Lessons
1: You
will need Archbishop of Canterbury,
Lanfranc and Thomas
Becket
for this lesson.
You will need Archbishop
of Canterbury, Lanfranc, Thomas
Becket,
Edward
Grim, Drawing
of the Cathedral and Kentish Manors
in 1160. This lesson provides an opportunity for the more able
student to look at primary sources in some depth. Edward Grim provides
a very detailed account of the death of Thomas Becket. Although John
of Salisbury, William Fitz Stephen, Benedict of Peterborough and William
of Canterbury (who were also at the Cathedral at the time) disagree
with Edward Grim about minor details, his account is judged by most
historians to be very reliable.
The earls of Clare had
a long drawn out dispute with the archbishops of Canterbury over
the control of manors in Kent. As Kentish
Manors in 1160 shows, the manors
of these two landowners were very close together. Thomas Becket's
dispute with Roger
de Clare was primarily over the ownership of Tonbridge. Henry II intervened
in the dispute and ruled in favour of Roger de Clare.
Lesson
2 : You will need
Henry
II for this lesson.
(Q1) The right order was
(d) The death of Henry I's son William; (b) The death of Henry I;
(c) The Civil War between Stephen and Matilda; (a) The Treaty of Westminster.
The death of William left Henry I without a legitimate male heir.
When Henry I died, his daughter Matilda attempted to become England's
new monarch. However, the Norman barons were divided on the issue
and civil war broke out between the supporters of Matilda and Stephen.
This civil war only ended with the signing of the Treaty of Westminster
in 1153.
(Q2) (i) An opinion is
a view or judgement formed about a particular matter. For example,
Peter of Blois is expressing an opinion when he wrote: "I hardly
dare say it, but I believe that in truth
he took a delight in seeing what a fix he put us in." (ii) A
fact is something that has actually happened. For example, Peter of
Blois is expressing a fact when he wrote: "Many a time when the
king was sleeping, a message would be passed from his chamber about
a city or town he intended to go to."
(Q3) Gerald of Wales points
out in source 2 that Henry II was involved in fighting wars "in
remote and foreign lands". Source A shows that Henry controlled
large areas of land in Europe.
(Q4) William of Newburgh
lived during the reign of Henry II. He met several people who knew
Henry II and his book is an important source of information about
this period. The books of Gerald of Wales are some of the best sources
that we have on Henry II's reign. Gerald of
Wales worked for Henry for several years and was in a good position
to make judgements about his achievements as king.
(Q5) Historians are interested
when people wrote and published accounts of Henry II for several different
reasons. This information might help the historian discover whether
the writer was describing events he had actually witnessed. If the
author wrote his account soon after the event had taken place, there
is less chance of him making factual errors. However, if the accounts
were written a long time after the event had taken place, the historian
would want to know what sources the author had consulted before writing
his account. If these authors wrote and published their accounts while
Henry was still alive, it is possible they would have been too afraid
of their king to say bad things about him.
(Q6) In source 6, Gerald
of Wales claims that because of the expense of fighting so many wars
Henry "drew into his own treasury... the revenues of the churches."
Gerald also claims that Henry was so busy he "could scarcely
spare an hour to
hear mass". Source 5 indicates that Henry liked to decide who
should become the leaders of the Church. In the writ that he sent
to those electing the Bishop of Winchester, Henry told them who they
had to choose.
(Q7) One of the main reasons
why the people wanted Henry to be king was that it provided an opportunity
for the country to become united again. After the signing of the Treaty
of Westminster, Henry had the support of both sides in the civil war.
Gerald of Wales points out that Henry II brought peace to England.
To maintain the peace between the two factions he allowed several
of Stephen's officials to keep their government posts. Henry also
arranged marriages between the two rival families. According to William
of Newburgh, the laws of England became "dead and buried"
during Stephen's reign. One of the ways Henry maintained the support
of the English people was to make sure the laws of England were enforced
fairly. In source 7, Peter of Blois argues that Henry was constantly
inquiring what "everyone was doing, especially judges whom he
made judges of others."
Henry was a skilled military leader (source 2). This was important
as under his rule, English people felt safe from foreign invasion.
Lesson
3 : You will need
Thomas
Becket
for this lesson.
(Q1) (i) Sources 2 and
5 both describe Thomas Becket when he was chancellor. It is important
to remember that Henry II was a close friend of Becket when he was
chancellor. Source 2 indicates that the two men were still friends
at this point. Source 2 also illustrates Becket's fondness for fine
clothes that he had when he was chancellor. Source 5 is a description
of Thomas Becket as chancellor and army commander of Henry's troops.
(ii) Source 1 contains a description of Becket wearing his hair-shirt.
As chancellor Becket loved wearing fine clothes and it was only when
he became archbishop that he started wearing a hair-shirt.
(Q2) Before
he became archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket had a reputation
for being a cruel military commander and having expensive tastes in
food, wine and clothes. Becket was also a close friend of Henry II.
Many people claimed that Thomas Becket was the wrong man to lead the
Church in England. Becket was determined to
show that his critics were wrong. He began to give away his money
to the poor. Becket also changed his expensive clothes for a simple
monastic habit. He also punished himself for the sins he committed
while he was Henry's chancellor (he slept on a cold floor, wore a
hairshirt and was scourged daily). Becket also showed that he was
an independent leader of the church when he disagreed with Henry's
policy on church courts.
(Q3) Sources 2 and 5 both
describe Thomas Becket when he was chancellor. It is important to
remember that Henry II was a close friend of Becket when he was chancellor.
Source B indicates that the two men were still friends at this point.
Source 2 also illustrates Becket's fondness for fine clothes that
he had when he was chancellor. Source 5 is a description of Thomas
Becket as chancellor and army commander of Henry's troops.
(Ii) Source 1 contains a
description of Becket wearing his hair-shirt. As chancellor Becket
loved wearing fine clothes and it was only when he became archbishop
that he started wearing a hair-shirt.
(Q4) Henry was very concerned
about the number of people who could demand to be tried by church
courts rather than by his courts. As Henry made money from his courts,
he had economic reasons for wanting to reduce the number of people
appearing before church courts. Henry was also worried about the increase
in serious crime. People found guilty in church courts suffered less
severe punishment than in other courts. Henry believed that if he
were able to punish clerics found guilty in church courts, it would
deter other clerics from committing serious crimes in the future.
(Q5) (i) Source 5 claims
that Becket was a cruel soldier ("He destroyed cities and towns,
put manors and farms to the torch without a thought of pity".)
Source 2 illustrates Becket's love of fine clothes and his unwillingness
to help the poor. (Ii) Source 6 shows that Thomas Becket was interested
in correcting any faults he might have had. He was aware that people
were reluctant to openly criticise people with power. Source 1 illustrates
Becket's willingness to punish himself for previous sins by wearing
a hair-shirt.
In order to obtain an
accurate and balanced picture of Becket it would be important for
a historian to consult all these sources. For example, sources 1 and
6 help to show how Becket changed when he became archbishop of Canterbury.
(Q6) As close friends of
Thomas Becket, William FitzStephen, Edward Grim and Herbert of Bosham
were all able to write detailed accounts of his life. Historians always
have to be careful about biographies written by friends of the subject.
There is always the danger they will emphasis the subject's good points.
They might also leave out bad things about the person. However, as
you can see from sources 2 and 5, this is not always the case as Edward
Grim and
William FitzStephen were both willing to criticise Thomas Becket.
Lesson
4: You will need
Thomas
Becket,
Edward
Grim, Drawing
of the Cathedral and Kentish Manors
in 1160. This lesson provides an opportunity for the more able
student to look at primary sources in some depth. Edward Grim provides
a very detailed account of the death of Thomas Becket. Although John
of Salisbury, William Fitz Stephen, Benedict of Peterborough and William
of Canterbury (who were also at the Cathedral at the time) disagree
with Edward Grim about minor details, his account is judged by most
historians to be very reliable.
The earls of Clare had
a long drawn out dispute with the archbishops of Canterbury over
the control of manors in Kent. As Kentish
Manors in 1160 shows, the manors
of these two landowners were very close together. Thomas Becket's
dispute with Roger
de Clare was primarily over the ownership of Tonbridge. Henry II intervened
in the dispute and ruled in favour of Roger de Clare.
Lesson
5 : You will need worksheet Pilgrimage,
Pilgrimage to Canterbury and
Norman Monasteries for this lesson.
Roger de Clare, who was probably involved in Thomas Becket's death,
is known to have
visited Thomas Becket's tomb. He also believed that the tomb had miraculous
healing powers. On two occasions, Roger and his wife Matilda, took
their sickly son James, to the tomb. According to the Memorials
of Thomas Becket, both times James was cured. However,
James did not survive into adulthood.
On 11th July, 1337, there
was a fire at the Priory of St Mary Magdalene in Tonbridge. The church,
chapter-house, dormitory, refectory, library and the vestry were destroyed.
So also was a large collection of books, documents, ornaments and
relics. The Archbishop of Canterbury granted indulgences of 40 days
to all those who agreed to assist the rebuilding of the priory. By
the time the new priory had been completed a total of 8 years and
230 days of indulgences had been granted to those who had provided
financial assistance.
(Q1) The pilgrim in the
woodcut is wearing metal badges that have been stamped with the symbol
of the shrine that he had visited. Pilgrims wore these badges on their
hat so that people would know they had visited these holy places.
(Q2) People still go on
pilgrimages to holy shrines today. For example, every year thousands
of people visit places such as Lourdes in France. Many people go hoping
to be cured from illness. The Church claims that since 1858, sixty-four
miracles have taken place at Lourdes. People also buy badges at places
like Lourdes. However, whereas in the Middle Ages they tended to put
them on their hats, today they are more likely to put them on their
cars. People still
visit holy shrines in groups. However, unlike medieval pilgrims these
people would be part of a group organised by a holiday tour company.
Whereas people walked to holy shrines, today people go by coach, car,
train and plane.
(Q3) It was fairly common
in the Middle Ages for people to claim that they had a piece of the
cross used to crucify Jesus Christ. As it was impossible to prove
that these relics were genuine, most monasteries were suspicious of
claims made by visitors. However, Brabham monastery appears to have
been convinced that the relic was genuine. The monastery had a good
reason for wanting to believe in the relic. Brabham monastery was
very poor and the monks thought that if the relic did make miracles
happen, it would solve their financial problems. Monasteries charged
pilgrims to see relics, and so it was possible to make a lot of money
this way.
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