From Thomas Becket's early life as a merchant's son and his time as the Archbishop of Canterbury to his assassination in the Cathedral itself, this enlightening book brings to life a colossal figure of British history.

'Lively, effortlessly readable, superb. A beautifully layered portrait of one of the most complex characters in English history' The Times
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This is the man, not the legend . . .

Thomas Becket lived at the centre of medieval England. Son of a draper's merchant, he was befriended and favoured by Henry II and quickly ascended the rungs of power and privilege. He led 700 knights into battle, brokered peace between warring states and advised King and Pope.

Yet he lost it all defying his closest friend and King, resulting in his bloody murder and the birth of a saint.

In award-winning biographer John Guy's masterful account, the life, death and times of Thomas Becket come vividly into focus.
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'Suspenseful, meticulously researched . . . however well you think you know the story, it is well worth the read' Financial Times

'Wonderfully moving and subtle. Reading of the assassination is almost unbearably intense and brings tears to one's eye' Daily Express

'Compelling, marvellously measured, entertainingly astute, and in places positively moving' The Independent

'Scintillates with energetic scene-setting, giving us a tactile, visual feel for early medieval England . . . breathes new life into an oft-told tale' Financial Times

This is the man, not the legend . . . Thomas Becket lived at the centre of medieval England. Son of a draper's merchant, he was befriended and favoured by Henry II and quickly ascended the rungs of power and privilege.


About the Author
John Guy is an award-winning historian, accomplished broadcaster and a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge. His previous books include My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots, winner of the 2004 Whitbread Biography Award and the Marsh Biography Award, the highly acclaimed dual biography A Daughter's Love: Thomas and Margaret More and a history, Tudor England, which has sold over 250,000 copies worldwide.


Book Information
ISBN 9780141044675
Author John Guy
Format Paperback
Page Count 464
Imprint Penguin Books Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 343g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 28mm