Franz Josef Land. Galicia. Geraniaceae. Free Church Federation. Galway. Geranium. French Guinea. Gambia. German Baptist Brethren. French West Africa. Gawain. German Catholics. Friedland. Gelatin. Gettysburg. Frisian Islands. Genius. Geyser. Frisians. Gentian. Ghazni. Fronde, The. Gentianaceae. Ghent. Fuero. George, Saint. Ghor. Furnace. George Junior Republic. Giant. Galapagos Islands. Georgia (U.S.A.). FOOTNOTE: [1] A complete list, showing all individual contributors, appears in the final volume. ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA ELEVENTH EDITION VOLUME XI FRANCISCANS (otherwise called Friars Minor, or Minorites; also the Seraphic Order; and in England Grey Friars, from the colour of the habit, which, however, is now brown rather than grey), a religious order founded by St Francis of Assisi (q.v.). It was in 1206 that St Francis left his father's house and devoted himself to a life of poverty and to the service of the poor, the sick and the lepers; and in 1209 that he felt the call to add preaching to his other ministrations, and to lead a life in the closest imitation of Christ's life. Within a few weeks disciples began to join themselves to him; the condition was that they should dispose of all their possessions. When their number was twelve Francis led the little flock to Rome to obtain the pope's sanction for their undertaking. Innocent III. received them kindly, but with some misgivings as to the feasibility of the proposed manner of life; these difficulties were overcome, and the pope accorded a provisional approval by word of mouth: they were to become clerics and to elect a superior. Francis was elected and made a promise of obedience to the pope, and the others promised obedience to Francis.