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How long was Thomas Becket exiled from England?

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St. Thomas Becket Murder of St. Thomas Becket, illustration from an English psalter, c. 1200; in the British Library.

Thomas Becket was in exile from England for six years, spanning from November 2, 1164, to December 2, 1170.1

Following the Council of Northampton in 1164, where King Henry II sought to ruin him, Becket fled in disguise and sought refuge in France under the protection of Louis VII. During this period, he lived ascetically at Pontigny Abbey and later at an abbey near Sens while his properties in England were seized by the king. Although several attempts at reconciliation were made, his exile continued until a concordat was reached in 1170, allowing his return to Canterbury.1