Saint Clare of Assisi (sometimes spelled
Clair,
Claire, etc.) (July 16, 1194 – August 11, 1253), born
Chiara Offreduccio, is an
Italian saint and one of the first followers of
Saint Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a
monastic religious order for women in the
Franciscan tradition, and wrote their Rule of Life—the first monastic rule known to have been written by a woman. Following her death, the order she founded was renamed in her honor as the Order of Saint Clare, commonly referred to today as the
Poor Clares.