One of the most famous figures in Christian history, Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226) was revered as a miracle worker during his life and quickly canonized after his death. He has inspired generations of Christians and other spiritual seekers, from medieval ascetics to 1960s hippies and modern environmentalists. The “poverello” wrote poems praising the sun, moon, and stars, spoke to the birds, and―so the story goes―even tamed a wolf. But what do we know for sure about who he was, and what is simply legend?