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Secondary sourcePainting

St Thomas Becket of Canterbury Goes into Exile

Master of the Cité des Dames

An illuminated manuscript miniature by the Master of the Cité des Dames showing Becket sailing into exile by boat.

Depicts Becket's exile, a key episode in his struggle with King Henry II over church authority.

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Illuminated manuscript miniature showing two robed, hooded figures seated in a wooden boat with a red and gold cloth draped across it, sailing on dark green waves with a single mast and white sail. Behind them on the left is a walled town with towers on a hillside, and on the right is a stone tower with a conical roof and a small tree in the foreground. A decorative banner with the word 'vandre' appears above the picture.
Master of the Cité des Dames, St Thomas Becket of Canterbury Goes into Exile, illuminated manuscript. KB, National Library of the Netherlands.

About this source

What it is

This illuminated manuscript miniature, made by the artist known as the Master of the Cité des Dames, shows two robed, hooded figures in a boat sailing away from a walled town toward a stone tower. It is held by the KB, National Library of the Netherlands, and was made well after Becket's lifetime.

Why it matters

Thomas Becket went into exile during his conflict with King Henry II over the rights of the church. This later illustration, made by a workshop known for illustrating texts about notable figures, shows how his story of departure and struggle was retold visually in manuscripts long after the events.

Look closer

  • What do the walled town and the tower suggest about the places Becket is leaving and traveling toward?
  • Why might the artist show two hooded figures rather than one?
  • This image was made long after Becket's exile — what can and can't it tell us about the real event?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Thomas Becket on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Document

Primary source

Constitutions of Clarendon

Henry II of England · 1164

Exterior view of Canterbury Cathedral under a clear blue sky. A tall Gothic central tower with pinnacles rises above the stone nave and side chapels, with large pointed windows and a sloping roof visible. Grass lies in the foreground.Artifact

Primary source

Canterbury Cathedral

founded 597

A rectangular gilt copper reliquary casket with blue champlevé enamel, set with oval glass gems along its lid and four feet. Front panels show gilded figures in scenes, including a bishop-like figure at an altar with a chalice, and an upper scene of a tomb or bier with mourners.Artifact

Secondary source

Becket Casket

c. 1180-1190

A large semicircular textile, likely a chasuble, displayed flat in a curved glass case mounted on a white wall. Its faded beige fabric has repeating circular medallions containing small figures and patterns, with a vertical band down the center. Lights run along the top of the case.Artifact

Secondary source

Fermo Chasuble of St. Thomas Becket

12th century

Display case in a museum showing a pale cream silk liturgical robe with gold-embroidered borders on a mannequin, a pair of cream shoes, two long red-edged gold-patterned embroidered bands (stoles or orphreys), and a dark purple garment with gold trim at right.Artifact

Secondary source

Becket Liturgical Garments, Sens Cathedral

12th century

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