verty and preaching. St. Francis and the other preachers stood out from the other Italian poor preachers of the time because they had respect for, and showed obedience to the Church authorities and their doctrinal orthodoxy. They lived in simple huts and their churcheswere small. They slept on the ground and had no tables or chairs, as well as very fewbooks.In 1209, St. Francis founded the order of Friars Minor, which took the people of that time by surprise because by doing this, Francis presented poverty, chastity, and obedience in terms of troubadours and courts of love. After this, St. Francis gained manyfollowers.Francis wished to preach to more people from farther around. In 1212 he went eastward, but was driven on to the Dalmatian coast. In 1214 he left once again, this timefor Morocco through Spain, but, he became very sick and was forced to come back home.In 1219, he sailed from Ancona with twelve other friars, heading for Acre and Damietta.Francis managed to pass through enemy lines and meet with the Sultan who was veryimpressed but did not want to convert. St. Francis would not take all the rich presents hewas given and he went back to the Christian armies.In 1221, Francis made a rule, which was approved in 1223 as the Regula Bullata. It canalized the Franciscan Order into the Church. Francis had already made a rule Page 3History 1010 previous to the Regula Bullata, called the Regula Prima, in 1210. The Regula Primabegan with a promise of obedience and reverence to Pope Innocent III and his successors. Most of it deals with the Gospels, which refer to renunciation and to the conditions of lifeof the followers of Christ. Also, it says that ‘all brothers shall be catholic and live andspeak as catholics. If any shall err from the catholic faith and life either by word or deedand shall not mend his way, let him be expelled from the brotherhood.’In 1212, Francis was joined by St. Clare who helped to establi...
