Saint George's Day: Google Doodle marks England's national day

 

Kashmira Gander
Wednesday 23 April 2014 00:42 BST
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Google has celebrated St George’s Day with a Doodle on its homepage.

Depicting the legend of the patron saint of England, the black and white drawing shows him on a rearing horse as he slays a fire-breathing dragon with a lance.

According to medieval legend, George was martyred as he saved an innocent maiden from her death. However, aside from the myth telling of his chivalry, little is known about the real man who lived in the fourth century.

Saint George is thought to have been born in Cappadocia, now modern-day Turkey, to an upper-class Christian family.

Historians believe he became a solider, like his father, and joined the retinue of Diocletian, the Roman Emperor at the time.

Despite orders from Diocletian, Saint George is said to have refused to persecute Christians.

The martyrdom retold in Saint George's legend appears to be historically accurate, as he is believed to have died in 303 AD, after being tortured and executed in Palestine.

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