[4] A fellow of St Nicholas of Tolentino[2] and one of Angelo da Clareno's Spiritual Franciscans,[5] Thomas was jailed twice for his excessive condemnation of luxury.
In 1291, its King Haython II directed him to return to the courts of Rome, Paris, and London to seek help against his Muslim foes.
[2] While in Persia, two letters dated 1305 and 1306 arrived from John of Montecorvino, the Franciscan missionary to China, and Thomas again traveled to Europe, delivering the correspondence to Rome in 1307.
While there, he addressed a public consistory of the pope and cardinals, praising John's work in China and asking for assistance in developing his mission.
[2] The pontiff named John archbishop of Khanbaliq (now within modern Beijing) and seven Franciscan bishops and many friars were sent to join him.
Having begun a discussion of religion, the qadi had asked them their opinion of Muhammad and Thomas replied bluntly that he was "the son of perdition and had his place in Hell with the Devil his father".
[4] The local Christians may have buried Thomas and his companions[7] but Jordanus Catalani, arriving too late to save them, removed their bodies to the church at Supera with the help of a Genovese youth.
[8] It was later moved to the town's cathedral[4] by a Pisan merchant in the late 14th century, who erected a chapel there in the martyr's honor with the approval of Boniface IX.