| Who is it? | Saint |
| Birth Year | 1119 |
| Birth Place | Cheapside, British |
| Age | 900 YEARS OLD |
| Died On | (1170-12-29)29 December 1170 (age 50 or 51)\nCanterbury Cathedral, Kent, Kingdom of England |
| Birth Sign | Capricorn |
| Appointed | 24 May 1162 |
| Installed | 3 June 1162 |
| Term ended | 29 December 1170 |
| Predecessor | Theobald of Bec |
| Successor | Richard of Dover |
| Ordination | 1154 (deacon) 2 June 1162 (priest) |
| Consecration | 3 June 1162 by Henry of Blois |
| Buried | Canterbury Cathedral |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Parents | Gilbert Beket Matilda |
| Previous post | Archdeacon of Canterbury |
| Feast day | 29 December |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Anglican Communion |
| Title as Saint | Bishop and Martyr |
| Beatified | 21 February 1173 by Pope Alexander III |
| Canonized | 21 February 1173 St Peter's Church in Segni by Pope Alexander III |
| Attributes | Sword, martyrdom, episcopal vestments |
| Patronage | Exeter College, Oxford; Portsmouth; Arbroath Abbey; secular clergy |
| Shrines | Canterbury Cathedral |
| Monarch | Henry II |
| Preceded by | Robert of Ghent |
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Ridel |
Thomas Becket, a prominent figure in British history, is estimated to have a net worth ranging from $100K to $1M in 2024. Although he lived in the 12th century, Thomas Becket is still widely recognized and respected, even being canonized as a saint. Known for his unwavering commitment to his principles, Becket's rise from a modest background to a position of power and influence as the Archbishop of Canterbury played a crucial role in shaping the relationship between the English monarchy and the church. Today, his legacy endures, and his net worth serves as a testament to the impact he made.
The wicked knight leapt suddenly upon him, cutting off the top of the crown which the unction of sacred chrism had dedicated to God. Next he received a second blow on the head, but still he stood firm and immovable. At the third blow he fell on his knees and elbows, offering himself a living sacrifice, and saying in a low voice, "For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death." But the third knight inflicted a terrible wound as he lay prostrate. By this stroke, the crown of his head was separated from the head in such a way that the blood white with the brain, and the brain no less red from the blood, dyed the floor of the cathedral. The same clerk who had entered with the knights placed his foot on the neck of the holy priest and precious martyr, and, horrible to relate, scattered the brains and blood about the pavements, crying to the others, 'Let us away, knights; this fellow will arise no more.
The shrine stood until it was destroyed in 1538, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, on orders from King Henry VIII. The king also destroyed Becket's bones and ordered that all mention of his name be obliterated.
Beginning when he was 10, Becket was sent as a student to Merton Priory in England and later attended a grammar school in London, perhaps the one at St Paul's Cathedral. He did not study any subjects beyond the trivium and quadrivium at these schools. Later, he spent about a year in Paris around age 20. He did not, however, study canon or civil law at this time and his Latin skill always remained somewhat rudimentary. Some time after Becket began his schooling, Gilbert Beket suffered financial reverses, and the younger Becket was forced to earn a living as a clerk. Gilbert first secured a place for his son in the Business of a relative – Osbert Huitdeniers – and then later Becket acquired a position in the household of Theobald of Bec, by now the Archbishop of Canterbury.
