St. Ignatius of Loyola was born in 1491 in the Basque region of Spain. As a young man, he dreamed of being a knight but was gravely injured in a battle in 1521. During his recovery, he underwent a spiritual conversion and discerned a religious vocation. He spent a year in Manresa dedicating himself to prayer, writing what would become the Spiritual Exercises. In 1540, he founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and introduced several principles that guide them, including cura personalis (personal care), discernment, and finding God in all things. He spent the rest of his life expanding the Jesuits before dying in 1556.