[citation needed] After the General Chapter of 1219, he was sent to the Iberian Peninsula,[1] to succeed Bernard of Quintavalle as Minister Provincial for that region.

Gregory IX employed the new general on political missions at Florence and Rome, and charged the Franciscans with the direction and maintenance of the Poor Clares.

It was then discovered that Elias, with the cooperation of the secular authorities who were concerned about crowd control, had the body secretly interred some days previously, without notifying the Minister General.

[3] At the General Chapter, Elias, through his supporters, attempted to take charge of the order; but he was resisted by Anthony of Padua and a number of Minister Provincials.

The section in question was Chapter IV, which "strictly enjoins on all the brothers that in no wise they receive coins or money, either themselves or through an interposed person.

The principle of absolute poverty is maintained for the individual friar and for the whole community; still the use of the necessary movable objects is granted them.