Books/Writings
  • Canticle of the Sun
    (Available New and Used)
  • Sermon to the Birds
    (Available New and Used)
  • Prayers
    (Available New and Used)
St. Francis of Assisi
Also known as: St. Francis
c. 1181 – 1226
Italian

Religious leader. His story is one of the most important, and most moving, in the history of values. After a false start as a soldier, he preached and practiced a true imitation of Christ, eschewing all worldly possessions as part of a life of service to others, especially the poor, an idea which was revolutionary then and now. Just when things looked dark, however, his simplicity and sincerity persuaded the Pope that he was not a threat, and he was able to found the Franciscan Order of Monks.

He is also especially well known for his love of nature and of animals and birds.

Contemporaries
1170–1220Wolfram von Eschenbach
?–1183Chrétien de Troyes
1190–1264Vincent de Beauvais
1157–1199Richard I
1160–1218Simon de Montfort
1138–1204Moses Maimonides
1214–1270St. Louis IX
fl. c. 1200–c. 1240Guillaume de Lorris
1224–1317Jean Joinville
1167–1216John
1135–1202Joachim of Fiore
1160–1216Innocent III
1098–1199St. Hildegard of Bingen
?–1190Ranulf de Glanvill
1194–1253St. Clare of Assisi
1215–1296St. Celestine V
1182–1253John Carpini
1220–1292Roger Bacon
1126–1198Averroes
1225–1274St. Thomas Aquinas
c. 1193–1280St. Albertus Magnus
1197–1253St. Agnes of Assisi