George was a soldier-saint, venerated in the East soon after he was beheaded in Palestine for his faith. Despite his widespread popularity as the per-sonification of Christian chivalry, his martyrdom is the only event in his life that can be accepted as historical fact. Of the many legends that surround him, the best known is his battle with a dragon while on his way to the Holy Land.

According to this tradition, the citizens of Silene in Libya were terrorised by a dragon that lived in a nearby lake or marsh, poisoning the air of the city with its breath. To appease the monster, the Silenians offered it first two sheep a day and later two children who were chosen by lot. Eventually Princess Cleolinda, the king’s daughter, was selected. As she walked towards the dragon, dressed as a bride, she met George who promised to save her through the power of Jesus Christ. He pierced the dragon with a lance and, using Cleolinda’s girdle as a leash, led it back to the city as though it was a tame dog-and then killed it. In gratitude for Silene’s deliverance 15,000 men were baptised that same day. George gave his reward to the Church, the priests and the poor, then continued on his travels.

Although he was known in England and Ireland in the eighth and ninth centuries, his popularity and patronage of soldiers became firmly established in the eleventh century, when returning crusaders described how he had appeared to the Christian army in a vision before the Saracens’ defeat in 1098. He was adopted as patron saint of England in the fourteenth century.

Died AD303, probably at Diospolis (now Lydda) in Palestine