"Francis of Assisi (1181/82-1226) was one of the most vibrant and colourful personalities in the Middle Ages. The life of this remarkable reformer of the medieval Church was celebrated in art, drama, poetry, music, the new vernacular literature and architecture. His ideal was to enter into a restorative and enriching relationship with Jesus Christ, whom he wished to imitate in the most perfect manner, a direct and immediate goal which captured the contemporary imagination. This Companion explores the life of Francis of Assisi and his enduring legacy throughout the centuries. The first part concentrates on his life and works whilst the second explores the way in which his heritage influenced the apostolic activities of his followers in the century following his death. This book is a must-read for students and scholars of Church history, as well as medieval social and intellectual history"-- [Provided by publisher]. -- Clara of Assisi was a Italian noble women, who in her adult life was to live according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ like her fellow Assisian and friend, Francis. It took Clare her lifetime to obtain the recognition she wanted: the papal written approval of the life of the Poor Sisters of San Damiano. When the long awaited papal bull arrived on 9 August 1253, she had done what she wanted to do; she passed away two days later. Francis of Assisi, whose Gospel performance captured the imagination of his day, fostered a movement which was fascinated by the transformative power of the embodied Word. Franciscans and Preaching offers the first extensive English language study of medieval Franciscan preaching.