How did Henry II punish Thomas Becket and his supporters during Becket’s exile?

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During Thomas Becket’s six-year exile (1164–1170), King Henry II took several punitive measures against the archbishop and his associates:

  • Seizure of Property: Henry confiscated the properties belonging to both Becket and his supporters.1
  • Exile of Relatives: The king ordered the exile of all of Becket’s close relatives.1
  • Pressure on Hosts: Henry threatened the monks at Pontigny Abbey, forcing Becket to relocate to an abbey near Sens.1

These actions were part of a broader conflict between the king and the archbishop regarding the Constitutions of Clarendon, which sought to restrict the power of the church and increase royal authority over ecclesiastical matters.12