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alternatehistory.com
Henry II is for me one of Englands better monarchs. This was a man of action, a man of ideas and energy. He laid the basis of English Common Law which is why he happens to be one of my heroes. Henry's main problem was his temper. Thomas Becket was a good friend to Henry like Henry he enjoyed the hunt, the high life and was just as intelligent. Henry thought he had the ideal candidate for Archbishop of Canterbury and therefore de facto leader of the Church in England. Then surely wth ones best and most trusted friend in control of the Church Henry could proceed with all his reforms...In reality and most unfortunately things didn't quite work out that way-Henry suddenly found that Thomas seemed to have found his vocation and that Thomas had taken to wearing hair shirts such was his religious fervour. Imagine though that Thomas turns out to be the Archbish that Henry wanted...so now priests can be proescuted just as any commoner....