St. Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered on December 29, 1170, in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights after a dispute between the archbishop and King Henry II. The dispute partly involved Becketās excommunication of several bishops who had supported the kingās hostilities against the Roman Catholic Church and papal authority. The knights forced themselves into the archbishopās presence, and, on his refusal to absolve the bishops, they followed him into the cathedral. There, at twilight, after further altercation, the knights cut him down with their swords. The archbishopās last words were an acceptance of death in defense of the church of Christ. St. Thomas Becket is venerated as a saint and martyr in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion.
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