Source details
An illustration from the Luttrell Psalter, a manuscript produced in the early 1300s.
Context
The Luttrell Psalter is one of the most famous English illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages. Although it is a religious book, containing psalms and prayers, many of its pages show pictures of everyday life in the 14th century. The Psalter was made for Sir Geoffrey Luttrell, a wealthy knight of Irnham in Lincolnshire. It is very likely that Sir Geoffrey and his family would have visited the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral on a pilgrimage.
Puzzled?
This is a detailed image showing the killing of Becket. To make the best use of it you need to consider whether it is an accurate description of what happened and whether it tries to create specific impressions of Becket or the knights. It is also worth thinking about whether the image fits with other accounts of Becket's death.
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