The most powerful churchman in England was the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop and the King worked very closely together. If they did not, then it would have been almost impossible to run the country. In 1170 the Archbishop was Thomas Becket. King Henry II made Thomas Archbishop in 1162 because they were old friends. When they were younger they had enjoyed a wealthy, privileged lifestyle, with lots of hunting and feasting. Thomas had been Henry II's chancellor - one of his most important advisers. Henry wanted Becket, in his role as Archbishop, to support him because he had had some arguments with Pope (the supreme head of the church who lived in Rome).

The illustration is from a manuscript called 'Liber Legum Antiquorum Regum (Book of the Laws of Ancient Kings)', 1154-1189.