Saint Francis of Assisi and his legend

What it is

This book, written by Nino Tamassia, a professor of law history at the University of Padua, was published in 1910 and translated into English with a preface by Lonsdale Ragg. It lists its principal sources and examines both the historical Francis and the legends surrounding him.

Why it matters

Tamassia's preface mentions other scholars of Francis, such as Karl Müller and Paul Sabatier, showing that by the early 20th century there was an active scholarly debate about how to interpret Francis's life. This reveals how historians weighed historical evidence against the romantic retellings of earlier writers.

Look closer

• Why does the author mention disagreeing with other scholars in his preface?
• What does it mean to study a person's 'legend' separately from their history?
• How might a legal historian approach writing about a religious figure differently than a theologian would?