The New Student's Reference Work/Dominic, St.

Dominic, St., founder of the Dominican order of monks, was born at Colahorra, a village of old Castile, in 1170.  At 15 he proceeded to the university at Palencio.  The story is told that, while there, he sold his clothes to feed the poor in a time of famine.  In 1204 Dominic first became prominent.  He then went with the bishop of Osma on a journey to Denmark, and on the way came in contact with the Albigenses of southern France.  The legates, whom the pope had sent for their conversion, failed, and were on their way back to Rome, when Dominic met them and with a few followers began the work which the legates had given up.  The pope sent a crusading army into the country, and Dominic seems to have gone with it.  After the crusade against the Albigenses Dominic formed a society of monks (see Dominicans), and in the course of five years the society spread all over Europe.  Dominic died at Bologna in 1221.