St Georges Flag Influence

The famous legend of Saint George is of him slaying a dragon. When looking into this further the dragon was commonly used to represent the devil. 

There are many versions of story of St George slaying the dragon, but most agree on the following:

1. A town was terrorised by a dragon.
2. A young princess was offered to the dragon
3. When George heard about this he rode into the village
4. George slayed the dragon and rescued the princess

The Legend of St. George and the Dragon 

 Story taken from webpage -

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/stgeorge2.html

"St. George travelled for many months by land and sea until he came to Libya. Here he met a poor hermit who told him that everyone in that land was in great distress, for a dragon had long ravaged the country.

'Every day,' said the old man, 'he demands the sacrifice of a beautiful maiden and now all the young girls have been killed. The king's daughter alone remains, and unless we can find a knight who can slay the dragon she will be sacrificed tomorrow. The king of Egypt will give his daughter in marriage to the champion who overcomes this terrible monster.'

When St. George heard this story, he was determined to try and save the princess, so he rested that night in the hermit's hut, and at daybreak set out to the valley where the dragon lived. When he drew near he saw a little procession of women, headed by a beautiful girl dressed in pure Arabian silk. The princess Sabra was being led by her attendants to the place of death. The knight spurred his horse and overtook the ladies. He comforted them with brave words and persuaded the princess to return to the palace. Then he entered the valley.

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/stgeorge2.html

As soon as the dragon saw him it rushed from its cave, roaring with a sound louder than thunder. Its head was immense and its tail fifty feet long. But St. George was not afraid. He struck the monster with his spear, hoping he would wound it.

The dragon's scales were so hard that the spear broke into a thousand pieces. and St. George fell from his horse. Fortunately he rolled under an enchanted orange tree against which poison could not prevail, so that the venomous dragon was unable to hurt him. Within a few minutes he had recovered his strength and was able to fight again.

He smote the beast with his sword, but the dragon poured poison on him and his armour split in two. Once more he refreshed himself from the orange tree and then, with his sword in his hand, he rushed at the dragon and pierced it under the wing where there were no scales, so that it fell dead at his feet."http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/stgeorge2.html

St. Georges Cross The History

About St George: 

• He was believed to have been born in Cappadocia a part of turkey, born into a Christian family in around the third century. 
• He was in the roman army, in the history books it states that the Emperor ordered the persecution of Christian, he refused and was tortured and executed in Palestine. 
• He was then later recognised as a Christian martyr. 
• The Legend of St George, in armour slaying a dragon and rescuing a fair maiden was in fact a medieval invention. 

Why is it that St George is associated with England:

• He was first talked about by St Adamnan in the seventh century, this information came from Abbot of iona who herd about St George from a French bishop clued Arcuif. 
• "His reputation began when he was returning crusaders said the saint had made a miraculous appearance and let them into battle at the siege of Antioch in 1098." -  http://www.theweek.co.uk/arts-life/58220/st-georges-day-why-england-wont-celebrate-its-patron-saint#ixzz3Jzceqow1
• They also passed down this legend of St George's dragon slaying to royal court.
• "When King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter in around 1348, he placed it under St George's patronage, and at about the same time English soldiers were required to wear "a signe of Saint George" on their uniforms." - http://www.theweek.co.uk/arts-life/58220/st-georges-day-why-england-wont-celebrate-its-patron-saint#ixzz3Jzceqow1
• St George was also put in Shakespeare's version of King Henry V's speech to his troops before the battle of Agincourt: "Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George'."- http://www.theweek.co.uk/arts-life/58220/st-georges-day-why-england-wont-celebrate-its-patron-saint#ixzz3Jzceqow1

The reason I have been influenced by this story to incorporate it into my work it that it was a big part of our history and our country used to be very proud to fly this flag; most people our days see it as a bit common as it has been so overused at football games etc. 

However, as a proud English woman I wanted to be in the mindset up Elizabeth and show my pride though my work as she did in her portraits.

This can also be seen on my Elizabethan Make-up Blog: http://fms406sommerssnewelizabethans.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=f7641d6f22f10b47