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When did Thomas Becket serve as chancellor of 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 served as the chancellor of England from 1155 to 1162.1

He was recommended for the position by Theobald, the archbishop of Canterbury, shortly after being appointed archdeacon in 1154. During his tenure as chancellor, Becket became a close companion and trusted advisor to King Henry II, assisting the monarch in his efforts to consolidate royal power. He held this office until 1162, when the king appointed him as the archbishop of Canterbury with the expectation that he would continue to support the crown's policies regarding the church.231