In a legend,

Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

a soldier venerated in

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

defeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a human tribute once a year. This was acceptable to the villagers until a princess was chosen as the next offering. The saint thereupon rescues the princess chosen as the next offering. The narrative was first set in

Cappadocia Cappadocia or Capadocia (; tr, Kapadokya), is a historical region in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It largely is in the provinces Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. According to Herodotus, in the time of the Ionian Revo ...

in the earliest sources of the 11th and 12th centuries, but transferred to

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...

in the 13th-century '' Golden Legend''.St. George and the Dragon: Introduction
in: E. Gordon Whatley, Anne B. Thompson, Robert K. Upchurch (eds.), ''Saints' Lives in Middle Spanish Collections'' (2004). The narrative has pre-Christian origins ( Jason and Medea,

Perseus and Andromeda In Greek mythology, Andromeda (; grc, Ἀνδρομέδα, Androméda or , ''Andromédē'') is the daughter of the king of Aethiopia, Cepheus, and his wife, Cassiopeia. When Cassiopeia boasts that she is more beautiful than the Nereids, Posei ...

Typhon Typhon (; grc, Τυφῶν, Typhôn, ), also Typhoeus (; grc, Τυφωεύς, Typhōeús, label=none), Typhaon ( grc, Τυφάων, Typháōn, label=none) or Typhos ( grc, Τυφώς, Typhṓs, label=none), was a monstrous serpentine giant an ...

, etc.), and is recorded in various saints' lives prior to its attribution to St. George specifically. It was particularly attributed to

Saint Theodore Tiro : ''For another Saint Theodore, see: Theodore Stratelates or Saint Theodore (disambiguation)''. Saint Theodore (name), Theodore Tiron ( grc-gre, Ἅγιος Θεόδωρος Τήρων) is one of the two recognized saints called Theodore who ar ...

in the 9th and 10th centuries, and was first transferred to Saint George in the 11th century. The oldest known record of Saint George slaying a dragon is found in a

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

text of the 11th century. The legend and iconography spread rapidly through the Byzantine cultural sphere in the 12th century. It reached Western Christian tradition still in the 12th century, via the

crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...

. The knights of the

First Crusade The First Crusade (1096–1099) was the first of a series of religious wars, or Crusades, initiated, supported and at times directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The objective was the recovery of the Holy Land from Islamic ru ...

believed that St. George, along with his fellow soldier-saints Demetrius, Maurice,

Theodore Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Sask ...

and Mercurius had fought alongside them at Antioch and Jerusalem. The legend was popularised in Western tradition in the 13th century based on its Latin versions in the '' Speculum Historiale'' and the '' Golden Legend''. At first limited to the courtly setting of

Chivalric romance As a literary genre, the chivalric romance is a type of prose and verse narrative that was popular in the noble courts of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a chivalric k ...

, the legend was popularised in the 13th century and became a favourite literary and pictorial subject in the

Late Middle Ages The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the Periodization, period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Eur ...

and

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

, and it has become an integral part of the Christian traditions relating to Saint George in both Eastern and Western tradition.

Origins

Pre-Christian predecessors

The iconography of

military saints The Military Saints, Warrior Saints and Soldier Saints are patron saints, martyrs and other saints associated with the military. They were originally composed of the Early Christians who were soldiers in the Roman army during the persecution of ...

, George and Demetrius as horsemen is a direct continuation of the Roman-era "

Thracian horseman The Thracian horseman (also "Thracian Rider" or "Thracian Heros") is a recurring motif depicted in reliefs of the Hellenistic and Roman periods in the Balkans—mainly Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly and Moesia—roughly from the 3rd century BC to ...

" type iconography. The iconography of the dragon appears to grow out of the

serpent Serpent or The Serpent may refer to: * Snake, a carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes Mythology and religion * Sea serpent, a monstrous ocean creature * Serpent (symbolism), the snake in religious rites and mythological contexts * Serp ...

entwining the "tree of life" on one hand, and with the ''draco'' standard used by late

Roman cavalry Roman cavalry (Latin: ''equites Romani'') refers to the horse-mounted forces of the Roman army throughout the Regal, Republican, and Imperial eras. In the Regal era the Roman cavalry was a group of 300 soldiers called '' celeres'', tasked wit ...

on the other. Horsemen spearing serpents and boars are widely represented in Roman-era stelae commemorating cavalry soldiers. A carving from Krupac, Serbia, depicts

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

and

Asclepius Asclepius (; grc-gre, Ἀσκληπιός ''Asklēpiós'' ; la, Aesculapius) is a hero and god of medicine in ancient Religion in ancient Greece, Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology. He is the son of Apollo and Coronis (lover of ...

as Thracian horsemen, shown besides the serpent entwined around the tree. Another stele shows the Dioscuri as Thracian horsemen on either side of the serpent-entwined tree, killing a boar with their spears.Paul Stephenson, ''The Serpent Column: A Cultural Biography'', Oxford University Press (2016),
179–182
The development of the hagiographical narrative of the dragon-fight parallels the development of iconography. It draws from pre-Christian dragon myths. The

Coptic Coptic may refer to: Afro-Asia * Copts, an ethnoreligious group mainly in the area of modern Egypt but also in Sudan and Libya * Coptic language, a Northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century * Coptic alphabet ...

version of the Saint George legend, edited by

E. A. Wallis Budge Sir Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge (27 July 185723 November 1934) was an English Egyptologist, Orientalist, and philologist who worked for the British Museum and published numerous works on the ancient Near East. He made numerous trips ...

in 1888, and estimated by Budge to be based on a source of the 5th or 6th century, names "governor Dadianus", the persecutor of Saint George as "the dragon of the abyss". a greek myth with similar elements of the legend is the battle between

Bellerophon Bellerophon (; Ancient Greek: Βελλεροφῶν) or Bellerophontes (), born as Hipponous, was a hero of Greek mythology. He was "the greatest hero and slayer of monsters, alongside Cadmus and Perseus, before the days of Heracles", and his ...

and the Chimera. Budge makes explicit the parallel to pre-Christian myth,

I doubt much of the whole story of Saint George is anything more than one of the many versions of the old-world story of the conflict between Light and Darkness, or Ra and
Apep Apep, also spelled Apepi or Aapep, ( Ancient Egyptian: ; Coptic: Erman, Adolf, and Hermann Grapow, eds. 1926–1953. ''Wörterbuch der aegyptischen Sprache im Auftrage der deutschen Akademien''. 6 vols. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs'schen Buch ...
i, and
Marduk Marduk (Cuneiform: dAMAR.UTU; Sumerian: ''amar utu.k'' "calf of the sun; solar calf"; ) was a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon. When Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of ...
and Tiamat, woven upon a few slender threads of historical fact. Tiamat, the scaly, winged, foul dragon, and Apepi the powerful enemy of the glorious Sungod, were both destroyed and made to perish in the fire which he sent against them and their fiends: and Dadianus, also called the 'dragon', with his friends the sixty-nine governors, was also destroyed by fire called down from heaven by the prayer of Saint George. In anticipation of the Saint George iconography, first noted in the 1870s, a
Coptic Coptic may refer to: Afro-Asia * Copts, an ethnoreligious group mainly in the area of modern Egypt but also in Sudan and Libya * Coptic language, a Northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century * Coptic alphabet ...
stone fenestrella shows a mounted hawk-headed figure fighting a crocodile, interpreted by the Louvre as
Horus Horus or Heru, Hor, Har in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as god of kingship and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the P ...
killing a metamorphosed Setekh.

File:Burgas Archaeological Museum - Thracian rider - P1020149.JPG,

with serpent-entwined tree (2nd century) File:Grosvenor Museums - Grabstein 2 Kavallerist.jpg, Funerary relief of a Roman cavalryman trampling a barbarian warrior (4th or 5th century).

Grosvenor Museum Grosvenor Museum is a museum in Chester, Cheshire, in the United Kingdom. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. Its full title is The Grosvenor Museum of Natural History and Archa ...

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

File:Horus horseman-E 4850-IMG 4871-gradient.jpg, Fenestrella interpreted by the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

Horus Horus or Heru, Hor, Har in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as god of kingship and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the P ...

on horseback spearing

Set Set, The Set, SET or SETS may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Mathematics *Set (mathematics), a collection of elements *Category of sets, the category whose objects and morphisms are sets and total functions, respectively Electro ...

in the shape of a crocodile (4th century).

Christianised iconography

Depictions of "Christ militant" trampling a serpent is found in Christian art of the late 5th century. Iconography of the horseman with spear overcoming evil becomes current in the early medieval period. Iconographic representations of St Theodore as dragon-slayer are dated to as early as the 7th century, certainly by the early 10th century (the oldest certain depiction of Theodore killing a dragon is at

Aghtamar Akdamar Island ( tr, Akdamar Adası, ku, Girava Axtamarê), also known as Aghtamar ( hy, Աղթամար, translit=Aġt’amar) or Akhtamar ( hy, Ախթամար, translit=Axt’amar), is the second largest of the four islands in Lake Van, in east ...

, dated c. 920). Theodore is reported as having destroyed a dragon near Euchaita in a legend not younger than the late 9th century. Early depictions of a horseman killing a dragon are unlikely to represent St. George, who in the 10th century was depicted as killing a human figure, not a dragon. Vinica Christopher George

The earliest image of St Theodore as a horseman (named in Latin) is from Vinica, North Macedonia and, if genuine, dates to the 6th or 7th century. Here, Theodore is not slaying a dragon, but holding a ''draco'' standard. One of the Vinica icons also has the oldest representation of Saint George with a dragon: George stands besides a cynocephalous

St. Christopher Saint Christopher ( el, Ἅγιος Χριστόφορος, ''Ágios Christóphoros'') is venerated by several Christian denominations as a martyr killed in the reign of the 3rd-century Roman emperor Decius (reigned 249–251) or alternatively u ...

, both saints treading on snakes with human heads, and aiming at their heads with spears. Maguire (1996) has connected the shift from unnamed equestrian heroes used in household magic to the more regulated iconography of named saints to the closer regulation of sacred imagery following the

iconoclasm Iconoclasm (from Ancient Greek, Greek: grc, wikt:εἰκών, εἰκών, lit=figure, icon, translit=eikṓn, label=none + grc, wikt:κλάω, κλάω, lit=to break, translit=kláō, label=none)From grc, wikt:εἰκών, εἰκών + wi ...

of the 730s. In the West, a Carolingian-era depiction of a Roman horseman trampling and piercing a dragon between two soldier saints with lances and shields was put on the foot of a ''crux gemmata'', formerly in the Treasury of the

Basilica of Saint Servatius The Basilica of Saint Servatius is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Servatius, in the city of Maastricht, the Netherlands. The architecturally hybrid but mainly Romanesque church is situated next to the Gothic church of Saint John, bac ...

in Maastricht (lost since the 18th c.). The representation survives in a 17th-century drawing, now in the

Bibliothèque Nationale de France The Bibliothèque nationale de France (, 'National Library of France'; BnF) is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites known respectively as ''Richelieu'' and ''François-Mitterrand''. It is the national repository ...

in Paris.

The "Christianisation" of the Thracian horseman iconography can be traced to the Cappadocian cave churches of Göreme, where frescoes of the 10th century show military saints on horseback confronting serpents with one, two or three heads. One of the earliest examples is from the church known as Mavrucan 3 (), generally dated to the 10th century, which portrays two "sacred riders" confronting two serpents twined around a tree, in a striking parallel to the Dioskuroi stela, except that the riders are now attacking the snake in the "tree of life" instead of a boar. In this example, at least, there appear to be two snakes with separate heads, but other examples of 10th-century Cappadocia show polycephalous snakes. A poorly preserved wall-painting at the ("Snake Church") that depicts the two saints Theodore and George attacking a dragon has been tentatively dated to the 10th century, or alternatively even to the mid-9th. A similar example, but showing three equestrian saints, Demetrius, Theodore and George, is from the "Zoodochos Pigi" chapel in central Macedonia in Greece, in the prefecture of Kilkis, near the modern village of Kolchida, dated to the 9th or 10th century. A 12th-century depiction of the mounted dragon-slayer, presumably depicting Theodore, not George, is found in four

muqarna Muqarnas ( ar, مقرنص; fa, مقرنس), also known in Iranian architecture as Ahoopāy ( fa, آهوپای) and in Iberian architecture as Mocárabe, is a form of ornamented vaulting in Islamic architecture. It is the archetypal form of I ...

panels in the nave of the Cappella Palatina in

Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...

. Jeremy Johns, "Muslim Artists, Christian Patrons and the Painted Ceilings of the Cappella Palatina (Palermo, Sicily, circa 1143 CE)"
Hadiith ad-Dar 40
(2016), p. 15.

Transfer to Saint George

St Theodor & George Sinai 9-10th century

The

dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

motif was transferred to the George legend from that of his fellow

soldier saint The Military Saints, Warrior Saints and Soldier Saints are patron saints, martyrs and other saints associated with the military. They were originally composed of the Early Christians who were soldiers in the Roman army during the persecution of ...

. The transfer of the dragon iconography from Theodore, or Theodore and George as "Dioskuroi" to George on his own, first becomes tangible in the early 11th century. The oldest certain images of St. George combatting the serpent are still found in

Golden Legend

In the well-known version from Jacobus de Voragine's ''

Legenda aurea The ''Golden Legend'' (Latin: ''Legenda aurea'' or ''Legenda sanctorum'') is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that was widely read in late medieval Europe. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived.Hilary ...

'' (''The Golden Legend'', 1260s), the narrative episode of Saint George and the Dragon took place somewhere he called "Silene", in

. Silene in Libya was plagued by a venom-spewing

dwelling in a nearby pond, poisoning the countryside. To prevent it from affecting the city itself, the people offered it two sheep daily, then a man and a sheep, and finally their children and youths, chosen by lottery. One time the lot fell on the king's daughter. The king offered all his gold and silver to have his daughter spared, but the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon.

by chance arrived at the spot. The princess tried to send him away, but he vowed to remain. The dragon emerged from the pond while they were conversing. Saint George made the

Sign of the Cross Making the sign of the cross ( la, signum crucis), or blessing oneself or crossing oneself, is a ritual blessing made by members of some branches of Christianity. This blessing is made by the tracing of an upright cross or + across the body with ...

and charged it on horseback, seriously wounding it with his lance. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle (), and he put it around the dragon's neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a "meek beast" on a leash. The princess and Saint George led the dragon back to the city of Silene, where it terrified the populace. Saint George offered to kill the dragon if they consented to become Christians and be baptized. Fifteen thousand men including the king of Silene

converted to Christianity Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to Christianity. Different Christian denominations may perform various different kinds of rituals or ceremonies initiation into their community of belie ...

. George then killed the dragon, beheading it with his sword, and the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. The king built a church to the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...

and Saint George on the site where the dragon died and a spring flowed from its altar with water that cured all disease. Only the Latin version involves the saint striking the dragon with the spear, before killing it with the sword., note 96 The ''Golden Legend'' narrative is the main source of the story of Saint George and the Dragon as received in Western Europe, and is therefore relevant for Saint George as patron saint of England. The princess remains unnamed in the ''Golden Legend'' version, and the name "Sabra" is supplied by Elizabethan era writer Richard Johnson in his '' Seven Champions of Christendom'' (1596). In the work, she is recast as a princess of Egypt. This work takes great liberties with the material, and makes St. George marry Sabra and have English children, one of whom becomes

Guy of Warwick Guy of Warwick, or Gui de Warewic, is a legendary English hero of Romance popular in England and France from the 13th to 17th centuries. The story of Sir Guy is considered by scholars to be part of the Matter of England.''Boundaries in medieval r ...

. Alternative names given to the princess in Italian sources still of the 13th century are ''Cleolinda'' and ''Aia''. Johnson also supplied the Saint George's sword name " Ascalon".

Iconography

Medieval iconography

Eastern

The saint is depicted in the style of a

man in the tradition of the "

Thracian Heros The Thracian horseman (also "Thracian Rider" or "Thracian Heros") is a recurring motif depicted in reliefs of the Hellenistic and Roman periods in the Balkans—mainly Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly and Moesia—roughly from the 3rd century BC to ...

." There are two main iconographic types, the "concise" form showing only George and the dragon, and the "detailed" form also including the princess and the city walls or towers of Lacia (Lasia) with spectators witnessing the miracle. The "concise" type originates in Cappadocia, in the 10th to 11th century (transferred from the same iconography associated with Saint Theodore of Tiro in the 9th to 10th century). The earliest certain example of the "detailed" form may be a fresco from Pavnisi (dated c. 1160), although the examples from Adishi, Bochorma and Ikvi may be slightly earlier. ;Ethiopian File:Alwan Codex 27 Ethiopian Biblical Manuscript.jpg, Alwan Codex 27 Ethiopian Biblical Icon - St. George File:Äthiopien Grosses Triptychon Museum Rietberg EFA 15 img05.jpg, Great Triptych, Ethiopia, c. 1700, tempera on fabric on wood; Museum Rietberg, Zurich, Switzerland ;Georgian St George of Parakheti.jpg, St George of Parakheti, Georgia, late 10th century Icon of St. George from Labechina, Racha region of Georgia, XI century.png, St George of Labechina,

Racha Racha (also Račha, , ''Račʼa'') is a highland area in western Georgia, located in the upper Rioni river valley and hemmed in by the Greater Caucasus mountains. Under Georgia's current subdivision, Racha is included in the Racha-Lechkhumi and ...

, Georgia, early 11th century Kondakov 1890. St George icon from Likhauri.jpg, Icon of St. George and the dragon from Likhauri ( Ozurgeti Municipality), Georgia, 12th century St George enamel icon (Georgia).jpg, A 15th-century Georgian

cloisonné enamel Cloisonné () is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with colored material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally of gold. In recent centuries, vitreous enamel has been used, but inlays of cut gemstones ...

icon ;Greek Byzantine - St George and the Dragon - Walters 41205.jpg, Byzantine bas-relief of Saint George and the Dragon ( steatite), 12th century St George Icon Sinai 13th century.jpg, Monumental ''vita'' icon at Sinai, first half of the 13th century, likely by a Greek artist. The dragon episode is shown in one of twenty panels depicting the saint's life. Saint George icon in Pyrgos, Santorini.jpg, Greek icon of St George with the youth of Mytilene, 15th century, Pyrgos,

Santorini Santorini ( el, Σαντορίνη, ), officially Thira (Greek: Θήρα ) and classical Greek Thera (English pronunciation ), is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from the Greek mainland. It is the ...

. File:Chanter Angelos Akotandos - St George on Horseback, Slaying the Dragon - Google Art Project.jpg, Icon by Angelos Akotandos, Crete (first half of the 15th century) St George - Google Art Project.jpg, "Pedestrian" St George, Crete, second half of the 15th century Damaskenos Saint-George-and-Saint-Demetrius.jpg,

Michael Damaskinos Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos ( el, Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός, 1530/35–1592/93) was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 1 ...

(16th century), Saint George killing the dragon, alongside Saint Mercurius killing

Julian Julian may refer to: People * Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363 * Julian (Rome), referring to the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots * Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints * Julian (give ...

. ;Russian The oldest example in Russia found on walls of the church of St George in Staraya Ladoga, dated c. 1167. In Russian tradition, the icon is known as ; i.e., "the miracle of George and the dragon." The saint is mostly shown on a white horse, facing right, but sometimes also on a black horse, or facing left. The princess is usually not included. Another motif shows George on horseback with the youth of Mytilene sitting behind him. Georgeladoga.jpg, The Staraya Ladoga fresco, c. 1167 S.George (Novgorod, mid. 14 c, GTG).jpg, 14th-century icon from

Novgorod Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the ol ...

Black.George.14.cent.Museum.of.Russian.icon.png, 14th-century icon from Rostov File:S.George (Novgorod, 14th c., Russian museum).jpg, Novgorod ''vita'' icon, 14th century; the "detailed" dragon iconography takes the central panel. File:S.George (Moscow, 15th c., Korin's house-museum).jpg, Russian icon of the "detailed" type, Moscow, early 15th century File:StGeorge-RussianMuseum.jpg, Novgorod icon, late 15th century File:S.George (Russian North, end 15-early 16th c., GTG).jpg, Northern Russian icon of the "detailed" type, the saint is exceptionally slaying the dragon with his sword (c. 1500). File:Святий Юрій Змієборець.jpg, Chełm school, 16th century

Western

The motif of Saint George as a knight on horseback slaying the dragon first appears in western art in the second half of the 13th century. The tradition of the saint's arms being shown as the red-on-white

St. George's Cross In heraldry, Saint George's Cross, the Cross of Saint George, is a red cross on a white background, which from the Late Middle Ages became associated with Saint George, the military saint, often depicted as a crusader. Associated with the cr ...

develops in the 14th century. File:20030708570DR Ankershagen Dorfkirche Fresken.jpg, 13th-century fresco in

Ankershagen Ankershagen is a municipality in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Components of the municipality ''Ankershagen'' are ''Ankershagen'', ''Bocksee'', ''Bornhof'', ''Friedrichsfelde'' and ''Rumpshagen''. ...

Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; nds, label=Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schwerin ...

File:St George and the Dragon Verona ms 1853 26r.jpg, Miniature from a ''Passio Sancti Georgii'' manuscript (Verona, second half of 13th century) File:St George BNF Fr 241 101v.jpg, Miniature from a manuscript of ''

Legenda Aurea The ''Golden Legend'' (Latin: ''Legenda aurea'' or ''Legenda sanctorum'') is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that was widely read in late medieval Europe. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived.Hilary ...

'', Paris, 1348. File:Saint George et le dragon, enluminure.jpg, Book of Hours (c. 1380?). File:St George Royal19BXVII 109.jpg, Miniature from a manuscript of ''Legenda Aurea'', Paris, 1382. File:De Grey Hours f.31.v St. George and the dragon.png, De Grey Hours (c. 1400) File:Anga kyrka-Mural painting02.jpg, Fresco of the full legend,

Anga Church, Gotland Anga Church ( sv, Anga kyrka) is a 13th century church in Anga on the Swedish island of Gotland. It is one of the most well-preserved Romanesque churches on Gotland, and was possibly preceded by a stave church. Inside, the church is decorated with ...

, Sweden (mid 15th century) File:Heures Ch d'Angoulême Saint Georges XVe.jpg, Miniature from

Heures de Charles d'Angoulême The Heures de Charles d'Angoulême is a book of hours commissioned in the late 15th century, probably around 1480, by Charles, Count of Angoulême, father of king Francis I of France. It is now in the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, und ...

, Cognac, France, f.53v (1475–1500) File:Saint George and the Dragon alabaster sculpture.jpg, ''Saint George and the Dragon'', tinted alabaster, English, c. 1375–1420 (

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of char ...

, Washington) File:St Georgsgruppe, um 1500.jpg, Wooden sculpture, c. 1500, Gottorf Castle

Renaissance

Donatello Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi ( – 13 December 1466), better known as Donatello ( ), was a Republic of Florence, Florentine sculptor of the Renaissance period. Born in Republic of Florence, Florence, he studied classical sculpture and use ...

Saint George
c. 1417.

Bargello The Bargello, also known as the Palazzo del Bargello, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, or Palazzo del Popolo (Palace of the People), was a former barracks and prison, now an art museum, in Florence, Italy. Terminology The word ''bargello'' appears ...

, Florence, Italy. *

Paolo Uccello Paolo Uccello ( , ; 1397 – 10 December 1475), born Paolo di Dono, was an Italians, Italian (Florentine) Florentine painting, painter and mathematician who was notable for his pioneering work on visual Perspective (graphical), perspective in art. ...

, ''

Saint George and the Dragon In a legend, Saint Georgea soldier venerated in Christianitydefeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a human tr ...

'', c. 1470.

National Gallery, London The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...

. *

Giovanni Bellini Giovanni Bellini (; c. 1430 – 26 November 1516) was an Italian Renaissance painter, probably the best known of the Bellini family of Venetian painters. He was raised in the household of Jacopo Bellini, formerly thought to have been his father ...

, ''Saint George Fighting the Dragon'', c. 1471. Pesaro altarpiece. *

Lieven van Lathem Lieven van Lathem (1430–1493), was an Early Netherlandish painter and manuscript illuminator. Career He was born in Ghent.Saint George and the Dragon In a legend, Saint Georgea soldier venerated in Christianitydefeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a human tr ...

'' (c. 1471) * Bernt Notke, ''

'', Storkyrkan in Stockholm, ca. 1484–1489. * Andrea della Robbia,

terracotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based ceramic glaze, unglazed or glazed ceramic where the pottery firing, fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, a ...

, c. 1490 *

Albrecht Dürer Albrecht Dürer (; ; hu, Ajtósi Adalbert; 21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528),Müller, Peter O. (1993) ''Substantiv-Derivation in Den Schriften Albrecht Dürers'', Walter de Gruyter. . sometimes spelled in English as Durer (without an umlaut) or Due ...

woodcut Woodcut is a relief printing technique in printmaking. An artist carves an image into the surface of a block of wood—typically with gouges—leaving the printing parts level with the surface while removing the non-printing parts. Areas that ...

, 1501/4 *

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...

(Raffaello Santi), ''St. George'', 1504. Oil on wood.

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, France. * Raphael (Raffaello Santi), ''St. George and the Dragon'', 1504–1506. Oil on wood.

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, United States. * Albrecht Altdorfer, Forest Landscape with St. George Fighting the Dragon, 1510 *

Tintoretto Tintoretto ( , , ; born Jacopo Robusti; late September or early October 1518Bernari and de Vecchi 1970, p. 83.31 May 1594) was an Italian painter identified with the Venetian school. His contemporaries both admired and criticized the speed with ...

(Jacopo Robusti), ''

'', 1555. File:Bernat Martorell - Saint George Killing the Dragon - Google Art Project.jpg, Bernat Martorell – ''Saint George Killing the Dragon'' (1435). File:Stockholm-Storkyrkan (St.Georg).jpg, ''

'',

wood carving Wood carving is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation ...

by Bernt Notke in

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

's Storkyrkan (1470s). File:1512 Meister des Döbelner Hochaltars Hl. Georg zu Pferde anagoria.JPG, St. George on Horseback, Meister des Döbelner Hochaltars, 1511/13, Hamburger Kunsthalle File:St GeorgeEnglish.JPG, Woodcut frontispiece of Alexander Barclay, ''Lyfe of Seynt George'' (Westminster, 1515). File:Gillis Coignet - St George the Great.jpg,

Gillis Coignet Gillis Coignet, Congnet or Quiniet (c. 1542 – 1599) was a Flemish Renaissance painter, who was strongly influenced by the Italian style. He painted historical and mythological subjects of an easel size, but was more successful in landscapes, ...

– ''St George the Great'' (1581).

Early modern and modern art

Paintings *

Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...

, ''

'', 1620. *

Salvator Rosa Salvator Rosa (1615 –1673) is best known today as an Italian Baroque painter, whose romanticized landscapes and history paintings, often set in dark and untamed nature, exerted considerable influence from the 17th century into the early 19th ...

, '' San Giorgio e il Drago'' *

Mattia Preti Mattia Preti (24 February 1613 – 3 January 1699) was an Italian Baroque artist who worked in Italy and Malta. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Saint John. Life Born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria, Preti was called ''Il Cava ...

, ''St George triumphant over the dragon'', 1678, at

St. George's Basilica, Malta St. George's Basilica or the Basilica and Collegiate Parish Church of Saint George, also simply known as San Ġorġ in Maltese (), is a historic Baroque church situated in the middle of Gozo, the second largest island in the Maltese archipelago ...

in Victoria,

Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...

. * Edward Burne-Jones, ''St. George and the Dragon'', 1866. *

Gustave Moreau Gustave Moreau (; 6 April 1826 – 18 April 1898) was a French artist and an important figure in the Symbolist movement. Jean Cassou called him "the Symbolist painter par excellence".Cassou, Jean. 1979. ''The Concise Encyclopedia of Symbolism.' ...

, ''St. George and the Dragon'', c. 1870. Oil on canvas. The National Gallery, London. *

Briton Rivière Briton Rivière (14 August 1840 in London20 April 1920 in London) was a British artist of Huguenot descent. He exhibited a variety of paintings at the Royal Academy, but devoted much of his life to animal paintings. Biography Briton's fat ...

, ''St. George and the Dragon'', c. 1914. * Uroš Predić, ''St George Killing the Dragon'', 1930. *

Giorgio de Chirico Giuseppe Maria Alberto Giorgio de Chirico ( , ; 10 July 1888 – 20 November 1978) was an Italian artist and writer born in Greece. In the years before World War I, he founded the '' scuola metafisica'' art movement, which profoundly influ ...

, ''St. George Killing the Dragon'', 1940. Sculptures * The sculptures which form part of the clock of Liberty's store in

Regent Street Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London. It is named after George, the Prince Regent (later George IV) and was laid out under the direction of the architect John Nash and James Burton. It runs from Waterloo Place ...

, London (19th century). * Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, ''Saint George and the Dragon'', bronze,

State Library of Victoria State Library Victoria (SLV) is the state library of Victoria, Australia. Located in Melbourne, it was established in 1854 as the Melbourne Public Library, making it Australia's oldest public library and one of the first free libraries in the ...

, 1889 *

Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...

, ''Saint George and the Dragon'', Open Air Museum in

Cosenza Cosenza (; local dialect: ''Cusenza'', ) is a city in Calabria, Italy. The city centre has a population of approximately 70,000; the urban area counts more than 200,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Province of Cosenza, which has a populati ...

, 1947 *

Edward Seago Edward Brian Seago, RBA, ARWS, RWS (31 March 1910 – 19 January 1974) was an English artist who painted in both oils and watercolours. Early life The son of a coal merchant, Seago was born in Norwich and attended Norwich School. He was a se ...

, ''Saint George and the Dragon'', silver, automobile mascot used for the British monarch's cars, 1952. *

Zurab Tsereteli Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli ( ka, ზურაბ კონსტანტინეს ძე წერეთელი, russian: Зураб Константинович Церетели; born 4 January 1934) is a Georgian-Russian painter, sc ...

, sculpture in front of the at , Moscow, 1995 * Zurab Tsereteli, '' St. George Statue'', Tbilisi, 2005 * Marcus Canning and

Christian de Vietri Christian de Vietri (born 1981, Kalgoorlie) is an Australian artist. Education Christian de Vietri attended a boys' secondary school, Hale School located in Australia's northern suburbs of Perth. In 2001, De Vietri completed a Bachelor of Fin ...

, ''Ascalon'', abstract sculpture in front of St George's Cathedral,

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

, 2011 Mosaic *

Edward Poynter Sir Edward John Poynter, 1st Baronet (20 March 183626 July 1919) was an English painter, designer, and draughtsman, who served as President of the Royal Academy. Life Poynter was the son of architect Ambrose Poynter. He was born in Paris, Fr ...

, ''Saint George for England'', 1869. Central Lobby in the

Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parli ...

. *

Sergey Chekhonin Sergey Vasil'evich Tchehonine (Chekhonin) (born in Valdayka, Novgorod province Lykoshino, Tver Oblast], 2 February 1878; died on the way from Germany to Paris, 23 February 1936) was a USSR, Russian graphic artist, portrait miniaturist, ceramicist ...

Sergey Vasilyevich Gerasimov Sergey Vasilyevich Gerasimov (russian: Серге́й Васи́льевич Гера́симов; in Mozhaysk, current Moscow Oblast – 20 April 1964 in Moscow) was a Soviet and Russian painter. Gerasimov was a student of artist Konstant ...

, Central maiolica panel about the battle of St. George the Victorious with the Serpent 1911–1913, Moscow, Russia. * Anatoly Alexandrovich Ostrogradsky, A small image of St. George, with the plot of the fresco of the Church of St. George in Staraya Ladoga in a stylized icon case on the façade, above the main porches, the maiolica was made in 1911–1913, Moscow, Russia. Engravings *

Benedetto Pistrucci Benedetto Pistrucci (29 May 1783 – 16 September 1855) was an Italian gem-engraver, medallist and coin engraver, probably best known for his Saint George and the Dragon design for the British sovereign coin. Pistrucci was commissioned by ...

, engraving for coin dies, 1817. * On kopecks issued by the Central Bank of Russia. Prints * On banknotes issued by the

Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and still one of the bankers for the Government of ...

: ** £1 note, 1917 until 1933, on obverse, with portrait of

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...

; 1928 until 1960, on reverse, duplicated. ** £5 note, 1957 until 1967, on obverse, with portrait of

Britannia Britannia () is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used in classical antiquity, the Latin ''Britannia'' was the name variously applied to the British Isles, Great ...

. ** £20 note, 1970 until 1993, on obverse, with portrait of

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

. File:Châtenois StGeorges25.JPG, 17th-century statue in Église Saint-Georges de Châtenois, France File:Châtenois StGeorges30.JPG, 18th-century statue in Église Saint-Georges de Châtenois, France File:Mattia Preti - St. George Victorious over the Dragon - WGA18398.jpg, ''Saint George and the Dragon'', by

(1678), in

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. File:St. George the Victorious - Google Art Project.jpg, Unknown painter from

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

, 18th century. File:Pendant with Saint George.jpg,

Pendant with Saint George The Pendant with Saint George is a gold and enamel pendant designed and created by Lluís Masriera i Rosés, now in the permanent collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona. Description Ma ...

Lluís Masriera i Rosés Lluís Masriera i Rosés was born in Barcelona in 1872 to the famous painter Josep Masriera, who was also a well-known silversmith and, along with his brother Francesc Masriera, he ran the family jewelry business started by his father, José Masr ...

(1902), Barcelona. File:St. George and the Dragon - Briton Riviere.jpg, ''St. George and the Dragon'' by Briton Reviere (c. 1914). File:1914 Sydney Half Sovereign - St. George.jpg, 1914 sovereign with

's engraving. File:Britain Needs You at Once - WWI recruitment poster - Parliamentary Recruiting Committee Poster No. 108.jpg, WWI British recruitment poster. File:2002 Bentley State Limousine ornament.jpg,

's ''St. George and the Dragon'' automobile mascot used by the British monarch (1952) File:MBF20160630.jpg, Central maiolica panel about the battle of St. George the Victorious with the Serpent 1911–1913, artists

File:Wiki tile murals bolshaya pirogovskaya 9 moscow.jpg, A small image of St. George, with the plot of the fresco of the Church of St. George in Staraya Ladoga in a stylized icon case on the facade, above the main porches, the maiolica was made in 1911–1913 by Anatoly Alexandrovich Ostrogradsky. File:Манежная площадь - panoramio (1).jpg, Zurab Tsereteli's ''St. George and the Dragon'' on the top of the shopping center (1997) in Moscow, Russia

Literary adaptations

Edmund Spenser Edmund Spenser (; 1552/1553 – 13 January 1599) was an English poet best known for ''The Faerie Queene'', an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen of ...

expands on the Saint George and the Dragon story in Book I of the '' Fairy Queen'', initially referring to the hero as the ''Redcross Knight''.

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

refers to Saint George and the Dragon in ''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...

'' ( ''Advance our standards, set upon our foes Our ancient world of courage fair St. George Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons'' act V, sc. 3), ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...

'' ( ''The game's afoot: follow your spirit, and upon this charge cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George! act III, sc. 1), and also in ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...

'' (act I). A 17th-century broadside

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

paid homage to the feat of George's dragon slaying. Titled "St. George and the Dragon", the ballad considers the importance of Saint George in relation to other heroes of epic and Romance, ultimately concluding that all other heroes and figures of epic or romance pale in comparison to the feats of George. ''The Banner of St George'' by

Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

is a ballad for chorus and orchestra, words by Shapcott Wensley (1879). The 1898 ''Dream Days'' by

Kenneth Grahame Kenneth Grahame ( ; 8 March 1859 – 6 July 1932) was a British writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is most famous for ''The Wind in the Willows'' (1908), a classic of children's literature, as well as ''The Reluctant Dragon (short story), T ...

includes a chapter entitled " The Reluctant Dragon", in which an elderly Saint George and a benign dragon stage a mock battle to satisfy the townsfolk and get the dragon introduced into society. Later made into a

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

, and set to music by John Rutter as a children's

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

. In 1935 Stanley Holloway recorded a humorous retelling of the tale as ''St. George and the Dragon'' written by Weston and Lee. In the 1950s,

Stan Freberg Stan Freberg (born Stanley Friberg; August 7, 1926 – April 7, 2015) was an American actor, author, comedian, musician, radio personality, puppeteer and advertising creative director. His best-known works include " St. George and the Dragonet ...

and Daws Butler wrote and performed '' St. George and the Dragon-Net'' (a

spoof Spoof, spoofs, spoofer, or spoofing may refer to: * Forgery of goods or documents * Semen, in Australian slang * Spoof (game), a guessing game * Spoofing (finance), a disruptive algorithmic-trading tactic designed to manipulate markets __NOTOC__ ...

of the tale and of '' Dragnet'') for Freberg's radio show. The story's recording became the first comedy album to sell over a million copies.

Margaret Hodges Sarah Margaret Hodges née Moore (July 26, 1911 – December 13, 2005) was an American writer of children's books, librarian, and storyteller. Sarah Margaret Moore was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Arthur Carlisle Moore and Annie Marie Moo ...

retold the legend in a 1984 children's book (''

'') with Caldecott Medal-winning illustrations by

Trina Schart Hyman Trina Schart Hyman (April 8, 1939 – November 19, 2004) was an American illustrator of children's books. She illustrated over 150 books, including fairy tales and Arthurian legends. She won the 1985 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustrat ...

Samantha Shannon Samantha Shannon (born 8 November 1991) is a British author of dystopian and fantasy fiction. Her debut novel, '' The Bone Season'', was published in 2013 and is the first of a seven-book series. Life and career Shannon was born in Hammersmith ...

describes her 2019 novel ''The Priory of the Orange Tree'' as a "feminist retelling" of Saint George and the Dragon.Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine

Heraldry and vexillology

Coats of arms

Reggio Calabria Reggio di Calabria ( scn, label= Southern Calabrian, Riggiu; el, label= Calabrian Greek, Ρήγι, Rìji), usually referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the largest city in Calabria. It has an estimated popul ...

used Saint George and the dragon in its

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

since at least 1757, derived from earlier (15th-century) iconography used on the city seal. Saint George and the dragon has been depicted in the coat of arms of Moscow since the late 18th century, and in the coat of arms of Georgia since 1991 (based on a coat of arms introduced in 1801 for Georgia within the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

). File:S. Giorgio di Cappadocia e lo stemma della città di Reggio - Stemma di Reggio Calabria.png, Coat of arms of

(1896) File:Moscow COA 1781.png, Coat of arms of Moscow (1781) File:Coat of Arms of Moscow.svg, Coat of arms of Moscow (1993 design) File:Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation.svg,

Coat of arms of Russia The coat of arms of Russia derives from the earlier coat of arms of the Russian Empire which was abolished with the Russian Revolution in 1917. Though modified more than once since the reign of Ivan III (1462–1505), the current coat of arms i ...

(1993) File:COA of Kyiv Oblast m.svg, Coat of arms of

Kyiv Oblast Kyiv Oblast ( uk, Ки́ївська о́бласть, translit=Kyïvska oblast), also called Kyivshchyna ( uk, Ки́ївщина), is an oblast (province) in central and northern Ukraine. It surrounds, but does not include, the city of Kyiv, w ...

(1999) File:Lesser coat of arms of Georgia.svg, Coat of arms of Georgia (2004) Aragonese Royal Arms with the Crest of the Chivalry of Saint George

;Provincial coats of arms *

, Ukraine (1999) *

Moscow Oblast Moscow Oblast ( rus, Моско́вская о́бласть, r=Moskovskaya oblast', p=mɐˈskofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ), or Podmoskovye ( rus, Подмоско́вье, p=pədmɐˈskovʲjə, literally "under Moscow"), is a federal subject of Rus ...

, Russia (

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

) ;Municipal coats of arms * Australia:

Hurstville Hurstville is a suburb in Southern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is 16 kilometres south of the Sydney CBD and is part of the St George area. Hurstville is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Georges Riv ...

* Austria: Pitten,

Sankt Georgen an der Gusen Sankt Georgen an der Gusen (also ''St. Georgen an der Gusen'' and ''St. Georgen/Gusen''; lit.: "Saint George's town on the Gusen River") is a small market town in Upper Austria, Austria, between the municipalities of Luftenberg and Langenstein. ...

, Sankt Georgen an der Leys, Sankt Georgen an der Stiefing,

Sankt Georgen im Attergau Sankt Georgen im Attergau (Central Bavarian: ''Sont Tiareng im Attogau'') is a municipality in the district of Vöcklabruck in the Austrian state of Upper Austria Upper Austria (german: Oberösterreich ; bar, Obaöstareich) is one of the nine ...

Sankt Georgen ob Murau Sankt Georgen ob Murau is a former municipality in the district of Murau in Styria, Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps ...

. * Croatia: Kaštel Sućurac. * Czech Republic:

Brušperk Brušperk (german: Braunsberg) is a town in Frýdek-Místek District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 4,100 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zon ...

. * Denmark: Holstebro. * France: Aydoilles, Couilly-Pont-aux-Dames, Ligsdorf, Maulan,

Mussidan Mussidan (; oc, Moissida) is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Mussidan station has rail connections to Bordeaux, Périgueux, Brive-la-Gaillarde and Limoges. Population Roundup of 16 January 19 ...

, Saint-Georges (Moselle),

Saint-Georges-Armont Saint-Georges-Armont () is a commune in the Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France. Geography The commune liest east of Clerval. Population See also * Communes of the Doubs department The following is a ...

, Saint-Georges-d'Espéranche,

Saint-Georges-d'Oléron Saint-Georges-d'Oléron (, literally ''Saint-Georges of Oléron'') is a commune on Oléron Island in the Charente-Maritime department, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. Population See also * Boyardville * Fort Boyard *Co ...

Saint-Georges-d'Orques Saint-Georges-d'Orques (; oc, Sant Jòrdi d'Òrcas) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Hérault department The following is a list of the 342 communes of t ...

Saint-Georges-de-Reintembault Saint-Georges-de-Reintembault (; br, Sant-Jord-Restembaod) is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in northwestern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western E ...

, Saint-Georges-du-Bois,

Saint-Georges-du-Vièvre Saint-Georges-du-Vièvre () is a commune in the Eure department in Normandy in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Eure department The following is a list of the 585 communes of the Eure department of France. The commune ...

Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche () is a commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. It is twinned with the affluent English village of Little Aston. See also *Communes of the Yonne department The following i ...

Saint-Georges-sur-Loire Saint-Georges-sur-Loire (, literally ''Saint-Georges on Loire'') is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. See also *Communes of the Maine-et-Loire department The following is a list of the 177 communes of the Maine-e ...

, Saint-Jurs,

Saorge Saorge (; Royasc: ''Sauèrge''; Brigasc: ''Savurgë''; it, Saorgio, oc, Saorj, lij, Savurgiu) is a Communes of France, commune in the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in southeastern France. Highway E74 which runs north from ...

Sospel Sospel (; Mentonasc: Sospèl, Italian Sospello) is a commune (municipality) and former schismatic episcopal seat (1381-1418) in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France near the Italian border and not far from Monte Carlo. Hist ...

, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. * Germany:

Bürgel Bürgel is a town in the Saale-Holzland district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated 12 km east of Jena Jena () is a German city and the second largest city in Thuringia. Together with the nearby cities of Erfurt and Weimar, it forms ...

, Hattingen, Mansfeld, Rittersbach, St. Georgen im Schwarzwald,

Schwarzenberg Schwarzenberg may refer to: People * House of Schwarzenberg, Franconian and Bohemian aristocratic family which was first mentioned in 1172 ** Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg (1771–1820), Field Marshal in Austrian service during the Napol ...

. * Hungary:

Bácsszentgyörgy Bácsszentgyörgy ( sh-Latn, Đurić) is a border village and municipality in Bács-Kiskun county, in the Southern Great Plain region of southern Hungary towards Serbia. Geography It covers an area of and has a population Population typ ...

Balatonszentgyörgy Balatonszentgyörgy is a village in Somogy county, Hungary. It is near to the village of Balatonberény. The village is next to Lake Balaton. Etymology The village got its name after Saint George ( hu, Szent György), the patron of its church. ...

, Borsodszentgyörgy,

Dunaszentgyörgy Dunaszentgyörgy is a village in Tolna County Tolna ( hu, Tolna megye, ; german: Komitat Tolnau) is an administrative county (comitatus or megye) in present Hungary as it was of the former Kingdom of Hungary. It lies in central Hungary, on the ...

Homokszentgyörgy Homokszentgyörgy ( hr, Senđuđ) is a village in Somogy county, Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the ...

Pécsvárad Pécsvárad (german: Petschwar; hr, Pečvar) is a town in Baranya County, Hungary. Notable landmarks Among the most significant Hungarian heritage from the Middle Ages is the castle built on a Benedictine monastery commissioned by King St Steph ...

Szentgyörgyvár Szentgyörgyvár is a village in Zala County, Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania t ...

Szentgyörgyvölgy Szentgyörgyvölgy is a village in Zala County, Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania ...

Tatárszentgyörgy Tatárszentgyörgy is a village in Pest county, Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania ...

. * Italy:

* Lithuania: Marijampolė,

Prienai Prienai () is a city in Lithuania situated on the Nemunas River, south of Kaunas. In 2011 the city had 9,867 inhabitants. The name of the city is a derivative from a surname ''Prienas''. Pociūnai Airport is associated with the city. History ...

, Varniai. * Netherlands: Ridderkerk,

Terborg Terborg is a small city in the Dutch province of Gelderland, in the Achterhoek region in the east of the Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Oude IJsselstreek. The city lies about 7 km southeast of Doetinchem. The population i ...

. * Poland:

Brzeg Dolny Brzeg Dolny (german: Dyhernfurth) is a town in Wołów County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is located north-west of Wrocław on the Oder River, and is the site of a large chemical plant complex, PCC Rokita SA. As of ...

, Dzierżoniów, Milicz,

Ostróda Ostróda (; Old Prussian: ''Austrāti'') is a town in northern Poland, in the historic region of Masuria. It is the seat of the Ostróda County within the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and has approximately 33,191 inhabitants (2009). Ostróda is ...

. * Romania: Suceava,

Sfântu Gheorghe Sfântu Gheorghe (; hu, Sepsiszentgyörgy or ''Szentgyörgy'' ; yi, סנט דזשארדזש; English lit.: ''Saint George'') is the capital city of Covasna County, Romania. Located in the central part of the country and in the historical regio ...

. * Russia:

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

* Serbia:

Srpski Krstur Srpski Krstur () is a village located in Serbia, in the Novi Kneževac municipality of the North Banat District, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority (69.81%) with a present Romani (13.58%) and Hungaria ...

. * Slovakia: Svätý Jur. * Slovenia:

Šentjur Šentjur ( or ; german: Sankt Georgen) is a town in eastern Slovenia. It is the seat, and largest settlement, of the Municipality of Šentjur. The town lies on the Voglajna River east southeast of Celje. The settlement, and the entire municipal ...

* Spain:

Alcalá de los Gazules Alcalá de los Gazules is a city and municipality located in the province of Cádiz, Spain. According to the 2006 census, the town has a population of 5,633 inhabitants. Alcalá de los Gazules is situated in the Sierra de Cádiz. Although not o ...

, Golosalvo, Puentedura. * Switzerland: Castiel,

Kaltbrunn Kaltbrunn is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster (Wahlkreis), See-Gaster in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of St. Gallen (canton), St. Gallen in Switzerland. History Kaltbrunn is fir ...

, Ruschein,

Saint-George Saint-George is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It is located in the district of Nyon. History Saint-George is first mentioned in 1153 as ''Sancti Georgii de Essartinis''. Geography Saint-George has an area, , of . Of this area, ...

Schlans Schlans is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The municipality of Schlans merged on 1 January 2012 into the municipality of Trun.Stein am Rhein,

Waltensburg/Vuorz Waltensburg/Vuorz is a former municipality in the Surselva Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. On 1 January 2018 the former municipalities of Andiast and Waltensburg/Vuorz merged into the municipality of Breil/Brigels. History ...

. * Ukraine: Holoby, Liuboml, Nizhyn, Taikury, Volodymyr,

Vyshneve Vyshneve ( uk, Вишне́ве) is a city south of Kyiv in Ukraine. It is in Bucha Raion of Kyiv Oblast. Vyshneve hosts the administration of Vyshneve urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. It has a population of History In 1886, a r ...

Zbarazh Zbarazh ( uk, Збараж, pl, Zbaraż, yi, זבאריזש, Zbarizh) is a city in Ternopil Raion of Ternopil Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. It is located in the historic region of Galicia. Zbarazh hosts the administration of Zbarazh ur ...

Flags

Military insignia

* Regimental flags of the

Hellenic Army The Hellenic Army ( el, Ελληνικός Στρατός, Ellinikós Stratós, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece. The term ''Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the ...

(1864) * Badge of the

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (often referred to as the Royal Fusiliers or, simply, the Fusiliers) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division. Currently, the regiment has two battalions: the 1st battalion, part of ...

(1968) * Flag of the

Russian Orthodox Army The Russian Orthodox Army, ROA (russian: Русская православная армия, ''Russkaya pravoslavnaya armiya'') was a Russian separatist forces in Donbas, Russian separatist paramilitary group in Ukraine that has been fighting ...

(2014)

Explanatory notes

References

;Citations ;Sources * * * ;Bibliography * * * Loomis, C. Grant, 1949. ''White Magic, An Introduction to the Folklore of Christian Legend'' (Cambridge: Medieval Society of America) * Online version
(transliterates Greek text, etc.)--> * Walter, C., "The Origins of the Cult of St. George," ''Revue des études byzantines'', 53 (1995), 295–326. * Whatley, E. Gordon, editor, with Anne B. Thompson and Robert K. Upchurch, 2004. ''St. George and the Dragon in the South English Legendary (East Midland Revision, c. 1400)'' Originally published in ''Saints' Lives in Middle English Collections''

.

External links

Saint George Legend explained in Javascript
by Tomás Corral
St George and the Dragon Events and Ideas – Official Website for Tourism in England

St George Unofficial Bank Holiday
''St. George and the Dragon'', free illustrated book based on 'The Seven Champions' by Richard Johnson (1596)
St George's Bake and Brew
{{DEFAULTSORT:George And The Dragon, Saint Christian folklore Medieval legends Christian iconography Saint George (martyr) Tiamat