Saint Francis Born: Patron of Poverty and Nature
Francis of Assisi renounced his wealthy merchant family to embrace radical poverty, founding the Franciscan Order and transforming the Catholic Church's relationship with the poor. His commitment to humility, nature, and service inspired one of the largest religious movements in Christian history and earned him recognition as the patron saint of animals and the environment.
September 26, 1181
845 years ago
What Else Happened on September 26
Caesar had made the vow at Pharsalus two years earlier, in 48 BC — standing on a Greek battlefield about to fight Pompey, he promised Venus a temple if he won. …
Ragenfrid crushed the forces of the young mayor of the palace, Theudoald, at the Battle of Compiègne. This victory shattered the grip of the Merovingian puppet …
His father's body was still warm when William Rufus — red-faced, short-tempered, never married — rode hard for Winchester to seize the royal treasury before any…
Empress Matilda was trapped inside Oxford Castle while King Stephen's army ringed the city. The siege started in September and ran into December. When the Thame…
The Golden Bull of 1212 was Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II essentially paying a political debt. Ottokar I of Bohemia had backed Frederick in his power struggle…
Frisian peasants crushed the invading army of Count William IV of Holland at the Battle of Warns, ending Holland’s attempts to annex their territory. By defendi…
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