborn clerk", son of immigrant parents, to the positions of royal chancellor, archbishop of Canterbury, and finally the martyred victim of "the murder in the cathedral" and saint."--Anne J. Duggan, King's College London

"This compelling account of the life of Thomas Becket is an enthralling story of the saint's life set within the wider context of the world in which he lived and died. Michael Staunton wears his scholarship and erudition with a lightness of touch which is awe-inspiring. The book is a triumph."--Stephen Church, University of Lincoln

About the Author

Michael Staunton is professor of medieval history at University College Dublin. His books include The Historians of Angevin England.