Henry II, King /ˌhenri ðə ˈsekənd/ BrE AmE
(1133–89) the king of England from 1154 until his death. He tried to reduce the power of the Church, and as a result he quarrelled with Thomas à ↑ Becket , the Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry is supposed to have said ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?’, and some of his soldiers who heard this went and killed Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.