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Why did Thomas Becket refuse to accept the Constitutions of Clarendon?

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King Henry II and St. Thomas Becket — Henry II Henry II (left) disputing with Thomas Becket (center), miniature from a 14th-century manuscript; in the British Library (Cotton MS. Claudius D.ii).

Thomas Becket’s refusal to accept the Constitutions of Clarendon stemmed primarily from his opposition to King Henry II’s attempts to restrict the independence of the church and expand royal judicial authority.1

While the constitutions contained several provisions designed to curb the power of canon law and ecclesiastical courts, the most contentious element was clause 3. This provision mandated that priests charged with serious felonies be subject to secular punishment. Although ecclesiastical courts were often lenient toward these so-called "criminous clerks," Becket viewed the subjection of the clergy to secular courts as an unacceptable infringement on the church's traditional privileges and autonomy.1

Although Becket initially promised to observe the constitutions at the Council of Clarendon in 1164, he quickly repudiated his oath, leading to a long-standing conflict with the king, his subsequent exile, and eventually his martyrdom.12