Question

Thomas à Becket's death represents:

A) an unjust death due to improperly applied Church law

B) the power of the Archbishop of Canterbury over the monarch

C) the power struggle of the English monarchy against the Church

D) the power of the Church over the Magna Carta's laws.

Answer 1

Thomas à Becket's death is best represented as a symbol of the power struggle between the English monarchy and the Church, rather than issues related to Church law, the Archbishop's power over the monarch, or the Church over the Magna Carta.

Step-by-step explanation:

Thomas à Becket's death is most accurately represented by C) the power struggle of the English monarchy against the Church. His assassination in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 was a direct result of his conflict with King Henry II over the rights and privileges of the Church. This struggle was emblematic of the recurring tensions between the monarchy and ecclesiastical authorities over jurisdictional authority and legal matters, highlighting the friction between secular and religious spheres of power in medieval England. Contrary to the option regarding the Magna Carta, Becket's death occurred well before its creation in 1215 and therefore is not directly related to it.