Franciscan History

2. 1181, summer or fall - Born in Assisi, Baptized as
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, Renamed
Francesco by his father.
1198, January 8 – Innocent III elected Pope.
1198, spring – Duke Conrad of Urslingen’s Rocca
fortress besieged, taken, and razed by people of
Assisi, as he yields Duchy of Spoleto to
Innocent III.
1199 – 1200 – Civil war in Assisi; destruction of feudal
nobles’ castles; families of later St. Clare and
Brother Leonardo move to Perugia.

3. 1202, November – War between Perugia and Assisi.
Latter’s army is defeated at Battle of
Collestrada. Francis spends a year in prison in
Perugia, until ransomed by father as ill.
1204 – Long illness.
1204 end, or spring 1205 – Francis sets out for war in
Apulia, but returns the next day, after a vision and
message in Spoleto. Beginning of the gradual
process of conversion.
1205, June – Gautier de Brienne dies in Southern Italy.

4. 1205, fall and end – Message of the Crucifix of San
Damiano. Conflict with his father.
1206, January or February - Bishop’s Trial
1206, spring – Francis in Gubbio, nursing victims of
leprosy.
1206, summer, probably July – Returns to Assisi,
assumes hermit’s habit, and begins to repair San
Damiano: end of conversion process; beginning of
Thomas of Celano’s “years of conversion”
chronology.

5. 1206, summer, to January or early February 1208
- repairs San Damiano, San Pietro and
Portiuncula.
1208, February 24 – Francis hears Gospel of St.
Mathias Mass. Changes from hermit’s habit to that
of barefoot preacher; begins to preach.
1208, April 16 – Brothers Bernard and Peter Catanii join
Francis. On April 23 Brother Giles is received at
the Portiuncula.

6. 1208, spring – First Mission: Francis and Giles go to the
Marches of Ancona.
1208, summer – Three more, including Philip join them.
1208, fall and winter – Second Mission: all seven go to
Poggio Bustone in the Valley of Rieti. After being
assured of the mission of his sins and the future
growth of the Order, Francis sends the six, plus a
new seventh follower, on the Third Mission, two by
two. Bernard and Giles go to Florence.

7. 1209, early – The eight return to the Portiuncula. Four
more join them.
1209, spring – Francis writes brief Rule and goes to
Rome with his eleven first companions. There he
obtains the approval of Pope Innocent III. On the
way back, they stay a while at Orte, then settle at
Rivo Torto.
1209, September – German Emperor-elect Otto IV
passes by Rivo Torto.

8. 1209 or 1210 – The friars move to the Portiuncula.
1209-1210 – Possible beginning of Third Order.
1211, summer – Francis goes to Dalmatia and returns.
1212, March 18/19 – On Palm Sunday night, reception
of St. Clare at the Portiuncula.
1212, May – After a few days at S. Paolo and a few
weeks at Panzo Benedictine convents, Clare
moves to San Damiano.

9. 1213, May 8 – At San Leo, near San Marino, Count
Orlando offers Mount La Verna to Francis as a
hermitage.
1213/1214 or 1214/1215 – Francis travels to Spain and
back.
1215, November – Fourth Lateran General Council.
Francis in Rome.
1216, July 16 – Pope Innocent III dies in Perugia. July
18: Honorius III elected. French Archbishop
Jacques de Vitry at Perugia.

10. 1217, May 5 – Pentecost General Chapter at the
Portiuncula. First missions beyond the Alps and
overseas. Giles leaves for Tunis, Elias for Syria,
and Francis for France, but Cardinal Hugolin
meets him in Florence and persuades him to stay
in Italy.
1219, May 26 – Chapter, First martyrs leave for
Morroco. On June 24, Francis sails from Ancona
for Acre and Damietta.

11. 1219, fall – Francis visits Sultan, November 5, Damietta
taken by Crusaders.
1220, January – First martyrs killed in Morocco.
1220, early – Francis goes to Acre and Holy Land.
1220, spring or summer – Francis returns to Italy,
landing at Venice. Cardinal Hugolin appointed
Protector of the Order.
1220, (or 1217, 1218) – Francis resigns. Peter Catanii
vicar.
1221, March – Peter Catanii dies.

12. 1221, May 30 – Chapter. First Rule. Elias Vicar.
1221 – Rule of Third Order approved by Honorius III.
1221/1222 – Francis on a preaching tour in southern
Italy.
1222, August 15 – Francis preaches in Bologna.
1223, early – At Fonte Colombo Francis composes
Second Rule. Chapter on June 11 discussed it.
Fall: further discussion in Rome.
1223, November 29 – Pope Honorius III approves Rule
of 1223.

13. 1223, December 24/25 – Christmas Crib Midnight Mass
at Greccio.
1224, June 2 – Chapter sends mission to England.
1224, end of July or early August – In Foligno, Elias is
given message in vision that Francis has only two
years to live.
1224, August 15-September 29 (Assumption to St.
Michael’s Day) – Francis fasts at La Verna,
receiving the Stigmata about September 14.
1224, October and early November – Francis returns
to the Portiuncula via Borgo San Sepolcro, Monte
Casale, and Citta di Castello.

14. 1224/1224, December-February – Riding on a donkey,
he makes a preaching tour in Umbria and the
Marches.
1225, March – On a visit to St. Claire at San Damiano,
his eye sicknesses suddenly turns much worse.
Almost blind, he has to stay there in a cell in or by
the chaplain’s house. At the insistence of Brother
Elias, at last consents to receive medical care, but
weather is too cold and treatment is postponed.
1225, April-May – Still at San Damiano, undergoes
treatment without improvement. Receives divine
promise of eternal life and composes Canticle of
Brother Sun.

15. 1225, June – Adding to the Canticle, reconciles feuding
Bishop and podesta of Assisi. Summoned by a
letter from Cardinal Hugolin, leaves San Damiano
for Rieti Valley.
1225, early July – Welcomed in Rieti by Hugolin and
papal court (there from June 23 to February 6).
Goes to Fonte Colombo to undergo eye treatment
urged by Hugolin, but has it postponed owing to
absence of Brother Elias.
1225, July-August – Doctor cauterizes the Saint’s
temples at Fonte Colombo, without improvement.

16. 1225, September – Francis moves to San Fabiano near
Rieti to be treated by other doctors, who pierce his
ears. Restores the trampled vineyard of the poor
priest.
1225/1226, October-March – In either Rieti or Fonte
Colombo.
1226, April – Francis in Siena for further treatment.
1226, May or June – Returns to the Portiuncula via
Cortona.
1226, July- August – In summer heat, he is taken to
Bagnara in the hills near Nocera.

17. 1226, late August or Early September – His condition
growing worse, he is taken via Nottiano to the
palace of the bishop in Assisi. Bishop Guido is
absent on a pilgrimage to Monte Gargano.
1226, September – Knowing that his death is imminent,
Francis insists on being carried to the Portiuncula.

18. 1226, October 3 – He dies there, Sunday, October 4, is
buried in San Giorgio Church.

19. 1227, March 19 – His friend Hugolin becomes Pope
Gregory IX.
1228, July 16 – In Assisi, Gregory IX canonizes St.
Francis.
1230, May 25 – Translation of the Saint’s remains to his
new basilica, San Francesco.