This collection investigates the complex political and ecclesiastical conflicts between Thomas Becket and King Henry II through the primary lens of their surviving correspondence. The text compiles the letters written by and to the Archbishop of Canterbury during his tenure from 1162 to 1170, providing a direct record of the power struggle between church and state. By analyzing these documents, the editors offer a granular view of the administrative, legal, and theological arguments that defined the Becket controversy and eventually led to his martyrdom.

Historians and medievalists regard this volume as a foundational resource for understanding the administrative history of the 12th-century church. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous editorial standards applied to the translation of these historical documents.