Richard le Breton

Sir Richard le Breton (fl. 1170) (or Richard de Brito) was one of the four knights who in 1170 murdered Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Roger Brito is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding land under the overlordship of the Church of Long Sutton in Somerset, in which county the family was later seated at Sampford Brett (alias Sandford-Bret). During the reign of King Henry I (1100-1135) Sampford Brett was held by Simon le Bret, from the feudal barony of Dunster by military service of half a knight's fee. He served in the household of Henry II's brother William, Count of Poitou and was a near neighbour of the FitzUrse family of Williton in Spomerset, a member of which family was another of the assassins of Thomas Becket. Simon le Bret had two sons: Richard Brito, one of the assassins of Thomas Becket and Edmund le Bret, who adopted the surname de Sandford from his seat.William the Conqueror granted a manor in the eastern part of the parish of Great Stamford Bridge in Essex and another in Sanford in Somerset to a Norman named Auvrai Le Breton for his services in the Battle of Hastings in 1066. A later relative, Simon Le Breton, had two sons, Richard and Edmund, who inherited their share of Sanford and Great Master Bridge. Both were part of the royal court of King Henry II; in particular Richard Le Breton was a close friend of the king's brother, Prince William.

During the attack on Becket in 1170 by the four knights, Sir Reginald Fitzurse, Sir Hugh de Morville, Brito and Sir William de Tracy, Brito is said to have broken his sword when chopping at Becket's head.

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