The key tenet of the doctrine of absolute poverty was that Christ and the apostles had no property, whether individually or shared.
[1] Early Franciscans were itinerant preachers, who, following their founder Francis of Assisi, took to heart the injunction in Luke 9:3 to "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic."
Over time, as the order grew, it faced the demands of caring for sick or elderly friars, and providing for those sent to university for theological training.
The "Spirituals" felt that this abrogated the spirit of the founder, and believed a restricted use of property was more in keeping with the rule.
Key aspects of the debate included: the origins of property (or 'dominion') and whether use of material objects implied ownership; whether property existed before the Fall of Man; whether Christ while on earth had dominion over temporal things; the detailed and technical status of Christ's well attested poverty; and the apostles' use of material goods.