This course examines the origins and development of the three evangelical movements initiated by Francis and Clare of Assisi between the years 1205 and 1226: the Order of Friars Minor, the Poor Ladies of San Damiano and the Franciscan Penitents. Using the life and times of Francis as the chronological framework of inquiry, the course will trace the evolution of the early history of these three movements, through the careful examination and use of the sources pertinent to the reconstruction of that history.