St. George : hero, martyr and myth / Samantha Riches.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Riches, Samantha.

Contributor:

Horace Howard Furness Memorial Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

George, Saint, -303.

George.

George, Saint, -303--Legends.

George, Saint, -303--Cult.

Cults.

Legends.

Physical Description:

xviii, 238 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 27 cm

Other Title:

Saint George

Place of Publication:

Stroud : Sutton, 2000.

Summary:

Everyone has heard of St George. He is the patron saint of England, but how many people know that he is also patron saint of several other regions and countries, including Catalonia and Georgia? His exploits with the dragon are celebrated on pub signs everywhere, but how many would guess at the symbolism that lies behind it all -- a complex web of medieval meaning which links the dragon with the original sin of Eve and associates St George himself with the death and resurrection of Christ? In this historical tour de force Samantha Riches examines the history and myth of St George, revealing the fascinating story of England's patron saint.

The earliest references to St George -- probably a Christian from Cappodocia (part of modern Turkey) who entered the imperial service and was martyred when he challenged the pagan beliefs of the king -- exist in fragments of fourth- and fifth-century manuscripts and there are churches dedicated to him which date back to the same period. It is often claimed that the Crusaders brought the cult of St George to the West and that the saint was popularized in England by Richard the Lionheart. Whatever the truth of these assertions, it is clear that St George quickly overtook other, native, candidates to become recognized as England's patron saint. His image was soon to be found in churches and civic buildings up and down the land and Guilds of St George were established in many of the country's major towns.

This remarkable devotion has left a rich and fascinating legacy of literature and art, of which Dr Riches is the undoubted master. She presents the legend of the saint in engrossing detail, plumbing the medieval mind and unravelling the countless different, and telling, versions of the legend. She continues the story through the Reformation and into the modern world, where St George continues to be an important symbol. The ghostly appearance which he is alleged to have made to troops during the First World War was reported many times, and today, in the England of Blair, Hague and football culture, his name, if not his spirit, lives on.

Lucidly written, tirelessly researched and beautifully illustrated, St George: Hero, Martyr and Myth will be required reading for any student of medieval art or history, or anyone fascinated by the remarkable story of England's patron saint.

Contents:

Chapter 1 The Development of the Cult of St George 1

Chapter 2 St George the Martyr: Torture and Resurrection 36

Chapter 3 The Virgin's Knight: St George and the Chivalric Ideal 68

Chapter 4 The Heavenly Warrior: The Military Saint and Patron of England 101

Chapter 5 The Dragon Myth: Light versus Dark 140

Chapter 6 Post-Medieval Themes in the Cult of St George 179

Epilogue: The Afterlife of a Hero 213

Table 1 Literary Versions of St George's Legend 218

Table 2 Tortures in the Literary Versions of St George's Legend 219

Table 3 St George and the Dragon 220.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 225-227) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Horace Howard Furness Memorial Fund.

ISBN:

0750924527

OCLC:

44533176