Editing Thomas Becket (section)

==Constitutions of Clarendon==
{{Main article|Becket controversy}}
{{further|Constitutions of Clarendon}}
[[File:Jindrich2 Beckett.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|14th-century depiction of Becket at centre with King Henry II at left|alt=Manuscript illustration. The central man is wearing robes and a mitre and is facing the seated figure on the left. The seated man is wearing a crown and robes and is gesturing at the mitred man. Behind the mitred figure are a number of standing men wearing armour and carrying weapons.]]
King Henry II presided over assemblies of most of the higher English clergy at [[Clarendon Palace]] on 30 January 1164. In 16 constitutions he sought less clerical independence and weaker connections with Rome. He used his skills to induce their consent and apparently succeeded with all but Becket. Finally, even Becket expressed willingness to agree to the substance of the [[Constitutions of Clarendon]], but he still refused formally to sign the documents. Henry summoned Becket to appear before a great council at [[Northampton Castle]] on 8 October 1164, to answer allegations of contempt of royal authority and [[malfeasance]] in the Chancellor's office. Convicted on the charges, Becket stormed out of the trial and fled to the [[Continental Europe|Continent]].<ref name=ODNB/>

Henry pursued the fugitive archbishop with a series of [[edict]]s, targeting Becket and all Becket's friends and supporters, but King [[Louis VII of France]] offered Becket protection. He spent nearly two years in the [[Cistercian]] [[abbey]] of [[Pontigny Abbey|Pontigny]], until Henry's threats against the order obliged him to return to [[Sens]]. Becket fought back by threatening [[excommunication]] and an [[interdict]] against the king and bishops and the kingdom, but [[Pope Alexander III]], though sympathising with him in theory, favoured a more diplomatic approach. [[Papal legates]] were sent in 1167 with authority to act as arbitrators.<ref name=ODNB/>

[[File:Arbroath Abbey Seal 01.jpg|thumb|A [[Seal (emblem)|Seal]] of the [[Abbot of Arbroath]], showing the murder of Becket. [[Arbroath Abbey]] was founded 8 years after the death of St Thomas and dedicated to him; it became the wealthiest abbey in Scotland.]]
In 1170, Alexander sent delegates to impose a solution to the dispute. At that point, Henry offered a compromise that would allow Thomas to return to England from exile.<ref name=ODNB/>