An extended project: the life of St Francis of Assisi, followed by a look at the Franciscans in England.

Useful reference works are Francis of Assisi by William R Cook, The Franciscans in England by John Moorman, and, above all, The Life of St Francis by Saint Bonaventure. I have also included extracts from the first biography of St Francis by Thomas of Celano, and from the 14th century text The Little Flowers of St Francis.

 I am starting here with the childhood of Francis.
  He was born in Assisi in late 1181 or early 1182. His family was wealthy. His father, Pietro di Bernardone dei Moriconi, was a silk merchant and his mother was a French noblewoman. Francis was born when his father was away in France, and was baptised Giovanni, but it seems that his father was not keen on this, and on his return renamed him Francesco. After all, the child’s mother was French, and his father’s business was very successful in France.