BBC: St. Thomas Becket "Worst Briton of 12th Century" (!!)

BBC ^ | 12/27/2005 | n/a

[Pyro7480]

'Worst' historical Britons named
Historians have put together a list of the 10 "worst" Britons of the last 1,000 years. They chose one rogue from each century of the last millennium to compile the list for the BBC History Magazine.

Jack the Ripper, King John and Oswald Mosley - founder of the British Union of Fascists - are among the selection.

Magazine editor Dave Musgrove said the different "definitions of wickedness" of the 10 historians questioned had led to a diverse list....

The "greedy" Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was nominated by Professor John Hudson, of St Andrews University, as the 12th century's worst villain.

"He divided England in a way that even many churchmen who shared some of his views thought unnecessary and self-indulgent," he said.

"He was a founder of gesture politics."

"Those who share my prejudice against Becket may consider his assassination in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December, 1170, a fittingly grisly end."

[The list is the cover story of BBC History Magazine's January 2006 issue.]

[Pyro7480]

The honourable saint sounds like a predecessor of those "evil Republicans who have divided America."

John Hudson

[Pyro7480]

St. Thomas Becket, pray for us!

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[Pyro7480]

Ping!

[Lilllabettt]

St. Thomas, evil? Bleech.
Becket is one of my favourite movies of all time.

[1066AD]

I would rank any of Burgess, MacLean, Philby, Blunt etc far worse than ol' Oswald but of course they were Soviet stooges so they (still) get a free pass.

[Pharmboy]

I nominate George Galloway for the 21st Century...

[NZerFromHK]

What would you expect? This is Britain where most Britons have the idea of a Christianity shaped by national culture, rather than a concept of universal Christianity or that this university shaping national culture i.e. Briton first, Christian second is their motto.

[sassbox]

I'd nominate Cromwell.

[dangus]

Founder of the principle of separation of Church and State (although others such as Augustine deserve mention also); martyr, recognized as a saint by the Britons; rescuer of the faith from political corruption... how evil!

[dangus]

MacLean Stevenson? I didn't know ANYONE disliked MacLean Stevenson. (I take from your name you're a history buff...)

[dangus]

You have to love a University Professor / author who mispells the name of his university on his web page.

[dangus]

Mine is a typo. (Hangs head in shame.)

[XEHRpa]

The BBC? Will no one rid me of this meddlesome network?

[Pyro7480]

Huh?

[Falconspeed]

St. Thomas Becket (feast Dec. 29): soldier, diplomat, lawyer, financier, priest, counselor of kings, leader of countries, and martyr, according to Crocker's 'Triumph' (p. 161):

"As archbishop Becket insisted on the Church's independence in its right to make its own clerical appointments."

If Professor Hudson thinks that Becket is evil and that religious groups should not have freedom and independence, then Professor Hudson is supporting a socialism that does not work - as historians should know by now.

St. Thomas Becket, ora pro nobis peccatoribus. (cc: Hudson)

[Salvation]

St Thomas of Canterbury(1118-1170) [St Thomas a Becket]

The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170

BBC: St. Thomas Becket "Worst Briton of 12th Century"

 

 

[1066AD]

No, Donald MacLean, one of the celebrated(?) soviet recruits of the Cambridge Spies

[1066AD]

Another link.

Another associate was Tom Driberg who became a post-WW2 Labour Party Member of Parliament but his involvement was in the homosexual arena rather than spying.

[PAR35]

Here's the full list:

1900 to 2000: Oswald Mosley
(1896-1980)
1800 to 1900: Jack the Ripper
1700 to 1800: Duke of Cumberland (1721-1765)
1600 to 1700: Titus Oates
(1649-1705)
1500 to 1600: Sir Richard Rich (Lord Rich of Leighs)
(1496/7-1567)
1400 to 1500: Thomas Arundel (1353-1414)
1300 to 1400: Hugh Despenser (The Younger)
(died 1326)
1200 to 1300: King John
(1167-1216)
1100 to 1200: Thomas Becket
Archbishop of Canterbury
(c.1120-1170)
1000 to 1100: Eadric Streona
(died 1017)

Short bios here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4561624.stm