Pope  Leo  X.,  wishing  to  estabhsh  a  better  unifor-
mity in  the  Order,  conToked  in  Eome,  in  1517,  the
representatives  of  all  the  denominations  of  Erancis-
cans  to  celebrate  the  General  Chapter,  which,  from
this  circumstance,  is  called  the  moat  general.  He  de-
sired, especially,  to  reduce  to  the  observance,  thoya
who  had  deviated  from  the  Eule  as  it  had  been  given
by  St.  lYands,  particularly  in  regard  to  the  poverty
therein  inculcated ;  but  they  being  unwilling  to  yield
to  the  desire  of  the  Pope,  he,  in  consequence,  by  the
bull  "Re  el  vos,"  dirided  the  Order  into  two — decree-
ing that  the  former  should  henceforth  be  distinguished
by  the  name  of  Observantines,  and  the  latter  by  that  of
Conventuals,  aJl  other  designations  being  abolished.
He  also  decreed  that  the  minister-general  of  the
Observantines  should  be  recognized  as  the  legitimate
successor  of  St.  Francis,  and  the  representative-gen-
eral of  the  whole  Order  of  the  Friars  Minor,  and  as-
signed to  him  the  ancient  seals  of  the  Order.  Leo
also  gave  to  the  Conventuals  a  master-general,  whoso
election  required  the  approval  of  the  minister-general,
but  who  was  not  otherwise  subject  to  his  jurisdiction  ;
and  even  the  necessity  of  this  approval  was  afterwards
dispensed  with  ;  but  the  right  of  precedence,  and  the
title   of  minister-general  of  the  whole  Order  of  the


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Fi-iara  Minor,  remained  with  tlie  General  of  the  Ob-
Bervantmes.
