Cry God for Harry, England and St George
The story of St George is shrouded in mystery and legend, so it’s difficult to find hard and fast facts about his life.
However, according to the Royal Society of St George, George is generally believed to have been born in Turkey, sometime around 280 AD. He served in the Roman army during the reign of Diocletian, a pagan emperor.
After converting to Christianity, George left the military to campaign against Rome’s persecution of Christians, but he was imprisoned and tortured in an effort to make him renounce his faith. He stayed true to his beliefs and was eventually beheaded at Nicomedia, near Lydda in Palestine, on 23 April, 303 AD.
The link between St George and England was formed in the 14th century, during the reign of Edward III. Edward founded the Order of the Garter in 1348, which he put under the patronage of St George. St George became the special protector of the English, whose soldiers were required to wear the sign of St George.
It wasn’t until 1415 AD that St George became the patron saint of England, when English soldiers under Henry V won the battle of Agincourt. In Shakespeare’s Henry V, the King famously invoked St George as England’s patron saint by crying: “Cry God for Harry, England and St George”.
With thanks to www.celebratestgeorgesday.com - a very informative website offering history, legend, events, and recipes for St Georges Day.