St. George has no authentic history, and many of the heroic deeds attributed to him are fictitious. However, his martyrdom, suffered under the rule of the emperor Diocletian, was recognized by the Roman Catholic Church in 495 A.D. In the Orthodox Eastern Church, St. George is classed among the greatest of the Christian martyrs.
An Anglo-Saxon translation of the legendary feats of St. George introduced him to England in the 8th century. His popularity grew during the Crusades, when stories were told of his assisting Christians in battle. By the 14th century the emblem of St. George, a red cross on a white background, was worn by English soldiers, and it was later incorporated into the English flag. During the reign of Edward III, from 1327 to 1377, St. George was made the patron saint of England and principal patron of the Order of the Garter. In 1415 his feast day was declared a major day of religious devotion.
The story of St. George and the dragon was popularized in the 12th century. The Golden Legend compiled by Jacobus de Voragine, tells of George, a knight, passing through Selena, Libya, where a dragon was terrorizing the population. He attacked the dragon, which was about to consume the king's daughter, speared it with his lance, and, tying the princess' girdle around the dragon's neck, led the dragon into town. George declined all reward and asked only that the population accept Christianity, be baptized, and render charity to the poor.
