Saint Francis of Assisi was born in 1182, the only son of Pietro Bernardone, a wealthy cloth merchant of central Italy. Peitro gave his son the name of Giovanni at baptism, though he afterwards changed it to Francesco, perhaps in honor of his trading in France. Pietro's worldly success had secured for the young Francis a care-free life of material comfort. Francis was a popular child, often the center of attention, he played sports, or serenading to the women of his city, Assisi. He definitely had a social life. Francis eagerly sought: the fame, glory, and honor of battle. Therefore, in 1201 at the age of 19, he became a knight in order to join the war with Assisi's enemy, Perugia. However, after a sudden loss, Francis spent nearly a year as a prisoner of the Perugia. Once his father found out he raised enough money, so in 1203 he paid Francis' ransom. He soon realized that he didn't belong in battle and soon he turned to religion. Though he turned to the Sacred Scriptures for comfort; imprisonment and illness had shattered his self-assurance. Basically, instead of reassuring him, the Gospel challenged Francis with values of Christian discipleship and morals. Though, we lost much of his favor with war, the confusing scriptures only led him back to it. In 1205 he again tried to become a knight, but after suffering another illness, he had a vision that marked the beginning of his conversion. By this time Francis was around the age of 23. Uncertain of the vision, he returned to Assisi where his first depression soon became an emotional crisis. The very popular and active Francis went back home to find out that his old way of life and his old friends left him feeling confused and empty. He soon realized that material possessions weren't mandatory in his life. This frustrated his father, especially when Francis spontaneously began to share his family's wealth with the poor. This included cl...