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1. His Name Was Originally John
At his birth in 1182, his mother had Saint Francis baptized John (Giovanni), after St. John the Baptist. However, when his father, a rich cloth merchant names Pietro di Bernardon, returned from business travels, he renamed him Francis (Francesco) because France was where he made his livelihood.
2. He Was A Party Animal
Before his conversion, Francis, who was wealthy and good looking, lead a life full of partying and frivolity . His partying buddies even called him “dominus”, because he was the King of Partying, paying for lavish parties full of food, wine, and women.
3. He Wanted To Be A Warrior Like King Arthur
Francis was enamored with the Arthurian legends of France, and desired to be knight in the same vein. Francis even fought in two wars, one a civil war in Assisi, and the other as a mounted soldier against the city-state of Perugia. In the second battle, he was captured and was a POW for over a year.
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