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St. George and the Dragon

© Robert Marantz

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"God for Harry, England, and St. George." (Henry V, Angincourt)

If you can number among your ancestors at least one Companion of the Order of the Garter, you will be interested not only in the Legend of Saint George and the Dragon, but also in The Society of Descendants of Knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and the Chapel of the Order, which perpetuate the ideals of St. George. The Society of Descendants was formed of men and women in England and America for the encouragement of the restoration of that architectural gem. The society is for those who are engrossed in genealogy. The legend, however, is enjoyed by everyone who loves folklore, history, heroics, romance, art, and religion. But, just WHO is St. George, and do, or did, dragons actually exist?

Whether St. George was an actual flesh and bone knight, or a fictitious character, is not open to question, but the legend, itself, is filled with incredible tales of adventures and biblical allusions, of which no historical basis is absolute. It is an heroic legend, a romantic legend, and an allegory. The life and times of this knight are documented collectively in a work known as The Acts of St. George. The Acts, though not proving an authenic historical account, never imply that he did not actually exist--he DID. St. George is important because his character rescued the people from evil and saved the Christian church from being devoured by the dragon.

The actual life of this legend's hero is shrouded in legend. He was born in Appadocia of noble Christian parents, and served in the Roman army with the rank of tribune during the reign of Diocletian. He was martyred at Lydda in Palestine in A. D. 303.

St. George is the Patron Saint of England. In his honor, Edward III instituted the Order of St. George sometime between 1344 and 1350. It is now, as always, comprised of the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, twenty-five Knight Companions, and such foreign Sovereigns as may be chosen. It has ever ranked as the highest dignity of knighthood in the world.

Even earlier than 1344, however, in 1284 the official seal of Lyme Regis, is noted to be represented by a plain white flag bearing a red cross. The large red St. George cross on a white ground remains yet the ensign of the British Navy and one of the elements which go to make up the Union Jack. A little later in the Ordinances of Richard II to the English army invading Scotland, he ordered every man to have on his person, before and behind, the image of the arms of St. George.

The copyright of the article St. George and the Dragon in Folklore is owned by Larry Low. Permission to republish St. George and the Dragon in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.