BIBLIOGRAPHY.--N. Bianchi, _I Ducati Estensi_ (Turin, 1852); Galvani, _Memorie di S.A.R. Francesco IV_ (Modena, 1847); _Documenti riguardanti il governo degli Austro-Estensi in Modena_ (Modena, 1860); C. Tivaroni, _L'Italia durante il dominio austriaco_, i. 606-653 (Turin, 1892), and _L'Italia degli Italiani_, i. 114-125 (Turin, 1895); Silingardi, "Ciro Menotti," in the _Rivista europea_ (Florence, 1880); F.A. Gualterio, _Gli ultimi rivolgimenti italiani_ (Florence, 1850); Bayard de Volo, _Vita di Francesco V_ (4 vols., Modena, 1878-1885). (L. V.*) FRANCIS OF ASSISI, ST. (1181 or 1182-1226), founder of the Franciscans (q.v.), was born in 1181 or 1182 at Assisi, one of the independent municipal towns of Umbria. He came from the upper middle class, his father, named Pietro Bernardone, being one of the larger merchants of the city. Bernardone's commercial enterprises made him travel abroad, and it was from the fact that the father was in France at the time of his son's birth that the latter was called Francesco. His education appears to have been of the slightest, even for those days. It is difficult to decide whether words of the early biographers imply that his youth was not free from irregularities; in any case, he was the recognized leader of the young men of the town in their revels; he was, however, always conspicuous for his charity to the poor. When he was twenty (1201) the neighbouring and rival city of Perugia attempted to restore by force of arms the nobles who had been expelled from Assisi by the burghers and the populace, and Francis took part in the battle fought in the plain that lies between the two cities; the men of Assisi were defeated and Francis was among the prisoners. He spent a year in prison at Perugia, and when peace was made at the end of 1202 he returned to Assisi and recommenced his old life.